Greenwashing: A comparison of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council’s Certification Programs

Elise FerrareseBA 506

Greenwashing:Giving a positive public image to environmentally unsound practicesWhy is it problematic?

It’s misleadingCan create an industry-wide illusion of sustainabilityFosters consumer cynicism

Why do companies do it?Being green sells

Brief history of FSCStarted in 1993Developed by representatives from environmental, social, and forest management groupsApplies to forests worldwide

Brief History of SFI

Started in 1994 (one year after FSC)Developed by the American Forest and Paper Association- industry trade group

Mandatory Represents 90% of industrial timberlands in U.S.

Applies to companies in U.S. and Canada

Comparison of programsFSC

-3rd party audited-performance based-comprehensive, detailed

ecological indicators-stringent guidelines in many

areas of environmental protection

-social and economic criteria-”chain of custody certification”-mandatory independent public

reporting for all companies-requires annual audit

SFI-option of 1st, 2nd or 3rd party

auditing-management system based-general ecological indicators

(mostly optional and selected by company)

-no social/economic criteria-no “chain of custody”

certification-optional reporting-annual 1st party report, but not

audit

Implications

FSC is the real deal-customers know that their product is sustainableSFI doesn’t mean much

No public accountabilityNo benchmarks or targets for improvementNo consideration of local communities or wildlifeNo transparencyNo guarantee that products marketed as SFI have any connection to SFI certified forests

What SFI does do

Allows large-scale clearcutting Allows large-scale chemical useAllows logging of old-growthAllows planting of GMO trees

(100% of Weyerhaeuser forests in U.S. are SFI certified)

Don’t Buy the SFI

Campaign backed by American Lands Alliance, Greenpeace, National Wildlife Federation, Maine Natural Resources Council, Rainforest Action NetworkHall of Shame:http://dontbuysfi.com/sfi_facts/photo_gallery/