Introduction<\/b><\/p>\n
The Economic Development, Governance and Growth Project in Europe and Eurasia (EDGE) is a USAID-funded regional project aimed at creating inclusive and sustainable economic growth, as well as supporting intra-regional and Euro-Atlantic integration in twelve countries from three regions: Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia and Serbia), Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia), Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus.<\/span><\/p>\n EDGE supports woodworking and furniture companies and focuses on productivity and sales. In this context, certification and compliance with social and environmental standards are very important for manufacturing companies. International buyers require FSC or PEFC, as well as other technical and social compliance audits. The purpose of FSC and PEFC certification is to ensure that environmental, social and economic sustainability is taken into account in wood production. The introduction of certification for technical and social audits ensures that the stages of the production chain can be traced from the finished product to the forest. Adherence to these two standards is important for the industry, especially for exporting companies.<\/span><\/p>\n Certification program<\/b><\/p>\n EDGE in partnership with the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers (UAFM) plans to support 5 (five) Ukrainian companies in the woodworking and furniture industry to obtain certification according to one of the mentioned standards.<\/span><\/p>\n Terms (indicative) and steps to certification:<\/b><\/p>\n Step 1.<\/b><\/p>\n Collection of applications and selection of 5 relevant candidates \/ SMEs from the furniture sector. Deadline: February 21-28, 2022<\/span><\/p>\n _______________________________________________<\/span><\/p>\n By Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) we mean the chain of chain certification, which confirms that FSC-certified material has been identified and separated from unusable and unacceptable material as it has moved along the supply chain from the forest to the market.<\/span><\/p>\n By the standard for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), we mean: Forest Certification Approval Program – Control Chain, PEFC ST 2002. This standard sets out the requirements for certification of the supply chain of forest and wood products – the conditions that a company must meet to obtain a PEFC certificate.<\/span><\/p>\n Step 2.<\/b><\/p>\n The selection committee (consisting of 2 representatives of the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers\u00a0and 2 representatives of EDGE) will consider and approve 5 companies. Deadline: February 21 – March 4, 2022<\/span><\/p>\n Step 3.<\/b><\/p>\n Support 5 companies in obtaining FSC or PEFC supply chain certificates for wood products by providing consulting services (consultants) and, if necessary, training to prepare 5 companies for technical and social compliance audits. Deadline: March-May 2022<\/span><\/p>\n Step 4.<\/b><\/p>\n Conducting technical and social compliance audits. Deadline: June 2022<\/span><\/p>\n Step 5.<\/b><\/p>\n Completion of the certification process by obtaining a certificate or, if necessary, corrective measures from Ukrainian companies.<\/span><\/p>\n Company selection criteria:<\/b><\/p>\n Interested?<\/b><\/p>\n\n
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