A communications campaign for Indonesian FLEGT-licensed timber developed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) and MFP4 in a multi-stakeholder process is to include a rebranding campaign for SVLK. SVLK, the current timber legality certification system and standard underpinning the country’s VPA, is being reformed to better convey the sustainability aspect, with the expressed aim to make SVLK certification respond to the requirements of even the world’s most environmentally sensitive markets.

The rebranding exercise is underpinned by regulatory reform. Besides the inclusion of sustainability criteria, the new SVLK standard already developed under the Omnibus Law in 2021 and soon to be adopted, will cover also non-timber forest products and environmental services, in addition to timber products.

The rebranding of SVLK addresses the increasing demand for sustainably produced timber products and deforestation-free supply chains for forest-risk commodities in several regulated consumer markets. It also addresses the reluctance among the timber trade to promote the concept of “legal timber”, which is now considered a basic requirement in regulated consumer markets and not an add-on that should be specifically promoted or highlighted.

Besides sustainability aspects, the Indonesian promotion campaign will highlight the specific strengths of Indonesian timber products that were identified through stakeholder consultations in Indonesia and other research and surveys, including IMM trade surveys in EU countries and the UK. These include especially the widely acknowledged high quality standards and professional craftsmanship of Indonesian timber products.