1. Pi Environmental Consulting π Hierarchical framework for forest certification standards Presentation prepared by Pierre Hauselmann For the WB/WWF Alliance

2. Pi Environmental Consulting π Links and keywords u Links with other instruments u Certification - components u Chain of Custody manual u Keywords u FSC requirements u Consultation u Copyrights u Certification - how it works: © WB/WWF Alliance u The PathFinder background picture: © WWF-Canon / Michèle Dépraz

3. Pi Environmental Consulting π Note for users u This presentation includes comments and explanation that is visible when in “note page view”. Users are advised to make a printout of this presentation in this mode before presenting it to a wider audience. u Make sure you grasp the elements that are included in the presentation. u Tropenbos’ Hierarchical Framework for the Formulation of Sustainable Forest Management Standards is a useful complement to this presentation and can help assimilate unclear concepts (Tool #6 of MSWG Toolkit) u This present slide will not show in a projection

4. Pi Environmental Consulting π Hierarchical framework for forest certification standards WWF / WB Alliance Capacity building toolkit for Multistakeholders National Working Groups June 2001

5. Pi Environmental Consulting π Hierarchical framework u Translates general and intangible goals into measurable elements: Principles, criteria, indicator, norm, verifier

6. Objective Principle Criterion Indicator Norm International level Verifier National or regional standard Good Forest Management Hierarchical framework

7. Pi Environmental Consulting π u Highlights the fact that forest certification standards have both globally and locally applicable elements u Provided there is an horizontal harmonisation process between local standards, and u locally applicable elements are derived from the same global principles and criteria u Different local standards are equivalent Hierarchical framework

8. Pi Environmental Consulting π Objective Principles Criteria Indicators Certificate Country A Criteria Indicators Certificate Country B International Comparability Harmonisation process Hierarchical framework

9. Pi Environmental Consulting π Hierarchical framework and trade u WTO Technical Barrier to Trade agreement (TBT): u National standards must be developed using international standards or the relevant part of them u Hierarchical framework allows compliance with this requirement u Provided the international element (principles and criteria) are international standards

10. Pi Environmental Consulting π Principles u A principle is an essential element or rule of forest management u It elaborates the general goal and divides it into elements that have a significance for the elaboration of a policy. u It is a characteristic of an objective or an attitude and must be formulated in such a way that the objective is clear. Prerequisites or verification means should not be formulated at the principle level. u Principles are globally applicable

11. Pi Environmental Consulting π Criteria u A criterion is a means to evaluate whether a principle is fulfilled. It describes the desired state of the forest or the social system. A criterion should be formulated in such a way that a verdict can be made regarding the level of compliance with its parent principle. Criteria should not add new requirements than those logically derived from the parent principle. u Criteria can be globally and/or locally applicable

12. Pi Environmental Consulting π Indicators u An indicator is an objectively measurable parameter, in relation with a criterion. It is used to reduce the number of measurements needed to describe an ecosystem or its related social system. Indicators can be quantitative or qualitative and belong to one of the following types:

13. Pi Environmental Consulting π Indicators Input: tests the existence of a characteristic of a management plan or law (e.g. the existence of a legal framework ensuring investment stability) Process: tests the existence of a human intervention or a process, not their results (e.g. the necessary infrastructure is in place before logging operations start) Outcome: tests the results of a process (e.g. balance between the growth and the removal of wood)

14. Pi Environmental Consulting π Indicators u Indicators should be formulated in such a way that the answer is unambiguous. For this reason, quantitative indicators (e.g. results in %, values or numbers) are preferred to qualitative ones (e.g. good, sufficient or insufficient results). Outcome indicators must be accompanied by threshold values (norms). u Indicators are locally applicable

15. Pi Environmental Consulting π Norms u A norm is the threshold given to an indicator (reference value). The comparison between the norm and the measured value allows demonstrating the degree of fulfilment of a criterion and by extension of a principle. u Being directly derived from criteria, norms are locally applicable.

16. Pi Environmental Consulting π Verifiers u A verifier is the source of information for the indicator or its reference value. u It describes the way the indicator is measured in the field and can be either vague or very precise, depending on the importance or impact of the measured value