Global customers are committed to sustainability throughout their supply chains. Ensuring the legality and environmental responsibility of their biomass supply is critical to their business models. We are proud to use innovation and investment to salvage what others viewed as “waste” to produce a renewable energy source that supports thousands of jobs and local communities. Today, certified Canadian wood pellets are in demand around the world as a preferred alternative to fossil fuels.
Canadian pellet producers typically do not directly manage forests, however, their suppliers are backed up by internationally recognized, third-party forest management certifications such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), which endorses two Canadian forest management certifications: Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI).
Forest management certifications are supplemented by third-party chain-of-custody certification to the FSC, PEFC, or SFI standards. Chain-of-custody certifications prove that sustainability is maintained as fibre changes hands along the supply chain from the forest to the end customer.
Certifications are carried out by independent, internationally recognized certification bodies that annually assess forestry operations against standards for sustainable forest management. This, coupled with strong forest management laws, supports Canada’s reputation as a source of legally and sustainably produced forest products. When it comes to forest certification, Canada leads the world with an estimated 155 million hectares certified.
Learn more about forest management certifications:
- Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
- Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
- Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
- Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI)
Canadian wood pellet producers, who export to Europe and Asia, are third-party certified to the standards of the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP). SBP was set up in 2013 to provide assurance that woody biomass—mainly wood pellets and wood chips used for large-scale energy production—is sourced from legal and sustainable sources. SBP recognizes FSC and PEFC standards such as SFI and CSA forest management standards and chain-of-custody certified fibre through FSC, PEFC and SFI.
Regional Risk Assessments (RRAs) are a key part of the Sustainable Biomass Program. RRAs provide biomass producers with a mechanism to identify and manage potential risks in the supply chain.
RRAs have been completed for Quebec and British Columbia, and RRAs are also underway for Alberta, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
SBP also provides a framework for suppliers to report third-party verified energy data associated with biomass production and transportation to the generators that purchase their pellets, enabling them to calculate GHG emissions savings. Like the three forest management certification programs, SBP incorporates the use of external audits and third-party certification by independently accredited certification bodies.
Read: Regional Risk Assessments: A Framework to Verify the Legality and Sustainability of Fibre
The quality of your wood pellets matters. Wood pellet production and finished quality is carefully monitored by the pellet mills and verified through the internationally respected and third-party quality certification ENplus®. The program provides verification that the pellets are high quality and provide consistent pellet characteristics for smooth operations and minimum maintenance costs.
Visit: ENplus
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