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The Policy and Standards Committee acts on behalf of the Board of Directors (BoD) with respect to technical matters related to the development or revision of FSC Policies, Standards, Procedures and other FSC normative documents.
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.
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.
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
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)
FSC members vote for the FSC Board of Directors who are accountable to the members. The Board of Directors have the responsibility of monitoring the work of FSC, particularly that the motions passed at the General Assembly are being put forward.
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.
FSC International held the Third Conversion Dialogue, which took place online on 03 march 2021 at 10:00 (CET), with an identical second session at 16:00 (CET).
The following topics were covered:
- An overview of the planned timelines for discussions and decisions in the different processes relevant for the Policy on Conversion. We will look at what is expected in the lead-up to the FSC General Assembly, what will be available for discussion and decision at the GA itself, and what will happen after;
- The process of alignment between FSC’s work on conversion and the Policy for Association with a particular focus on how we ensure that remedy is considered in a consistent way across the different work streams.
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… label among Spanish consumers — El Pais According to a 2024 survey, FSC is the most recognized forest certification …
FSC has published and advice note to formally implement the decision made by the FSC Board in January 2020 to streamline and facilitate the transfer of International Generic Indicators version two (IGIs V2-0) to National Forest Stewardship Standards (ADVICE-60-006-01 V1-0 EN Advice Note on Incorporation of new International Generic Indicators introduced with FSC-STD-60-004 V2-0 into National Forest Stewardship Standards).
The Amazon rainforest is one of the world’s most vital ecosystems. As a massive carbon sink, it provides vital benefits for biodiversity, water, and global climate regulation. Yet deforestation is increasing. Between 2019 and 2022, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research recorded forest loss of nearly 10,000 square kilometres per year. Identifying strategies to halt deforestation is crucial.
… the future. The standard becomes effective on 1 October 2024. About one third of Poland is forested, and just over …
Rural communities in south-east Tanzania are reaping the fruits of their responsible forest management.
The programme allows consumers to shop for sustainable products online including a wide range of FSC certified products.
FSC will organize webinars between 15 and 18 May to discuss the decisions taken at the latest Board Meeting 77 (BM77). The webinars were initially planned from 26 April, but were rescheduled to give more time to members to prepare and send their questions beforehand.
From 18 to 21 November, the FSC International Board of Directors got together in Bonn, Germany, during the Board Meeting 82 (BM82).
In August, the FSC International Board of Directors approved the report submitting the generic criteria and indicators, giving the green light to the development of auditable requirements for certificate holders.
The working group in charge of revising FSC-STD-30-005 V1-1 FSC Standard for Group Entities in Forest Management Groups has already agreed on various points during their first in-person meeting in Sweden.
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The present document contains certification requirements for certifying forest operations from smallholders in plantations in Indonesia, 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 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.
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.
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 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.
The objective of this standard is to provide the requirements for FSC-accredited certification bodies to assess conformity of The Organization against applicable requirements of the FSC normative
framework with regards to forest management certification, as well as reporting and decision making.
To access the older version 3-0 effective only until December 31, 2025, click here .
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.
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.
FSC Remedy Framework defines permanent and effective measures required for remedy of harm caused by unacceptable activities as defined by the Policy for the Association of Organizations with FSC V2-0 or by conversion between 1 December 1994 and 31 December 2020.
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