PEFC to unveil global awareness campaign for sustainable furniture on 15 September

16 August 2021 News

PEFC is helping all actors of the wood furniture supply chain and consumers embrace responsible sourcing of wood furniture with its latest awareness campaign. A global public launch will take place on 15 September at 10:00-11:00 CEST (GMT+2).

The one-hour program will feature a panel discussion on the Responsible sourcing of forest-based materials for wood furniture. PEFC will welcome four incredible panellists to share perspectives, and discuss the challenges to, and opportunities for, sustainability in the furniture sector. Our panellists are representatives from:

• Youth/Consumer: Ms. Alina Lehikoinen, President - International Forestry Students' Association
• Industry/Manufacturer: Mr. Nicolaas K. de Lange, Secretary-General - ASEAN Furniture Industries Council
• Forest Certification: Mr. Alun Watkins, Executive Director - PEFC UK and Chairman of the Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme
• Furniture retailer

Get a taste of what is to come with this short video about our work, and our new focus on furniture:

The importance of sustainably sourced furniture

Growing by 65% over the last 10 years, the global furniture market is booming. The wood that makes this furniture comes from all over the world, from temperate woodlands of maple and oak to teak and mahogany from the tropics. 

Given the growing demand for the wood within them, how can these forests continue to thrive? And how can consumers make choices that will help preserve the world’s natural forests, sustaining their biodiversity and their essential contributions to climate change mitigation? 

Sourcing wood-based materials for furniture products from sustainably managed forests is part of the answer. When furniture manufacturers choose sustainably sourced wood, when furniture retailers sell responsible products, and when consumers live their values by choosing sustainable wood furniture, they all contribute to the preservation of our forests. 

It is a proven way to both incentivise forest management practices that keep forests standing, and to improve the livelihoods of millions of people who live in and around forests.

This is why we are unveiling a new furniture awareness campaign, targeted at focal countries in Europe and Asia. PEFC is committed to doing everything we can to help the global supply chain meet responsible procurement and sustainability standards, and help forest owners large and small achieve and demonstrate certification. 

A whole-of-market campaign

PEFC’s newest furniture awareness campaign will address the entire value chain, with an audience of retailers, supply chain companies, trade associations, forest certification consultants, interior designers, architects, media, woodworking schools, and accreditation and certification bodies. Consumers, too, are part of this picture, with each of these audiences a consumer themselves.

An increase in public awareness and preferences for sustainably sourced materials, from fabrics to food products, shows that consumers are increasingly conscious of the impact their buying decisions have on the environment. 

Preferences for fair-trade labels further indicate that consumers are concerned about the livelihoods of the people who ultimately supply their goods and raw materials.

According to the first PEFC/GfK Global Consumer Survey, an overwhelming majority of consumers globally – more than 80% – want companies to use appropriate labels on products. 30% said they actively look for forest certification labels when purchasing wood products. That makes a label from PEFC, the most trusted name in global forest certification, a way for retailers to visibly communicate their commitment to responsible sourcing.

Join in the launch to show your support

We will launch our furniture campaign on Wednesday, 15 September, 10:00-11:00 CEST, as a Zoom webinar and live on Facebook and YouTube.