Geneva-based Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) has announced that it is developing a mechanism for including social issues – especially labor rights issues – into the PEFC chain-of-custody system. A draft amendment to the existing PEFC Chain of Custody system calls on PEFC-certified companies to respect core International Labor Organization (ILO)  conventions, covering key worker’s rights including as freedom of association, minimum age for workers, equal employment, occupational health and safety, and the prohibition of forced labor. When passed these rules would govern the policies and practices of companies participating in all PEFC-endorsed certification systems, including CSA, SFI, and the American Tree Farm System in North America. PEFC is inviting stakeholders to comment on the proposed policy through an online consultation document that can be accessed by following this link. SFI is taking the news of this potentially huge change in the scope of CoC certification in stride. "SFI, which is the PEFC National Governing Body in the United States, applauds PEFC for their efforts to look at social issues in their Chain of Custody Standard," said Jason Metnick, SFI's Senior Director for Market Access and Product Labeling. "SFI will work with the other PEFC endorsed standards in North America, as well as SFI certified companies, to develop comments specific to how these new provisions may be applied where strong social law already exists, such as in the United States and Canada." PEFC is not alone in the shift toward inclusion of social criteria in CoC certification. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has been working on including adherence to ILO conventions in its own Chain-of-Custody requirements, having debated the issue during its past two General Assemblies, and adopting a motion at the most recent Assembly to include ILO-related language in its CoC standards. According to Peter Feiberg, CEO of NEPCon, an NGO based in Scandinavia that provides FSC, PEFC and ISO certification services, the move by PEFC is, “a step forward for the system. It seems natural that forest certification systems should ensure at least a minimum level of social performance throughout the supply chain, so that the consumer can know that a certified product excludes for example child labor or dangerous work performed without adequate safety precautions.”