Japanese Sustainability Forum Champions Power of Certification
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Hosted in Tokyo in late June, the SGEC/PEFC Forest Certification Forum commemorated its 20th anniversary and celebrated the enduring role of forest certification in improving the social and environmental conditions of the world’s forests.
The Sustainable Green Ecosystem Council (SGEC) is the PEFC national member for Japan. For Japan, as for the rest of the world, consumers and industry alike are increasingly demanding the materials they use and buy are certified as originating from sustainably managed forests. The country is therefore experiencing a rising interest and demand for the certification of its forests.
“With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games approaching, the PEFC endorsement of the Japanese forest certification system means this, and other construction projects, can benefit from certified timber, provided locally through SGEC,” said Ben Gunneberg, PEFC International CEO.
“Building on examples such as the 2012 London Olympics and the 2013 Winter Universiade in Italy, the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games can become the first global sporting event ensuring that all wood used comes from happy forests,” he said.
Among the speakers were Tatsuya Kajiya, Exeuctive Director of SGEC/PEFC Japan, Joji Makimoto, Director General of the Japanese Forestry Agency, Professor Yoshinori Yasuda, Director of the Museum of Natural and Environmental History Shizuoka, along with presentations from Askul Corporation, Tombow Pencil and the Tamura Timber Company.
Simon Dorries, CEO of Responsible Wood, our national member for Australia, spoke of the importance of PEFC certification in providing environmentally conscious consumers with trust that timber and paper based products are sourced from a sustainable source.
Ben Gunneberg added that forest certification was increasingly becoming a non-negotiable for suppliers looking to gain access to international markets.
