More than any other aspect of the packaging chain, paper and board manufacture has long been at the forefront of sustainable practices, thanks in large part to the efforts of the world’s two largest paper certification bodies – the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Roland Tellzen speaks to the secretary general of PEFC International, Ben Gunneberg, about how far the packaging industry has progressed in considering sustainable paper sources. For a man who has become the public face of one of the world's two main forest products certification bodies, Ben Gunneberg, secretary general of the PEFC, was almost born for the role.
“I am a forester… that is my background, that is my profession, and that is how I came to play a role in making sure our use of the world's forests is done sustainably and responsibly,” Gunneberg explains.
“It was through my forestry work, and studies, that I became involved in the issue of certification in the 1990s.
“I saw it as an efficient mechanism to manage risk, communicate ethical business behaviour and enhance brand value. It made a lot of sense to me.”
Developed following the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and formally established as a standalone body in 1999, the PEFC lays claim to being the world’s largest independent third party sustainable forest management promoter and certifier.
The body, together with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), certifies timber forests around the world for their sustainable management practices.
Based in Geneva, Switzerland, in its early days it was a very European-dominated body. Since 2004, however, when Australia and Chile became the first non-European countries to have their national standards endorsed by PEFC, the organisation has been active in all parts of the world.
Today, some nine per cent, or 360 million hectares, of the world’s forests are certified by either of the two schemes (if not both). These forests are among the world’s most productive in providing the raw materials for such industries as construction, furniture, paper and packaging.
Gunneberg explains that while it may appear that the two bodies are competitors, he says that as not-for-profit organisations they are often collaborators, or at least fellow travellers, rather than bitter rivals.
“There is a lot more double certification these days, but it does not make any difference to the amount of certified timber coming out of these forests.
In both organisations, he says, the overriding aim is to encourage sustainable forest use.
“It is a voluntary mechanism, but it is the world’s largest system, and growing in respect and importance all the time.”
While he admits that certification is not a panacea for all the problems facing the world's timber and pulp producers, he says it is important for all companies using timber products, including the packaging industry, to recognise consumers are becoming more aware of such schemes.
“It is essential to communicate to customers where materials come from,” he says. “We do not believe that forest certification is the be-all-and-end-all, but we believe that forest certification can add value to your business and your customers.”
“It gives a chain of authority right through to the final consumer.
“Forests cover a third of the world's surface area, and one in five people in some way or the other are involved directly or indirectly in forest industries.
“Public procurement policies around the world increasingly call for forest certification, and we are seeing that further down the supply chain the customers and consumers are increasingly demanding certification.
“It is a prerequisite for doing business now. It is an investment in market share development.”
He said certification was becoming more and more important to the packaging industry because of its exposure to all levels within the pulp and paper chain.
“Packaging is very important, because it is part of the overall mix,” he says. “If you talk to the likes of the Unilevers of the world, packaging is very important to them.
“It is also being driven by the retailers who are making decisions on behalf of consumers because they want them to be aware that any paper-based product they are using came from sustainable sources.
“It is increasingly important for the manufacturers of packaging to have a chain of custody, and that really needs to be encouraged up and down the supply chain.”
The importance of forest certification to end-consumers was demonstrated by a recent PEFC survey, which indicated that 78 per cent of consumers said an eco-label would have some influence on their buying decisions, with 52 per cent saying it would have a strong bearing on their purchasing choices.
