Panels & Furniture Asia January/February 2018

58 SHOW REVIEW
PEFC GETS SMART IN
HELSINKI AND LOOKS TO
THE FUTURE
Last November’s PEFC Week in
Helsinki brought members together
to work on developing a new
global strategy for PEFC to promote
more sustainable forestry and tree
management, and on increasing the
value of the wood products supply chain
to society as a whole.
“We need a paradigm shift in how
society perceives the whole forest/tree
value chain,” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO
of PEFC International, as he opened the
22 nd PEFC General Assembly. “Society
is at a crossroads and the strategic
direction we choose will provide the
opportunity for us to demonstrate the
real value of sustainable forests and their
contribution to society in achieving the
UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.”
He added that industry must
demonstrate how forests are part of
the solution to tackle climate change
and a growing urban global population.
“For too long, society has perceived
forestry as part of the problem
rather than the solution. By working
interdependently, PEFC can and will
change society’s perception and place
forests at the heart of the solutions to
these challenges,” Mr Gunneberg said.
The annual meeting typically sees
PEFC members gathering for meetings
and workshops on Monday and Tuesday,
followed by the General Assembly, held
on Wednesday. The last two days of the
Week is open to stakeholders registered
for the PEFC Stakeholder Dialogue. The
2017 event received 250 participants
from 57 countries worldwide including
delegations from Asia.
This year, under the Dialogue’s
theme, ‘Making Certification SMART’,
delegates explored the potential
of technology innovation within
certification: From remote sensing
and mobile apps through to block-
chain and crypto currencies. Delegates
discussed how to approach technology
in a meaningful way that could increase
the value of PEFC to forest owners as
well as to supply chain actors.
“The incorporation of smart
technology could ensure that the full
extent of the sustainable development
Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International
Networking at PEFC Week in Helsinki
goals can be better delivered and
better communicated than in the past,”
Mr Gunneberg stressed.
In his concluding remarks, he added,
“By engaging collaboratively, we can
leverage the impact of the work we do,
and achieve so much more.” ℗
January / February 2018 • Issue 1 • PANELS & FURNITURE ASIA