The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is an organization that works to protect the environment in the United States and Canada. SFI was started in 1994 by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), a group that represents companies in the wood and paper industry. SFI is the largest single standard in the world for certifying forests based on the area they cover. SFI is based in Ottawa and Washington, D.C.

SFI standards

The SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard includes important rules about protecting biodiversity, endangered species, and wildlife homes. It also ensures forests are harvested in a way that does not harm the environment, keeps water clean, and allows forests to regrow quickly. SFI has approved more than 370 million acres (150 million hectares) in the United States and Canada to follow these rules.

The SFI 2022 Fiber Sourcing Standard encourages responsible forestry practices. It includes 13 Principles, 11 Objectives, 29 Performance Measures, and 59 Indicators to guide how fiber is obtained from forests that are not certified. These rules help ensure that fiber from non-certified areas is still used responsibly.

The SFI 2022 Chain-of-Custody Standard is a tracking system that follows the amount of forest fiber in products, including fiber from certified forests, fiber from certified sources, and recycled materials, from production through to the final product.

All SFI certifications require checks by independent, third-party auditors. These checks are done by groups that are officially recognized internationally.

The new SFI 2022 Standards and Rules, created through a public review process, became effective on January 1, 2022. These standards include new requirements, such as the Climate Smart Forestry Objective, which requires SFI-certified organizations to address climate change by helping forests adapt and reduce emissions. The Fire Resilience and Awareness Objective asks certified organizations to reduce the risk of wildfires and educate communities about fire risks and ways to reduce them. A new Objective, Recognize and Respect Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, ensures that Indigenous Peoples’ rights and traditional knowledge are respected, following the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

SFI standards are updated regularly to include the latest scientific research and improve practices. During the revision process, draft standards were shared online, and input was gathered during 10 public webinars. More than 2,300 people from groups like conservation organizations, Indigenous communities, the forest industry, government agencies, and the public provided feedback.

An independent group called the SFI External Review Panel oversaw the revision process. This panel, made up of experts from conservation, academic, and public organizations, reviewed all public comments to ensure the process was fair, clear, and trustworthy. Responses to comments are posted online.

SFI standards apply only to forestlands in the United States and Canada. Organizations certified by SFI must follow all relevant laws. For sources outside North America where laws are not strong enough, participants must avoid using illegal or controversial sources. SFI supports efforts to stop illegal logging and is part of the Forest Legality Alliance, a group working with international experts to solve this issue.

SFI helped organize a world record tree-planting event in May 2015. During this event, 29 teams planted 202,935 trees in one hour across North America. The teams included young people, community groups, and industry partners.

SFI Board of Directors

The Board of Directors that governs SFI has three chambers. These chambers are divided into environmental, economic, and social sectors.

The current board includes environmental representatives, such as Dr. Tracey Farrell, who is the CEO of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Catherine Grenier, who serves as President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy in Canada. Members from the North American forestry sector include Michael P. Doss, President and CEO of Graphic Packaging, and Don Kayne, CEO of Canfor. Other members of the board are from social action groups, Indigenous organizations, government agencies, professional groups for foresters, and other non-profit organizations.

Research publications

SFI-certified organizations are required to help fund forest research as part of their certification. Employees from SFI’s science and conservation teams help write research papers about studies supported by SFI. Since 1995, $1.9 billion has been used to support forest research through SFI and its partners.

• PLOS Climate (June 2023): How climate-smart forestry can help forests and the environment, but also possible risks
• International Journal of Forest Engineering (Dec. 2022): How to find special areas in clearcut areas across the southeastern United States
• Forest Ecology and Management (Sep. 2022): How using better forestry practices reduces soil erosion from clearcut areas in the southeastern United States
• The Forestry Source (July 2022): A discussion about deforestation in a local community
• Forest Science (March 2022): An estimate of soil erosion caused by clearcut logging in the southeastern United States
• Business Strategy and the Environment (May 2021): How technology can help protect wildlife during development projects
• Forests (Jan. 2021): How non-native worms are spreading in forest soil in northern Maine, USA
• Forest, Range and Wildland Soils (July 2020): How heavy machinery used in logging affects soil compaction in northern hardwood forests

Media references

"Flames of opportunity: How fire shapes the future of our forests," Canadian Forest Industries Magazine. People in many areas of North America are dealing with wildfires that happen more often and cause more damage. In this article, Lauren Cooper, SFI's Chief Conservation Officer, explains that it can be hard to understand the situation despite the smoke, but sometimes fire can help forests grow in the long term.

“Outdoor classrooms reenergize kids during the pandemic,” CNN. This news story from a cable network describes how teachers used educational tools from Project Learning Tree, an environmental education program run by SFI.

“Opaskwayak Cree Nation student plans virtual ice fishing derby,” CBC. This news story highlights the Green Leaders program from Project Learning Tree Canada, which helps Indigenous youth plan and lead projects that benefit their communities. PLT Canada receives support from the Government of Canada and is managed by the SFI and Canadian Parks Council networks.

“Forging a Career Path in the Forest Sector,” Alternatives Journal, Canada’s oldest environmental studies magazine.

“Help Protect North American Wildlife With Bird-Friendly Construction Design,” Construction Executive. SFI and the American Bird Conservancy worked together on an article to explain how their partnership helps SFI-certified organizations learn about bird habitats and conservation needs. This information can improve how forests are managed in a sustainable way.

Reviews and comparisons

Some sources say the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) has less strict rules than other forest sustainability programs. Other sources say SFI is just as valid.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe / Food and Agriculture Organization, in its 2009–2010 Forest Products Annual Review, stated: "Over time, many differences between certification systems have become less clear. The largest certification systems now usually have the same basic requirements."

Dovetail Partners Inc., in its 2010 Forest Certification: A Status Report, wrote: "Differences between forest certification programs are now less clear. Each program usually has the same basic requirements, though the details and depth of information may vary."

Some people think SFI is less strict than the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). In 2009, the New York Times called FSC the "main authority" for deciding if wood or paper products should be labeled as environmentally friendly. For example, SFI allows more tree planting and does not require conservation plans or consultation with local and indigenous groups (except for public lands).

Consumer Reports’ "Greener Choices" and Green America gave SFI a lower rating than FSC. Other groups, like TerraChoice (part of Underwriters Laboratories Global Network) and Environment Canada’s EcoLogo, rated SFI/PEFC and FSC as equally valid.

A 2008 policy statement from the National Association of State Foresters said: "Although they work differently, the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), FSC, and SFI include the basic elements of credibility and help improve forest sustainability. No certification program can claim to be the best, and no program that promotes itself as the only option can be trusted."

In 2005, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) approved the SFI certification system.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program allows wood certified by SFI, FSC, or PEFC to count toward LEED v5 points. This is a change from LEED v4, which started in 2013 and only recognized FSC.

Other green building tools, like the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved systems ANSI-ICC 700–2008 and ANSI/GBI 01-2010, as well as Green Globes and Built Green Canada, recognize wood certified by trusted third-party programs like SFI.

As of 2021, the Arbor Day Foundation and Nature Conservancy Canada are members of the SFI Board. In 2012, a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) representative was on the FSC Board. In 2013, the Sierra Club supported only FSC, but as of 2025, they oppose FSC.

Criticism

On September 9, 2009, the Washington State Forest Law Center, acting for the environmental group ForestEthics, filed complaints against SFI Inc. with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The FTC complaint claimed SFI Inc. used misleading marketing practices. It pointed to SFI’s claim of being an “independent” not-for-profit organization, its reliance on funding from the timber industry, and unclear environmental standards that allow landowners to be certified simply by following state regulations. In response, SFI’s ally, the Coalition for Fair Forest Certification, filed a counter-complaint with the FTC against the Forest Stewardship Council, stating it had similar flaws and aimed to exclude SFI-certified companies from LEED certification. No action was taken.

In April 2013, SFI sent a letter to ForestEthics demanding they stop criticizing SFI and threatened legal action. In June 2013, ForestEthics partnered with Greenpeace to file another FTC complaint, accusing SFI of breaking FTC rules by calling its certified products “green.” They argued this was because SFI was closely tied to timber companies. SFI responded by saying the complaint was an attempt to favor the Forest Stewardship Council over SFI.

In late 2022, several Canadian environmental groups filed a complaint with the Canadian Competition Bureau, accusing SFI of misleading advertising by falsely claiming its certifications did not support sustainable forestry. They accused SFI of “greenwashing.” In February 2023, the Canadian Competition Bureau began an investigation.

The IRS complaint questioned SFI Inc.’s non-profit status, arguing that SFI benefits private timber companies rather than the public. It stated that SFI receives funding from the wood and paper industry and that its nonprofit status should not be granted if it serves private interests.

In 2006, the Seattle Audubon Society asked SFI to revoke Weyerhaeuser’s certification until the company committed to following SFI standards, due to logging practices that harmed endangered Northern spotted owls. At the same time, the Natural Resources Council of Maine filed a similar complaint against Plum Creek Timber for breaking Maine forestry laws. SFI said it would investigate these claims.

In 2009, the Sierra Club filed a formal complaint with SFI, accusing Weyerhaeuser of risky logging on steep slopes that caused 1,259 landslides in 2007 on SFI-certified land in Washington state. The Sierra Club challenged SFI to prove its independence and “rigorous audits” and asked for Weyerhaeuser’s certification to be revoked.

In 2014, the Center for Sustainable Economy filed a complaint with SFI, asking it to suspend Plum Creek Timberland’s certification because the company repeatedly violated logging laws. The complaint also criticized Bureau Veritas Certification North America Inc., the company that audited Plum Creek Timberland for eligibility.