Ernslaw One appealing certification suspension

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Practices of Gisborne forestry company Ernslaw One are in the spotlight after its Forest Stewardship Council certification was revoked following a report from Geneva-based auditor SGS Société Générale de Surveillance.

Ernslaw has appealed the suspension.

“SGS acts as a certification body for Forest Management Certification (FM) and Chain of Custody Certification,” a SGS spokesperson told The Gisborne Herald.

“The audit process is an important safeguard of the certification system because it includes validation by an independent third party of the compliance with the standard.

From time to time, certificates validly issued may be suspended or revoked when new circumstances surface. For example, in the course of a regular surveillance audit or other control mechanisms provided for by the certification schemes.

“Ernslaw One’s FSC certificate for Forestry Management was suspended as of February 2, 2024.

“SGS is not in a position to further elaborate on specifics as we have a duty to maintain our contractual obligations to our clients.”

To be granted FSC forest management certification, companies commit to principles to ensure forests are managed in a way that is economically viable, environmentally friendly and socially beneficial.

Companies must also agree to follow FSC’s Policy for Association, which states any organisation within its corporate group must refrain from unacceptable forestry practices that include illegal logging and human rights violations.

Ernslaw One confirmed the situation in a statement on Friday.

“Ernslaw One was issued a notice of suspension of FSC certification by auditors, SGS, on 2 February 2024.

“This is in relation to damage following the 2018 storm in Tolaga Bay, East Coast.

“The company has appealed the FSC certification suspension and is working with SGS to urgently resolve the matter,” the statement said.

“Remediation of the matters underpinning the suspension are well under way.”