Canfor - Compliance Management and Certification Forester

Introduction

The demands for forest stewardship continue to grow in Canada and around the world. The public want assurances that their forests are being well managed and some customers are looking to buy products that are guaranteed to be from a sustainable industry.

To meet these concerns, forest companies have to demonstrate their commitment and prove their ability to carry out sustainable forestry operations. Providing this evidence is critical to corporate survival.

Such evidence must meet stringent sustainability requirements of forest product certification processes and meet provincial environmental responsibilities.

In companies like Canfor, comprehensive environmental management systems (EMS) are developed to ensure the company is operating in accordance with all of the varied criteria each process requires, and to provide a paper trail of all procedures. Canfor’s EMS meets the international standards of ISO 14001. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international non-profit organization that has developed certification standards of precise criteria to be used consistently around the world.

The complexity involved in developing and managing Canfor’s EMS necessitates that a number of forestry positions be dedicated to this responsibility.

Christine Quinn is a Compliance management and Certification Forester with EMS responsibilities in Canfor’s Alberta region.

Next: The Job

The Job

Christine is involved in the various forest certification and environmental audits for Canfor’s Alberta region. “It is my job to help ensure that our forestry practices continue to meet the stringent standards required,” explains Christine.

Forest certification has evolved as a consumer tool for enhancing forest sustainability. The concept is based on providing accurate information for environmentally conscious customers to use in selecting suppliers that are managing sustainably. In order to receive certification, a company must have an approved environmental management system and have their forestry operations audited for compliance, by an external audit firm.

According to Christine, “Certification processes evaluate whether a forest company is managing forest lands in accordance with sustainable criteria. Audits of our forestry operations provide key evidence for the process. Last year we were involved in forest audits for both ISO 14001 (which certified our Environmental Management System) and CSA certification (for our sustainable forest management plan.”

There are over 70 organizations world-wide that are involved in forest certification. Each certification organization has different criteria and reporting requirements for their certification label or registration. Forest companies that want to have certification under a number these groups must develop EMS systems that encompass all the various sets of criteria. Multiple certification also means undergoing numerous time consuming audits. Christine muses, “ It would certainly be less confusing for us if different certification systems could all agree on the criteria and the paper trail they require.”

Certification however, is just one piece of the audit pie. “We carry out our own internal audits in order to make sure we are living up to all required standards. We also have legal responsibilities to meet government criteria and are involved in government audits as well,” says Christine.

Christine’s role in overseeing certification and audit processes is to look at everything from a systems perspective. “I look at the overall process, while our operations staff do the implementing. I provide direction. For example, we might need a document that details how a work procedure is carried out, like the use of equipment around a stream. I will coordinate it – by collecting the information and working with the on-the-ground team to put their words into the document – then they have the responsibility to implement it in the field.”

Christine also likes to go out into the field and check to see how the procedures are working on the ground. Her job is to make sure the operations staff have the system in place that will provide the results the company wants.

Christine is also involved in numerous EMS and sustainability committees.

She chairs the regional EMS committee. This is composed of managers and superintendents that are responsible for the on-the-ground results. “ It is critical that we have buy-in from the leadership,” explains Christine. She meets with them every other month to discuss systems with them, to review any non-conformances or weakness and to determine how to fix it.
She is a member of the Corporate EMS Working Group committee, which is comprised of a group of foresters from other Canfor regions. They get together quarterly to discuss regional issues or changes to the EMS. This system is corporate-wide so any changes have to be made as a group.
Christine is very involved in her work as a company liaison for the Public Advisory committee. Christine strives to involve this citizen’s group in providing input into the both the management plan and the CSA certification process. “ They have provided much input into the formulation of our objectives. It is my job to ensure that our advisory committee continues to function, that all members are listened to and that we record their concerns and respond to them.”

Christine’s ability to understand the importance of a systems approach is a competency that has importance outside of the whole area of EMS and auditing. Christine is involved in developing the Woodlands Safety Program & Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan. This means creating a step-by-step approach, so people know what to do in medical or other emergency situations. She wants both staff and contractors to be very clear on what they have to do and what their responsibilities are.

Next: The Path

The Path

Certification and EMS systems are fairly new to the forest industry. So how did Christine become a systems kind of gal?

Christine was a good student and had always done well in sciences. “I knew I wanted to attend University, and my parents wanted that as well, so I spent a lot of time with the university calendar looking for something in sciences that intrigued me.” Christine had always enjoyed camping and the outdoors, so she chose forestry. Ironically, in high school she had applied for a summer job in forestry - which she did not get!

“I have a degree in Forestry from the University of Alberta (1987) and had worked for Canfor for about 10 years prior to this position,” recalls Christine. Working in forestry at different positions during that time helped to build an understanding of how the pieces of the business all fit together, which is critical for her present position. “ EMS Systems remind me of forest ecology - where all those linkages are key in producing a natural system. In an EMS system, each step is critical in producing the overall sustainable result.”

According to Christine, skills and knowledge are just part of building a career. “ I think that you need to show an employer that you are a hard worker and have initiative. I firmly believe that to succeed in today’s business world that you need to anticipate the work required and then get it done. Do not wait around to be told what to do. If you have an idea, let your boss know what you think needs to be done and then volunteer to do it.” This heads- up attitude proved valuable to Christine very early in her career when her initiative for volunteering directly led to promotions!

Next: That’s Cool

That’s Cool

Christine’s involvement in audits means she gets to travel to different operations around BC and Alberta. “ I find it fascinating to go to other operations in our company and see how they do their business. I get to see their field operations and what type of terrain they have to deal with. It is always interesting to see other operations and meet different people.”

Next: Yikes!

Yikes!

Forestry positions always have some adrenaline moments! Christine recalls, “ Earlier in my career when I was involved in more field work, I was working alone in an area to do a quick job, I heard a noise and looked to my right and saw a huge grizzly bear ready to charge me. My immediate reaction was to scream at him! He stopped and looked at me, which gave me time to pull out my bear banger (a flare pen device that when discharged produces a loud bang) and I was able to set off a couple of loud bangs which frightened the bear away. But the experience also frightened me enough that I left the area for the day! Another day, I was working with a partner and we came upon a horrible smell, only to look beside us to see a fresh steaming killed deer. We hightailed it out of there – we were sure the bear must have just gone for a nap after a good feast of deer meat. We did not want to wait around to find out where he had gone!”

Next: The Best

The Best

There are always parts of the job that are special and make the work worthwhile. Christine explains, “ I really do love my job! I enjoy the fact that I am involved in improving our company practices to better protect and understand the environment. I have always believed change is a good thing and seeing change being implemented in our practices is very fulfilling for me

Christine also enjoys being involved with a public advisory group. Christine explains, “I believe that the public has a right to have a say in the management of our forests and I believe it is important that they have an avenue to express their views. We can not always accommodate their requests, but we can explain why. By sharing our knowledge with the public and learning from them, I believe we both come away better informed.”

Next: Advice

Advice

Students are often interested in key messages from those already in the job. Christine suggests, “Work hard and listen to others and learn from them – be open to a different approach than the way you thought – there is often more than one way and when you are the new kid on the block, it is important to learn from the “more experienced” folks (i.e. – the old timers!).”

Christine has strong feelings about showing initiative. “I can not stress that enough. If you want to advance in a career, initiative will help get you there. But do not confuse initiative with doing it all on your own – always run ideas past your supervisor, especially if you are unsure. Do not be afraid to take on new projects – offer your help to your co-workers.”

Along with being open-minded and showing initiative, Christine wants to also stress the importance of building your computer skills. Computers have become an integral part of most careers – including forestry.

Next: The Person

The Person

Besides being a Compliance Management and Certification Forester, Christine is married and has 2 puppy dogs. Christine says, “My husband and I enjoy going to galleries and seeing new exciting works of art. To me, it is important to have interests that are far removed from my work. I work hard and often long days and I need to be able to relax at the end of the day. I also enjoy riding my bike. In the summer, you can often see me biking to work – not only do I get some exercise, but it helps the environment as well. Exercise is also a great way to manage my daily stress levels.”

Next: Questions?

Questions?

For more information on certification processes check out the Tree School Library article –“ Forest Certification” or the following site: http://www.sfms.com/welcome.htm

For more information on forestry careers check out the following sites:

Return to Introduction

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	Introduction The Job The Path That’s Cool Yikes! The Best Advice The Person Questions?	Introduction The demands for forest stewardship continue to grow in Canada and around the world. The public want assurances that their forests are being well managed and some customers are looking to buy products that are guaranteed to be from a sustainable industry. To meet these concerns, forest companies have to demonstrate their commitment and prove their ability to carry out sustainable forestry operations. Providing this evidence is critical to corporate survival. Such evidence must meet stringent sustainability requirements of forest product certification processes and meet provincial environmental responsibilities. In companies like Canfor, comprehensive environmental management systems (EMS) are developed to ensure the company is operating in accordance with all of the varied criteria each process requires, and to provide a paper trail of all procedures. Canfor’s EMS meets the international standards of ISO 14001. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international non-profit organization that has developed certification standards of precise criteria to be used consistently around the world. The complexity involved in developing and managing Canfor’s EMS necessitates that a number of forestry positions be dedicated to this responsibility. Christine Quinn is a Compliance management and Certification Forester with EMS responsibilities in Canfor’s Alberta region. Next: The Job The Job Christine is involved in the various forest certification and environmental audits for Canfor’s Alberta region. “It is my job to help ensure that our forestry practices continue to meet the stringent standards required,” explains Christine. Forest certification has evolved as a consumer tool for enhancing forest sustainability. The concept is based on providing accurate information for environmentally conscious customers to use in selecting suppliers that are managing sustainably. In order to receive certification, a company must have an approved environmental management system and have their forestry operations audited for compliance, by an external audit firm. According to Christine, “Certification processes evaluate whether a forest company is managing forest lands in accordance with sustainable criteria. Audits of our forestry operations provide key evidence for the process. Last year we were involved in forest audits for both ISO 14001 (which certified our Environmental Management System) and CSA certification (for our sustainable forest management plan.” There are over 70 organizations world-wide that are involved in forest certification. Each certification organization has different criteria and reporting requirements for their certification label or registration. Forest companies that want to have certification under a number these groups must develop EMS systems that encompass all the various sets of criteria. Multiple certification also means undergoing numerous time consuming audits. Christine muses, “ It would certainly be less confusing for us if different certification systems could all agree on the criteria and the paper trail they require.” Certification however, is just one piece of the audit pie. “We carry out our own internal audits in order to make sure we are living up to all required standards. We also have legal responsibilities to meet government criteria and are involved in government audits as well,” says Christine. Christine’s role in overseeing certification and audit processes is to look at everything from a systems perspective. “I look at the overall process, while our operations staff do the implementing. I provide direction. For example, we might need a document that details how a work procedure is carried out, like the use of equipment around a stream. I will coordinate it – by collecting the information and working with the on-the-ground team to put their words into the document – then they have the responsibility to implement it in the field.” Christine also likes to go out into the field and check to see how the procedures are working on the ground. Her job is to make sure the operations staff have the system in place that will provide the results the company wants. Christine is also involved in numerous EMS and sustainability committees. She chairs the regional EMS committee. This is composed of managers and superintendents that are responsible for the on-the-ground results. “ It is critical that we have buy-in from the leadership,” explains Christine. She meets with them every other month to discuss systems with them, to review any non-conformances or weakness and to determine how to fix it. She is a member of the Corporate EMS Working Group committee, which is comprised of a group of foresters from other Canfor regions. They get together quarterly to discuss regional issues or changes to the EMS. This system is corporate-wide so any changes have to be made as a group. Christine is very involved in her work as a company liaison for the Public Advisory committee. Christine strives to involve this citizen’s group in providing input into the both the management plan and the CSA certification process. “ They have provided much input into the formulation of our objectives. It is my job to ensure that our advisory committee continues to function, that all members are listened to and that we record their concerns and respond to them.” Christine’s ability to understand the importance of a systems approach is a competency that has importance outside of the whole area of EMS and auditing. Christine is involved in developing the Woodlands Safety Program & Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan. This means creating a step-by-step approach, so people know what to do in medical or other emergency situations. She wants both staff and contractors to be very clear on what they have to do and what their responsibilities are. Next: The Path The Path Certification and EMS systems are fairly new to the forest industry. So how did Christine become a systems kind of gal? Christine was a good student and had always done well in sciences. “I knew I wanted to attend University, and my parents wanted that as well, so I spent a lot of time with the university calendar looking for something in sciences that intrigued me.” Christine had always enjoyed camping and the outdoors, so she chose forestry. Ironically, in high school she had applied for a summer job in forestry - which she did not get! “I have a degree in Forestry from the University of Alberta (1987) and had worked for Canfor for about 10 years prior to this position,” recalls Christine. Working in forestry at different positions during that time helped to build an understanding of how the pieces of the business all fit together, which is critical for her present position. “ EMS Systems remind me of forest ecology - where all those linkages are key in producing a natural system. In an EMS system, each step is critical in producing the overall sustainable result.” According to Christine, skills and knowledge are just part of building a career. “ I think that you need to show an employer that you are a hard worker and have initiative. I firmly believe that to succeed in today’s business world that you need to anticipate the work required and then get it done. Do not wait around to be told what to do. If you have an idea, let your boss know what you think needs to be done and then volunteer to do it.” This heads- up attitude proved valuable to Christine very early in her career when her initiative for volunteering directly led to promotions! Next: That’s Cool That’s Cool Christine’s involvement in audits means she gets to travel to different operations around BC and Alberta. “ I find it fascinating to go to other operations in our company and see how they do their business. I get to see their field operations and what type of terrain they have to deal with. It is always interesting to see other operations and meet different people.” Next: Yikes! Yikes! Forestry positions always have some adrenaline moments! Christine recalls, “ Earlier in my career when I was involved in more field work, I was working alone in an area to do a quick job, I heard a noise and looked to my right and saw a huge grizzly bear ready to charge me. My immediate reaction was to scream at him! He stopped and looked at me, which gave me time to pull out my bear banger (a flare pen device that when discharged produces a loud bang) and I was able to set off a couple of loud bangs which frightened the bear away. But the experience also frightened me enough that I left the area for the day! Another day, I was working with a partner and we came upon a horrible smell, only to look beside us to see a fresh steaming killed deer. We hightailed it out of there – we were sure the bear must have just gone for a nap after a good feast of deer meat. We did not want to wait around to find out where he had gone!” Next: The Best The Best There are always parts of the job that are special and make the work worthwhile. Christine explains, “ I really do love my job! I enjoy the fact that I am involved in improving our company practices to better protect and understand the environment. I have always believed change is a good thing and seeing change being implemented in our practices is very fulfilling for me Christine also enjoys being involved with a public advisory group. Christine explains, “I believe that the public has a right to have a say in the management of our forests and I believe it is important that they have an avenue to express their views. We can not always accommodate their requests, but we can explain why. By sharing our knowledge with the public and learning from them, I believe we both come away better informed.” Next: Advice Advice Students are often interested in key messages from those already in the job. Christine suggests, “Work hard and listen to others and learn from them – be open to a different approach than the way you thought – there is often more than one way and when you are the new kid on the block, it is important to learn from the “more experienced” folks (i.e. – the old timers!).” Christine has strong feelings about showing initiative. “I can not stress that enough. If you want to advance in a career, initiative will help get you there. But do not confuse initiative with doing it all on your own – always run ideas past your supervisor, especially if you are unsure. Do not be afraid to take on new projects – offer your help to your co-workers.” Along with being open-minded and showing initiative, Christine wants to also stress the importance of building your computer skills. Computers have become an integral part of most careers – including forestry. Next: The Person The Person Besides being a Compliance Management and Certification Forester, Christine is married and has 2 puppy dogs. Christine says, “My husband and I enjoy going to galleries and seeing new exciting works of art. To me, it is important to have interests that are far removed from my work. I work hard and often long days and I need to be able to relax at the end of the day. I also enjoy riding my bike. In the summer, you can often see me biking to work – not only do I get some exercise, but it helps the environment as well. Exercise is also a great way to manage my daily stress levels.” Next: Questions? Questions? For more information on certification processes check out the Tree School Library article –“ Forest Certification” or the following site: http://www.sfms.com/welcome.htm For more information on forestry careers check out the following sites: Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) The Alberta Registered Professional Foresters website (has links to forestry schools) BC Registered Professional Foresters American Society of Foresters University of BC Faculty of Forestry BCIT Technical Forestry Program General stuff on forestry Return to Introduction