"PEFC is committed to improving stakeholder involvement in the numerous consultations PEFC is currently undertaking and will undertake in the future," said Thorsten Arndt, Head of Communications at PEFC International.  "It is our responsibilities to make it as easy as possible for stakeholders to engage in our processes, and we have therefore implemented an Online Consultation Tool, complementing traditional consultation methods."

PEFC launched its new Online Consultation Tool with the start of its consultation on its global requirements for forest management standards earlier this year.

"With these standards defining the management of two-thirds of the world’s certified forests, our efforts have focused on providing as many opportunities for interested people to participate as possible, including a number of workshops, stakeholder dialogues and webinars supplementing the consultation," explained Mr. Arndt. He noted that PEFC has received praise for being the first global forest certification system offering stakeholders the possibility to participate in consultations online.

In addition to five consultations on international standards, there is currently also one consultation on a national forest certification system as part of PEFC’s assessment process, available for comments and feedback:

• Requirements for Sustainable Forest Management in Temperate, Boreal and Plantation Forests
• Requirements for Sustainable Forest Management in Natural Tropical Forests
• Requirements for Standard Setting
• Requirements for the Certification of Multiple Forest Holdings
• Social Requirements in Chain of Custody Certification
• Public Consultation on the Revised German Forest Certification Scheme

PEFC’s Online Consultation Tool utilizes INOVEM’s Inclusionware solutions, the acknowledged pioneer of web-native systems for collaboration, consultation and inclusion.