PA SFI® Implementation Committee: Inconsistent Practices Program

By Chuck Coup, PA SFI Implementation Committee Program Manager

Did you know that the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI®) offers a program to address public concerns regarding the management practices of SFI-certified organizations? The SFI Inconsistent Practices Program allows individuals and organizations to bring forward questions and concerns about the management and practices of SFI-certified organizations, or other entities engaged with the Pennsylvania SFI Implementation Committee, that appear to deviate from the SFI standards’ principles and objectives. By identifying and addressing these deviations, the Pennsylvania SFI Implementation Committee (SIC) aims to ensure that companies adhere to sustainable forestry practices, promoting responsible and environmentally appropriate forest management.

Certified organizations can be contacted directly at any time to report any activity that does not appear to comply with the SFI standards. Alternatively, an Inconsistent Practices Report can be submitted to the Pennsylvania SIC, which will forward legitimate complaints to the appropriate certified organization(s) or other entity/entities engaged with the Pennsylvania SIC for follow-up and a response. A complaint is considered to be legitimate if it is supported by evidence (e.g., photos), violates the SFI standards, and involves one or more certified organizations or an entity they do business with, an SIC partner or supporter, or an individual who holds a valid SFI Qualified Logging Professional status.

• SFI-Certified Organizations are those that have been certified by an accredited certification body to be in conformance with the SFI Forest Management Standard, and/or the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard. For a listing of certified organizations, visit https://sfidatabase.org.
• SIC Partners and Supporters provide financial support to the Pennsylvania SIC but are not certified to the SFI standards. For a listing of Pennsylvania SIC partners, visit www.sfiofpa.org/program_partners.php. For a listing of Pennsylvania SIC supporters, visit www.sfiofpa.org/program_supporters.php.
• Pennsylvania SFI-Qualified Logging Professionals are individuals who have successfully completed the core and continuing education requirements of the Pennsylvania SFI Professional Timber Harvester Training Program. For a complete listing, visit www.sfiofpa.org/search.

A complaint must present specific claims of inconsistent management or practices in writing, using the Pennsylvania SFI Inconsistent Practices Reporting form. The form is available online at www.sfiofpa.org/inconsistent. The Pennsylvania SIC is not an enforcement agency. In cases where a violation of law is alleged, the complainant should report the incident directly to the appropriate regulatory or law enforcement authority.

Once a report is received, the Pennsylvania SIC will send a letter of acknowledgment to the filer. The Implementation Committee will then assess the evidence provided in the report and determine the most appropriate course of action, based on an established protocol. The complaint will be handled according to the specific circumstances of the report and the entities involved. Some issues, like disputes that arise from inadequate contracts or pollution from non-forestry activities, may fall outside the scope of the Inconsistent Practices Program. Additionally, the Implementation Committee may not be able to address issues that do not involve one or more of the previously mentioned entities associated with SFI certification or the Pennsylvania SIC.

The SFI Inconsistent Practices Program demonstrates SFI’s expectation that certified organizations and the entities involved with the Pennsylvania SFI Implementation Committee are operating at the highest level of conformance with SFI standards and policies.

For more information about the PA SFI® Implementation Committee, visit their website at https://sfiofpa.org or call 888-734-9366.