Who and what do you need?

Behind every branding or certificate, on a piece of wood or a wood product, there is a certification scheme. This can be compared to an independent evaluation scheme.

For such a scheme, the following instruments and organizations are needed:

• Local standard for sustainable forest management, with which the current forest management is evaluated. These standards are often a local translation of general principles for sustainable forest management. This translation can be done by a national working group or by the certification institute.
• Independent certification institute: This organization determines whether the forest management meets the local standards of sustainable forest management. Certifying organizations have employed inspectors who do the (field) audits  and write the inspection reports. Examples of certifying organizations are: SKAL (Netherlands), Soil Association (Woodmark, UK), SmartWood (USA), SGS Qualifor (UK) and Imaflora (Brazil).
• Accrediting institution: This organization monitors the certifying institution on professionalism, independence and method. The work of this institute increases the confidence of consumers. Examples of accrediting organizations: FSC International and Accreditation Council (Netherlands).
• Possibly a national working group: this group formulates as participatory as possible the local regulations of sustainable forest management. These rules are based on internationally accepted principles of sustainable forestry. Examples of working groups in the region are: the Brazilian FSC working group, the Bolivian FSC Working Group, the Guyana Forest certification workgroup.