SFI Standard

The SFI 2005-2009 Standard promotes sustainable forest management through nine principles, 13 objectives, 34 performance measures and 102 indicators developed by professional foresters, conservationists, scientists and others. The standard addresses key environmental, social and economic forest values – from water quality and biodiversity to harvesting and regeneration.

The SFI Standard is reviewed through an open public process every five years, and is subject to continuous improvement so it can incorporate the latest scientific information and respond to emerging issues. The review process for the SFI 2010-2014 Standard began in June 2008, and the new standard will take effect on Jan. 1, 2010.

Chain-of-custody certification is a tool used to track wood fiber from a certified forest, providing a link between certified forestlands and certified products. Through SFI's chain-of-custody certification, a company can accurately identify the percent certified and/or recycled content in a product.

Through its fiber sourcing requirements, SFI Inc. supports responsible forest management on SFI-certified lands and on millions of additional acres that are not certified – both in North America and offshore. Products meeting SFI’s fiber sourcing requirements have access to SFI fiber sourcing labels certifying responsible procurement.

Certification bodies performing third-party audits to SFI forest, chain-of-custody or fiber sourcing requirements must be independent, objective and qualified. Depending on the scope of the certification audit, they must have completed an accreditation program through an independent, international accreditation bodies.