Supporting Sustainable Practices in Forestry: ANAB Accredits NSF International Strategic Registrations

The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) has accredited the global public health and safety organization NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR) to certify organizations to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard. The accreditation marks a significant milestone in promoting sustainable practices within urban and community forests.

Organizations pursue forest certification to mitigate urgent threats, including climate change, extreme heat, and wildfire risk. Effective management and care are crucial for maximizing the benefits and minimizing the dangers associated with urban and community forests. The first organization to be certified by NSF-ISR is Clemson University, which has long been a leader in sustainable forestry practices.

“We were excited to witness NSF-ISR audit their first client Clemson University for the SFI Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard earlier this year and subsequently accredit NSF-ISR for this important standard,” said Tina Garner, Sr. Director, Management Systems at ANAB. “Urban and community forests play a crucial role in our cities and towns, and this accredited certification will help ensure they are managed responsibly for the benefit of current and future generations.”

“When we were adding the SFI Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard to NSF-ISR’s accreditation schedule, the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) was the clear choice,” said Tony Hardy, director of management systems, NSF. “The ANAB team are experienced industry experts, act with the highest of integrity, and are timely. This level of dedication, expertise and professionalism makes it possible for NSF to deliver on our commitments to our clients as we strive to achieve our mission of improving human and planet health.”

The SFI Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard provides a comprehensive framework for managing vital green spaces in a way that balances environmental, resiliency, and economic considerations. It addresses critical issues and objectives such as wellness, tree health, biodiversity, water quality, and community engagement through nature-based solutions.

About ANAB

The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a wholly owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is the largest multi-disciplinary ISO/IEC 17011 accreditation body in North America, with comprehensive signatory status across the multilateral recognition arrangements of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). The ANAB accreditation portfolio includes management systems certification bodies, calibration and testing labs, product certification bodies, personnel credentialing organizations, forensic test and calibration service providers, inspection bodies, police crime units, greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies, reference material producers, and proficiency test providers.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).