Understanding Sustainable Forest Management Certification in Slovakia: Forest Owners’ Perception of Expectations, Benefits and Problems

Abstract

Forest certification as a voluntary verification tool has been providing an independent assessment of sustainable forestry practices and thus confidence in sustainability benchmarks for over 20 years. Using either the international or national approaches and initiatives, two main forest certification systems, PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), have spread in a number of countries worldwide. The specifics of local conditions in the forestry sector have to be taken into account when implementing the certification context in a given country or a region. Apart from the natural conditions, institutional structure, or legislative framework, it is also the local and national stakeholders and their perception of this issue that provides the background for the implementation of the certification criteria. The main objective of this study is to examine the general understanding of the certification concept as an environmental, economic, and social tool, and to determine the incentives of forest owners in Slovakia for sustainable forest management (SFM) certification. In addition, the benefits and problems arising from participation in certification were identified and differences reflecting the ownership structure of forests, size of forest area, and participation in a particular certification programme were analysed. Results indicate that certified forest owners, unlike non-certified, demonstrated a high level of understanding of the SFM certification concept. Certified entities mainly consider forest certification as their commitment to environmental responsibility and a tool for improving external company image, promoting sustainable utilisation of forest resources, and improving forest management practices. The main benefits are linked to the possibility to demonstrate forest management practices, a better understanding of the forest management concept, and improvement of forest management practices. PEFC users perceive more benefits following from certification; the most important are those associated with non-economic values, while FSC-certified forest owners perceive mainly economic benefits connected to market penetration, increased sales volume, and potential price premiums. The key problems associated with certification relate to duties to ensure compliance with certification criteria by contractors and administrative difficulties. Respondents reported minimum price premiums for the sale of their certified timber. Additionally, the findings of the study pointed out that a nationally developed certification system can better recognise the roles and objectives of forest certification in the context of forest policy.

Efforts toward Creating a Sustainable Business Model: An Empirical Investigation of Small-Scale Certified Forestry Firms in Taiwan

“…These firms also revealed the reasons why they adjusted their perceptions: (1) to divest themselves of a poor reputation, (2) to differentiate their products and services in the market, and (3) to rekindle public trust. This result is consistent with the views of forest owners in Slovakia who consider certification to be a tool to improve their corporate image [49]. Ever since the 1990s, Taiwanese residents have regarded logging as a major cause of landslides and ecosystem destruction.…”

Consumers – global citizens from the CSR 2.0 perspective

“…Approximately 60% of respondents strongly agree that primary state/government and then corporation/companies should solve the environmental issues. Some studies [24,25] introduced that companies as well as public authorities can incorporate requirements for certified products into their green (sustainable) procurement policies. Sustainable procurement is dealing with the concept of social responsibility and good corporate citizenship.…”

Procedural Factors Influencing Forest Certification Audits: An Empirical Study in Romania

“…These schemes focus on compliance with national and international legislation or good practices [16], clarification of ownership issues, development of forest management plans aimed at preserving and enhancing conservation attributes, increasing safety of forest-specific activities, and ensuring optimal work conditions and transparency. Regarding benefits, certified entities mainly consider forest certification as a tool for improving external company image, promoting sustainable utilization of forest resources, and improving forest management practices [17].…”