The aim of forest certification is to conserve forests and make their resources accessible for human use.

Year after year, 12 to 15 million hectares of forest disappear, an area about three times the size of Switzerland. The destruction of tropical rainforests poses a threat to the people who live in them, to biodiversity and to the global climate. The search for quick profits by timber firms and agricultural investors is a driving force behind deforestation, but there is another way of doing things.

Each forest can be managed sustainably to keep it functioning and allow profits to be made from its products at the same time. For this kind of sustainable forestry, rules must be followed to ensure that account is taken of all stakeholders’ interests and that no harm comes to the forest.

Forest certification is a process in which timber merchants, environmentalists, inhabitants, etc. all agree on the exact conditions for forest use. If a forestry enterprise operates according to these rules, it is awarded a certificate that provides its clients with a guarantee that sustainable production methods have been followed. By raising demand, consumers who choose these products increase the incentive for responsible forest use.

Since certification began in 1994, over 200 million hectares of forest have been certified worldwide. In many cases, communities in developing countries have been able to have their forests certified. This way they gain access to new markets and safeguard their resources against logging companies.