Global Witness releases report attacking the WWF's Global Forest and Trade Network

By Amity Bacon

SAN FRANCISCO, July 26, 2011 (RISI) - Global Witness, an environmental watchdog group with headquarters in the US and UK, released a report attacking the World Wildlife Federation's Global Forest and Trade Network (GFTN) titled, "Pandering to the logger," yesterday. The GFTN works with approximately 300 companies to help create sustainable forestry initiatives. Started 20 years ago, the WWF claims its program has become a powerful mechanism in combating illegal logging and promotes forest certification, especially through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Global Witness claims that the GFTN does not provide enough transparency, and that partnering companies have not been monitored effectively. The group is calling for an independent audit of the WWF's practices.

"Through government grants, taxpayers are footing a large part of this scheme's annual "£4m [US$ 7m] budget and they have a right to know their money isn't being spent greenwashing bad practice," said Tom Picken, Forest Campaign Leader at Global Witness.

Today, the WWF issued a statement in response, highlighting the program's achievements and claiming that they have provided a benchmark set of procedures for transparency in supply chains. WWF also stated that GFTN participants have achieved FSC certification in over 20 million hectare of forest.

George White, head of the GFTN, said:

"Of course, some GFTN parners have a way to go on their journey to sustainability. But these are precisely the companies that should be in GFTN, and we applaud their commitments to improving their environmental performance. Companies caught flouting the rules and spirit of GFTN will be removed from their network."