World Environment Day, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and celebrated annually on 5 June, serves as a global platform for raising awareness and taking action towards environmental issues. It is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world.

This year marks 50 years since it first began, so as we mark this special anniversary, we took the opportunity highlight how accreditation organisations like JASANZ play an active role in addressing climate change and other environmental challenges.

JASANZ’s role in tacking environmental challenges

JASANZ’s Sustainability and Environment sector consists of schemes focused on reducing the impact of economic activities on the environment, while supporting long term economic growth. These activities contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sherri Lehmann, the JASANZ Sustainability and Environment Sector Manager, said, “Accredited certification gives consumers confidence that their purchases meet specific standards. For example, there are two Chain of Custody (CoC) accreditation schemes within the sector, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) CoC and Responsible Wood (RW) CoC”.

“The CoC schemes provide evidence of the company’s commitment to forest or tree-based products being sourced from sustainable forests, as identified with the PEFC or RW mark, and gives confidence to the retailer or end consumer that products are either sourced or produced from material that can be traced back to certified, sustainably managed forests, and not illegally logged”, she said.

Forests are a major driver for sustainable economic growth (SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth) and the two CoC schemes align with, but are not limited to, DSG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Let’s dig a little deeper into exactly how JASANZ endorsed schemes contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Schemes contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals

Environmental Management System Scheme

An Environment Management System (EMS) helps organisations identify, manage, monitor and control their environmental issues in a ‘holistic’ manner. It helps organisations improve their environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste, gaining a competitive advantage and the trust of stakeholders.

An EMS scheme can contribute to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good health and well-being
  An EMS scheme can reduce the negative health impacts caused by hazardous chemicals and the pollution and contamination of air, water and soil.
• SGD 6: Clean water and sanitation
  An EMS scheme can improve water water efficiency and help make drinking water sustainable.
• SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  An EMS scheme can help achieve financial and operational benefits that can results from implementing
• SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production
  An EMS scheme contributes to waste reduction, and controlling or influencing the was the organisation’s products and services are designed, manufactured, distributed, consumed and disposed by using a life cycle perspective that can prevent environmental impacts from being unintentionally shifted elsehwere within the lifecycle.
• SDG 13: Climate action
  An EMS scheme can improve resilience and adaptability to extreme weather events.
• SDG 14: Life below water
  An EMS scheme can help avoid water pollution.
• SDG 13, 14 and 15:
  An EMS scheme protects the environment by preventing or mitigating adverse environmental impacts. It also enhances the environmental performance of an organisation.

Forestry Schemes

Forestry Schemes such as the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) CoC scheme, the Responsible Wood (RW) CoC scheme and the Forest Management Systems (FMS) scheme contribute to a number of UN SDGs.

• SDG 1: No poverty
  Forests contribute to livelihoods and economic growth across the full value chain, from people depending on forests for their livelihoods all the way to the consumers of wood fibre products.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
  Food from forests such as mushrooms, nuts, berries or game make an important contribution to the food supply and nutritional quality of diets, especially in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.
• SDG 3: Good health and well-being
  By regulating the climate, providing clean air and water, and through recreational benefits that support physical and mental health, forests and trees play a significant role in our well-being.
• SDG 4: Quality education
  Given the relevancy of forestry in rural areas, there is a strong role that forest owners can play in providing education and training to workers and local businesses and communities.
• SDG 5: Gender equality
  In many countries, the link between poverty, gender and sustainable forest management is a critical issue. Rural women are heavily involved in forest work, but frequently disadvantaged. Responsible Wood certification promotes gender equality through a variety of requirements and processes.
• SDG 6: Clean water and sanitisation
  Water security and forest health are intrinsically linked, and responsible wood forest management is key to preserving the forest and water ecosystem functions.
• SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy
  Energy from wood provides 40% of today’s global renewable energy supply and has an important role in providing accessible, affordable and reliable basic energy services.
• SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth
  Forests are a major driver for sustainable economic growth and provider of jobs especially in rural areas, yet forestry work is considered among the most hazardous in the world.
• SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  Forestry positively influences the well-being of people that depend on forest operations in rural and remote areas by providing basic infrastructure and services.

Energy Management Systems Scheme

An Energy Management System Scheme (EnMS) helps organisations improve their energy performance, increase energy efficiency and reduce climate change impacts. This contributes to the UN SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG 13 (climate action) in the following ways:

• Helps organisations make better use of their energy consuming assets.
• Promotes transparent and effective communication on energy management policies.
• Promotes energy management best practices and reinforces good energy management behaviours.
• Helps evaluate and prioritise implementation of new energy efficient technologies.
• Provides a framework for promoting energy efficiency throughout the supply chain.
• Facilitates energy management improvements for greenhouse gas emission reduction projects.
• Implementation can lead organisations to meet overall climate change mitigation goals by reducing their energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Greenhouse Gas Validation and Verification Scheme, Toitū

The Toitū carbonreduce certification assists organisations to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and product carbon footprints and put strategies in place to manage and reduce impacts. The Toitū net carbonzero certification goes one step further as it offsets remaining emissions. Both certifications assist organisations to reduce their climate impacts, and contribute to the following UN SDGs:

• SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing
• SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy
• SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
• SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities
• SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production
• SDG 13: Climate action
• SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions