Key trends in timber industry: voluntary certification

The eighth item on our list of ten key trends that have influenced the forest industry over the last decade and will continue to shape it in the coming years - voluntary certification.

• In 2020, Russia took first place in the world in the number of voluntarily certified forests (at that moment - under the FSC scheme, Forest Stewardship Council, Forest Stewardship Council). With a record area of 52.45 million hectares of certified forests, the Russian Federation has overtaken the long-time leader - Canada.
• In 2022, Russia developed and implemented its own system of voluntary forest certification - “Forest Standard”. In the first year alone, the company issued 385 certificates in 52 regions of the Russian Federation and Belarus.
• Also in 2022, our country introduced its own certification system for wood fuel pellets - “Eco+”, developed taking into account the experience accumulated since 2013.
• In the spring of 2023, the Russian Institute of Standardization presented the National Forest Certification System (NFC), which is designed to ensure a balance of interests of the state, forestry enterprises and other interested parties. Certified companies will be able to use the system markings on their products to demonstrate compliance with the relevant requirements. In the summer of the same year, representatives of the REC and the Russian Institute of Standardization signed an agreement according to which timber industry enterprises that have certificates of compliance with the NSLS will be able to receive the “Made in Russia” mark and become participants in the Russian Export Center (REC) program for promotion to foreign markets.