Certification

Danzer Group holds a number of acknowledged, independent certificates for forest management, products and traceability.

Forest certificates ensure that a forest is legally, sustainably and/or well managed. Timber from these forests is called certified timber.

The forest concession at Danzer Group’s African subsidiary, IFO, in the Republic of Congo, as well as the timber tracts of Danzer Forestland in Indiana (United States) are FSC certified. The Forest Stewardship Council^® (FSC^®) is an independent, non-governmental and not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.

IFO was granted FSC forest management certification in February 2009 after an extensive external audit confirming that IFO meets the strict social, economic and ecological requirements of the FSC Principles and Criteria. To date, the 1.16 million-hectare (2.9 million-acre) forest concession from IFO is the largest timber concession in the tropics including Africa that has been awarded FSC certification.
For more Information, see the download in the column on the right. (Press release “Danzer Group: Subsidiary IFO in the Republic of Congo obtains FSC certificate”)

FSC certification is also planned for 1.9 million hectares (4.7 million acres) of forest concessions belonging to SIFORCO, Danzer Group’s subsidiary in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
SIFORCO has already received a legality certificate, meaning the company can offer wood of legality verified origin. SIFORCO was certified through a process called TLTV (Timber Legality and Traceability Verification by the company Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS). TLTV certification requires adherence to forest and manufacturing regulations as well as to the rights of workers and the local population.
For more Information, see the download in the column on the right.

In March 2010, forests covering roughly 2,630 hectares of Danzer Forestland in Indiana (United States) were FSC certified. Here, too, certification took place following an extensive audit by an independent inspection company. The process took into account all of the social, ecological and economic aspects of responsible forest management.
For more Information, see the download in the column on the right. (Press release “Danzer Group: Subsidiary Danzer Forestland obtains FSC certification for forests in the United States”)

Certification requires Chain-of-Custody registration. Chain of Custody certificates ensure that every wood product sold can be traced back to the original log. Danzer Group holds CoC certificates from FSC, TLTV and PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). These certificates authorize Danzer Group companies to buy, manufacture and sell certified timber products.
For more Information, see the download in the column on the right.