The Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) and the Institute for Environment and Development, (LESTARI) Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, co-organised the International Conference on Timber Certification: Exploring Future Frontiers at Sunway Putra Hotel Kuala Lumpur, with support from the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) and the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC). The two-day conference was officiated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation and Commodities, YAB Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof.
The first international conference organised by MTCC was held as a hybrid with virtual and on-site participation to present the results of a research project carried out in collaboration with LESTARI UKM entitled, “The Impact of Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) on Forest Management, Industry and Trade”, which began at the end of 2019.
This conference aims to:
i. Provide an overview of the implementation of the MTCS in Malaysia through sharing of experiences by practitioners and stakeholders;
ii. Showcase timber certification of other countries from around the region and across the globe;
iii. Mainstream forest certification through greater adoption and acceptance by industries in the domestic and global timber trade and market; and
iv. Inspire confidence and increase the visibility of sustainable timber products in the domestic and international markets.
Since the landmark Rio Earth Summit in 1992, the important role of forests to maintain the earth’s ecological integrity has increasingly been emphasized, which is evident in the renewed calls for sustainable forest management in the Global Forest Goals and Targets of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2030. This grows in tandem with the increased demand for renewable and environmentally friendly building materials and resources. As regulatory requirements, consumer demands and the global market continue to shift, there is greater urgency to ensure timber certification as a tool guide and verify sustainable management of forests and the production of sustainable sourced wood products remains effective and innovative.
The Conference focuses on three main themes:
i. Mainstreaming Timber Certification for Sustainable Forest Management, Industry and Trade discussed policy implementation, which included sharing of community and industry experiences. This session was led by Ms. Sheam Satkuru, the Executive Director of The International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), as the keynote speaker;
ii. Initiative for Sustainable Future with Timber Certification focused on other initiatives that support meeting the requirements for certification of forest management and chain of custody as well as to ensure the effectiveness of sustainable practices in the forestry and timber industry in Malaysia. The keynote for this session was presented by Dr. Michael Berger, the Chief Executive Officer of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC); and
iii. Complementarity in Certification for Sustainable Timber Towards 2030 and Beyond highlighted other countries’ experience and strategies in implementing timber certification and its responses to global demand for sustainable products and services.
Since its inception in 2001, the MTCS continues to evolve through an iterative process of continual improvement and engagement with all forestry-related stakeholders. As of 31 December 2022, there are 37 forest management units with a total of 5.81 million hectares of forests, and 360 chain-of-custody certified companies under the MTCS.
