ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a range of views on forest certification. By setting out the broad spectrum of views, it becomes clear that there are many issues for which a consensus should be achieved if certification programmes are to be successful. Certification, both from conceptual and operational viewpoints, has been and continues to be a learning process for many stakeholder groups. Governments vary in their support for certification. Governmental support for certification tends to come more firmly from importing governments [such as the Netherlands and Austria], and from governments of countries which export to ‘greener’ markets in Western Europe and North America. Environmental NGOs are generally supportive of certification, but views are quite varied, reflecting the diversity of interests that this group represents. In some countries, forest industry and the trade are protagonists for certification. Retailers expect certification to increase customer satisfaction and thereby to improve their business prospects.
