We are delighted to have completed one of the world’s most ambitious community forest certifications: two audits covering 129,000 hectares (1.29 billion square meters) in Panama.
Helping local communities on the Forest Stewardship CouncilTM (FSC) Group Management System assessment and certification process took eight months, supported by Panama’s Government (Ministerio de Ambiente). A team of local and regional auditors and technical experts united to conduct the audits.
Carlos Espinosa Peña, Forestry Director at the Ministerio de Ambiente (third right), receives the certificates from the SGS team.
Vanda Nunes, Head of Latin America at SGS, said: “We were honored to be selected to carry out this project. The audits involved hundreds of requests, details, ideas, translations and summaries, helping the local communities achieve global compliance and use their ancestral forests responsibly and sustainably.
“The audits were grueling, but we are thrilled with the outcome. It reinforces our strong presence in Latin America and Panama, where SGS holds 9 of the country’s 14 forest management certificates (approximately 160,000 hectares or 1.6 billion square meters).
“We thank the Panama Government for supporting our team, from resourcing and implementation to final reports, and FSC Central America for its support and dedication. Their cooperation and coordination made these projects possible.”
The certificates proudly on display.
Carlos Espinosa Peña, Forestry Director at the Ministerio de Ambiente, added: “This project started more than 20 years ago, when Panama decided to create and develop forest management plans. Now, Panama is one of the countries most committed to correct forest management and sustainable forest utilization.
“The big journey starts now. Local communities will have to maintain this certification with the tools received from SGS and the Environment Ministry.”
Representatives from the local communities receiving their certificates.
Diverse forestry and crop solutions
Our robust forest management services, an essential part of IMPACT NOW for sustainability, support biodiversity conservation and climate action, aligning with COP17’s biodiversity and COP31’s climate change agendas.
For over 30 years, we have helped organizations of all sizes and sectors turn sustainability complexity into clear, credible, auditable action. Our experience and global expert network underpin services for the forestry, timber and paper industries, including:
- FSC Forest Management Certification
- FSC Chain of Custody
- PEFC Chain of Custody
- Wood and Wood Fiber Product Due Diligence Systems
- Comprehensive EUDR gap analysis, training and verification services
A full list of our forestry accreditations and licenses are here.
Whatever your size, sector and requirements, we are ready to support your forest management and supply chain goals. Contact us to discuss your exact needs.
For further information, please contact:
Christian Kobel
Head of Forestry and Nature Services
t: +41 786217552
Natalia Marius
Forest Management & Training Accreditation Manager
t: +598 95020086
About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of over 100,000 dedicated professionals. With more than 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.
Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and a portfolio of trusted specialized brands, including Applied Technical Services, Brightsight, Bluesign and Nutrasource.
SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH1256740924, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN SW).
