Forest certification and institutional governance: An empirical study of forest stewardship council certificate holders in the United States

Forest certification is a new policy mechanism for environmental governance; however, academic perspectives differ about what benefits forest certification offers to landholders and policy makers. In this research, we identify using analytical techniques three literature-based views of certification: as a market-based mechanism that performs by providing market advantage, as a learning mechanism that transfers knowledge and as an assurance mechanism or signal of hard-to-observe or predict organizational characteristics and practices. Empirically, those with first-hand experience with certification, i.e., forest management certificate holders, report that certification does not operate as a market-based mechanism, nor do they have high expectations or satisfaction with certification as a learning mechanism; certified landowners are most satisfied with certification as an assurance system or signal of risk sensitivity and strategy. We consider the implications for the social construction of markets.