PEFC Report 2024: Sustainable Forests in Italy Increase by +5.9%: “One Million Hectares Changing the Country”
PEFC Italy presents the Annual Report on certification in Italy: by the end of 2023, the PEFC certified area amounts to 980,611.54 hectares. There are 115 new companies that have obtained the PEFC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, an increase of +8.6% compared to 2022. From Piedmont to Basilicata, the number of certificates for forest ecosystem services has also significantly increased by +47%.
The hectares of sustainably managed forests in Italy have risen to 980,611.54 in 2023, an increase of +5.9% compared to the previous year, with 14 new certifications and 14 regions having at least one certified forest. This is revealed in the Annual Report of PEFC Italy, the organization promoting the certification of sustainable forest management, presented on the occasion of International Day of Forests (March 21). Certifications for ecosystem services have also grown (+47%), as have the processing companies that obtained the PEFC Chain of Custody certification (+8.6% compared to 2022).
At a territorial level, Trentino Alto-Adige remains the leader for the largest certified forest area with 578,963.8 hectares, considering those managed by Bauernbund – Bolzano Farmers’ Union, the areas managed by the Consortium of Trentino Municipalities, and the Magnificent Community of Fiemme in the province of Trento.
In 2023, 115 companies obtained the PEFC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, bringing the total to 1,403, an increase of +8.6% compared to 2022. These numbers confirm the growing need for consumers to have guarantees regarding environmental sustainability issues and, consequently, the commitment of companies to building a different future. Another tangible example of how collective and shared effort can significantly impact the health of the Earth is group certification for producers. This tool is available to companies with a turnover of less than 10 million euros and fewer than 50 employees, allowing small businesses to obtain PEFC certification at affordable costs. In fact, 33.9% of the new companies are part of a group certification, which not only means obtaining PEFC certification at lower costs compared to individual certification but also relying on the advice of a central office.
