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
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
In this meeting, members discussed the following motions:
*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:
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)
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.
The discussion period for the motions presented during 2019 and April 2020 has started. The first batch of motions was submitted following discussion and consultation between members and review for acceptance by the Motions Committee.
FSC-PRO-01-001 provides the process steps for the development, review, revision, and withdrawal of all international normative documents and is open for consultation until 7 January 2022 via the FSC Consultation Platform.
The charcoal transaction verification will cover all FSC claims made for charcoal wood products during the entire year 2019. The deadline for certificate holders to submit requested transaction verification data is 15 September 2020.
Bukut Muria Jaya – a subsidiary of the Djarum Group - withdrew its FSC certificate and that has ended the association between FSC and the Djarum Group.
As mandated in the FSC Statutes, FSC has used the UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) Report to determine membership allocation to either the South or North sub-chambers.
FSC encourage all stakeholders to comment on the first draft of FSC Conversion Remedy Procedure (FSC-PRO-01-007 V1-0 D1-0). The deadline to participate is 30 June 2020.
The second draft of the FSC Policy on Conversion (FSC-POL-01-007 V1-0 D2-0) is now available for a public consultation until 16 February 2020 and can be accessed here.
FSC is seeking candidates for a technical working group to develop a new international procedure on the continuous improvement concept. The call for applications is open from 17 December 2019 to 17 January 2020.
FSC International, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the University of Liège and Biotope are interested to hear your perspectives and opinions on their collaboration plan for a global discussion on High Value Forests.
This document provides FSC’s formal interpretation of requirements included in FSC-STD-20-007. An updated version was published on 1 August 2024.
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.
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.