I recently had the opportunity to work with well-known research and consulting firm Info Trends on a webinar about sustainability and it is now available on their web site. For those that aren’t aware, Info Trends is a leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry. Like virtually all market research firms, Info Trends has clearly seen that their customers are incorporating sustainability into their business considerations, but see that they are also thirsty for reliable information. Enter SFI…

The firm recently released a study on sustainability that, among other things, revealed that social responsibility and customer demand are two primary motivation factors for printers’ adoption of green policies, though marketing and public relations benefits do factor in as well. Soon after the report was released, SFI was approached with an opportunity to chime in on some of the findings and provide the printing sector with more information about forest certification and the role of SFI. We recorded the webinar before Christmas and I am now thrilled to let you know it is available on Info Trend’s website. The presentation is available in three parts – click below and follow the “Flash Media Video and Animation” link at the bottom of the page to stream the presentation online.

Green Printing and Sustainability, Part 1: Forest Certification and an Overview on SFI

Green Printing and Sustainability, Part 2: SFI for the Paper and Printing Industries

Green Printing and Sustainability, Part 3: Marketplace Trends

We are more than happy to prepare these types of webinars for our members and certificate holders – email Karen[dot]brandt[at]sfiprogram.org for more information.

I’ve been involved in the forest sector for 20 years and I can honestly say I don’t remember a time when the sector faced as many challenges as it does today. It seems every day I am hearing of more mill closures, consolidation, layoffs, etc. I’ve seen some tough times in the sector for sure, and yet I’m always impressed by the resiliency of the sector and its passion for our forests.

This commitment to the environment is evident in SFI’s record growth over the past year. We’ve averaged more than one certification per day, and today we have more than 1000 locations certified across North America and more than 700 organizations are involved in our program. From land owners and managers to wood procurement companies to lumber yards, furniture makers, printers and paper makers and packaging companies to governments and customers – we are witnessing a unprecedented commitment to responsible forest management. This at time, when as a sector, we are clearly hurting.

I can’t say for sure what 2009 will hold for the forest sector, no one can. I can say this though, our forests in North America and globally are still a priority, that sustainable forest management and sustainable communities are paramount. However, with only 10% of the world’s forests certified, the health and sustainability of forests and our communities depends on us working together not against one another. This is not the time to support a monopoly, we need choice in forest certification programs, it’s time for us to work together to ensure our forests are there for future generations, that our customers have choice and consumers have access to forest products from well-managed forests. Whether you’re a printer, a forest company, another certification program, an environmentalist or anyone that cares about the world’s forests, I invite you all to work together with us at SFI to address the challenges facing our forest sector and seize the opportunities to promote sustainable forest management globally.

You’ve probably heard me talk lots about the fact that only 10% of the world’s forests are certified. Today I want to talk about the other 90% — that’s not certified. There are lots of reasons for this, developing nations may lack the capacity, support and legal framework to implement credible, independent forest certification programs. But what about uncertified lands in developed countries, like right here in the United States?

In December I had the privilege of touring uncertified lands owned by private land owners in Georgia. Today there are more than 10 million small family-owned forests in the United States and they produce 60% of the fiber in forest products manufactured in the US. I got to see firsthand this week the commitment these family forest owners have to sustainable forest management. Joe Hopkins, one such forest land owner, showed me a forest that he had recently planted and he told me “I’m not planting these forests for me, I’m planting them for my children and their children. In fact, I will unlikely live to see this forest harvested, but I still care about it because it’s the right thing to do.” Joe represents four generations of family forest owners and he’s just one of thousands across North America who participates in the SFI program through our unique fiber sourcing program.

For many family forest owners in both the US and Canada, certification is not a cost effective option for them. They may make money off their forests or woodlot twice in their lifetime, yet there are annual costs associated with a certification audit. While landowners can’t always justify the cost of an audit, our fiber sourcing program ensures that a company buying the fiber from these landowners undergoes a third-party audit by an accredited certification body to ensure the fiber sourcing requirements associated with landowner outreach, best management practices and logger training were met. In fact, since 1995, more than 110,000 loggers have been trained across North America through the SFI program.

I was moved by the commitment these family forest owners, loggers, foresters and SFI program participants have towards managing forests responsibly, respecting the rights of privacy of land owners and working to ensure forests for future generations. I’m proud that the SFI program has this unique feature – it shows our commitment to sustainable forest management not just on certified lands but on all forest land. Keep up the good work Joe… and the millions of other family forest owners across North America!