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The FSC general assembly brings together hundreds of leaders and decision-makers from Indigenous Peoples, environmentalists, businesses, and others from FSC’s membership to discuss a responsible future for the world’s forests, and the people and animals who inhabit them. Delegates also include certification bodies, certificate holders, union representatives, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and observers.
FSC International held the Second Conversion Dialogue, which took place online on November 30, 2020 at 11:00 (CET), and an identical second session at 16:00 (CET).
The following topics were covered:
- Plan for further dialogue on conversion towards the upcoming FSC General Assembly (GA) in October 2021. What can you expect as decision making process?
- Drivers for deforestation in regions, specifically Africa and North America
- Outcomes on discussions in the Conversion Working Group (WG) and Technical Working Group (TWG) after the consultation at the beginning of November.
FSC is organizing an informational webinar (two identical sessions) for all interested stakeholders on the changes FSC proposes to introduce through the revised complaints and appeals procedure.
For more information about the revision process, visit the process page.
Agenda items for discussion:
1. The FSC Global Strategy and its effect on boreal forests
The second draft of the Global Strategy is now out for consultation. If you go to the consultation platform, you will find some great material developed together with the Board Strategic Planning Committee (BSPC). This includes a short video with BSPC Chair, Al Thorne, explaining some of the thinking that’s gone into the second draft and a new document that explains some of the main changes from draft 1 to draft 2 and why they were made.
The discussion was concentrated on the effect of the Global Strategy for Boreal forests and allow members to discuss their inputs in the consultation process.
2. FSC and High-value forests
With the upcoming FSC General Assembly next year, we discussed how FSC addresses certification of high-value forests, such as Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs). As preparation for this discussion, we have taken steps to develop a research knowledge base and partnership. We seek the research basis for defining a way forward, allowing FSC to offer fact-based and pro-active nature-based solutions that respect the necessary protection of high-value forests in the landscape, and identify where and how FSC certified management of these forests and landscapes can be done in a responsible way, including the use of existing tools like certification of Ecosystem Services or Non-Timber Forest Products.
In this meeting, we updated members and stakeholders on plans and activities developed for high-value forests including IFLs, and sought feedback to these.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Gemma Boetekees at g.boetekees@fsc.org
Theme: Standards & audit systems
Motions discussed: 10, 13, 14, 16, 30, 31, 37, 42, 45, 54, 55, 58, 60.
In this meeting, members discussed the following motions:
- Statutory Motion 02/2020*
- Statutory Motion 03/2020*
- Statutory Motion 04/2020*
- Statutory Motion 36/2021
*Please note that these motions were modified at the close of the deadline for amending motions (August 31, 2021).
You can watch the recordings of the main plenary session here:
- Morning meeting (in English only)
- Afternoon meeting plenary (cross-chamber discussion) in English
- Afternoon meeting plenary (cross-chamber discussion) in Spanish
- Afternoon meeting plenary (cross-chamber discussion) in French
Our membership fees vary according to the location of the individual or organizational member in either the global North or the global South. For organizations, membership fees also vary according to the type and size of the organization.
This motion is now the result of a consolidation exercise by the motions proposers/seconders, merging former Motions 37, 38, 39/ 2021.
Motion 37/2021 if passed at the GA, is the motion that will provide the mechanism to update FSC’s highest level framework (P&C’s) and position on conversion (past, present and future) and enable the updated and aligned normative framework in the FSC system, as requested by Motion 07/2017.
The aligned package of normative documents was released for consultation last Friday, 11th March, and more details are available here. We invite you to look at the explanatory documentation in this consultation package.
Also note that Policy Motion 45/2021 - Stop the current process on revision of the FSC Policy on Conversion is connected to this motion and we were able to hear from the proposers of this motion.
We have reached a significant milestone in the relationship between the FSC system and the topic of conversion. We thank those members that joined us in this important dialogue and support FSC to establish new expectations and requirements for conversion- past, present and future- through remedy and restoration, as well as a new cut-off date for excluding material from the FSC system if it originates from converted natural forests or High Conservation Value areas.
We hosted two identical sessions to accommodate different time zones.
We have a selection of materials and multimedia resources related to your FSC membership in preparation for the GA 2022. Please contact your Membership Regional Coordinator for more information.
This webinar presented the board’s work to implement Motion 63 from 2017, including the efforts to develop a revised Network Policy and Procedure. In the webinar, members got an update on the process for this work, including the upcoming public consultation. The webinar was also relevant for the current motions related to Network Development.
Watch the recording here: English | Spanish (will be available soon)
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FSC is pleased to introduce the revised FSC-STD-20-007 Forest Management Evaluations Standard, version 4-0, and the revised Procedure FSC-PRO-60-010, Development of a National Forest Stewardship Standard Risk Assessment, version 2-1.
As stipulated by Policy Motion 12 of the 2014 Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) General Assembly (GA), a working group tasked with reviewing FSC conversion rules has met in Bonn, Germany, to explore new possibilities for improving the management, restoration and conservation of forest areas that are currently not certifiable.
The final version of the FSC Implementation Plan is now available online. This represents a critical step in building the structures and actions to create the changes we want to make together.
FSC-PRO-01-001 The Development and Revision of FSC® Requirements provides the process steps for how to develop, review, revise, and withdraw international FSC requirements. FSC invites you to participate in the second public consultation of the procedure from 29 April – 30 June 2022 via the FSC Consultation Platform.
FSC-PRO-01-001 The Development and Revision of FSC® Requirements provides the process steps for how to develop, review, revise, and withdraw international FSC requirements. FSC invites you to participate in the second public consultation of the procedure from 29 April – 30 June 2022 via the FSC Consultation Platform.
We are pleased to announce the launch of a Discussion Forum channel on the first FSC Global Strategy Dialogues and a new subsection with all the outcomes from the first round. Additionally, you can already register for the second FSC Global Strategy Dialogues to be held on 22, 23 & 24 September 2020.
FSC thanks Earthsight and the co-signing NGOs for their open letter dated 25 October 2021 and their ongoing engagement and concern to protect the world’s forests and make them more resilient. We continuously act to strengthen forest stewardship and welcome constructive criticism to improve our system where necessary.
The report on the revision of the FSC Principles and Criteria (Version 5-2) is now available for a 50-day public consultation. The main proposal is that FSC should wait until 2023 to revise its Principles and Criteria because the transition of all FSC national standards to the latest Principles and Criteria (Version 5-2) is still ongoing.
EU decision-makers have reached an historic agreement by approving the landmark anti-Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The EUDR will prohibit placing products linked to deforestation and forest degradation on the EU market.
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The present document contains certification requirements for certifying forest operations in Central America, developed in accordance with FSC's normative document for the development and maintenance of FSC Forest Stewardship Standards. Revisions of FSC Forest Stewardship Standards are ongoing, and all existing standards will be transferred to the revised Principles & Criteria version 5-2. All standards are valid until replaced by a new FSC Forest Stewardship Standard.
The present document contains certification requirements for certifying forest operations as described in the scope of this standard. All standards are valid until replaced by a new FSC Forest Stewardship Standard.
The present document contains certification requirements for certifying forest operations in plantations in Uruguay, developed in accordance with FSC's normative document for the development and maintenance of Forest Stewardship Standards. Revisions of Forest Stewardship Standards are ongoing, and all existing standards will be transferred to the revised Principles & Criteria version 5-2. All standards are valid until replaced by a new Forest Stewardship Standard.
The present document contains certification requirements for certifying forest operations from smallholders in plantations in Vietnam, developed in accordance with FSC's normative document for the development and maintenance of FSC Forest Stewardship Standards. Revisions of FSC Forest Stewardship Standards are ongoing, and all existing standards will be transferred to the revised Principles & Criteria version 5-2. All standards are valid until replaced by a new FSC Forest Stewardship Standard.
FSC had decided to waive the Annual Administration Fee (AAF) for all types of certifications in Ukraine from Q2/2022 until the end of Q4/2024, regardless of their certification status.
In August 2024, FSC decided to reinstate the AAF for certifications in Ukraine starting 01 January 2025 in a phased approach.
This Advice Note serves to implement this decision.
Please note that the content of this normative document has been streamlined into FSC-STD-20-007 Forest Management Evaluations Standard (V4-0)
Publication date: 1 February 2023
Effective date: 1 July 2023
End of transition period: 31 December 2024
The following requirements aim to ensure that the certification body decision making entity has sufficient information on which to base its decisions with respect to conformity with FSC forest stewardship standards, and to help FSC ensure that there is consistency in decision making between different certification bodies.
Please note that the content of this normative document has been streamlined into FSC-STD-20-007 Forest Management Evaluations Standard (V4-0)
Publication date: 1 February 2023
Effective date: 1 July 2023
End of transition period: 31 December 2024
The social impacts of forest management mean that forest management is a social as a well as a technical activity. It is not possible to involve all stakeholders in every forest evaluation. It is therefore essential that forest certification and its results should be open to public scrutiny. This is the only way to demonstrate to all interested or affected parties that the certification decisions are justified and acceptable. It is a basic requirement of the FSC scheme that certification bodies make a summary report of each certified forest operation publicly available.
This document provides FSC’s formal interpretation of requirements included in FSC-STD-20-007. An updated version was published on 1 August 2024.
This guide is intended for organizations that wish to use the FSC trademarks for the promotion of FSC-certified labelled products or services and it replaces the FSC-STD-50-002 'Requirements for promotional use of the FSC trademarks by non-certificate holders' that was withdrawn on 31st May 2020.
Depending on when the unacceptable activity occurs/occurred, FSC will determine which policy version is used as the point of reference. If the unacceptable activity occurred prior to 2023, version 2-0 of the policy will be applied, whereas if the unacceptable activity occurs in 2023 or beyond, version 3-0 of the Policy for Association will be applied. To access Policy for Association, version 2-0, click here . The Policy for Association is an expression of the values shared by individuals and organizations associated with FSC. It defines six unacceptable activities that associated individuals and organizations and their corporate group commit to avoid in both certified and non-certified operations. The Policy for Association serves as a risk management tool for FSC, protecting the credibility and reputation of the FSC brand and organizations associated with it.
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