FSC Membership
FSC’s unique governance structure ensures that all voices are heard and that decisions are made through consensus. FSC members contribute directly to our standards and to the future of responsible forestry. FSC brings together, among others, private enterprises, NGOs, international organizations, indigenous groups, and educational institutions. It is a diverse set of stakeholders but they all share a common desire to improve the state of the world’s forests. Members apply to join one of three chambers – environmental, social, or economic – that are further divided into northern and southern sub-chambers.
Each chamber holds 33.3% of the weight in votes, and within each chamber the votes are weighted so that the North and South hold an equal portion of authority, to ensure influence is shared equitably between interest groups and countries with different levels of economic development. The votes of all individual members in each sub-chamber represent 10% of the total vote of the sub-chamber, while the votes of organizational members make up the other 90%.
Benefits of membership
Assume a leadership role in the growing market for independently certified forest products.
Join a forum building relationships with business, environmental, Indigenous and community leaders.
Take up a position of influence to support healthy forests, strong communities and thriving businesses.
Share in the decision-making authority to bring integrity and resilience to the FSC system.
Have your voice heard on matters pertaining to the forests of the world.
A one-step tool for all of our membership activities
Don’t have an account yet?
Apply for membership
Who can be a member?
Anyone, whether an individual or representative of an organization (whether for-profit or non-profit) can apply to be an FSC member. Members have decision making power, and are fundamental to the organization and its vision. FSC relies on the diverse economic, social and environmental interests of our members to share the decision-making authority to bringing integrity and resilience to the FSC system.
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When you apply to become a member, you must agree not to become involved in any activities which are unacceptable to FSC. These include:
- illegal logging or trade in illegal wood or forest products
- violation of traditional and human rights through forestry operations
- destruction of high conservation values through forestry operations
- conversion of forests to plantations or non-forest use
- use of genetically modified organisms in forestry operations
- violation of workers’ rights through forestry operations.
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As an FSC member, you are also obliged to:
- take active part in board elections
- pay your annual fees within the given time frame
- inform the FSC Secretariat if your contact details change, or in case of organizational changes.
Applying to become a member
Are you ready to help change how forests are cared for around the world? Through our governance model, FSC members have real influence.
Applying for membership is easy. Firstly, you will need to decide if you are applying as an individual or as an organization. Secondly, you will have to decide whether your membership should fall in the environmental, economic or social chambers. Next you will need to complete our online application (download our printable form to apply via post) and fulfil the following requirements:
I am an:
Before you start the application process, please read the following documents:
Once this is submitted, you’ll also need to upload some supporting documentation, as detailed in the next step.
Download and complete the forms corresponding to your membership, add a hand-written signature, scan and send.
Relevant documents:
Please send us an up-to-date résumé (professional CV) describing your professional activities. Please describe all professional tasks and functions in detail, particularly in your present professional position.
Once you have gathered all the required documents, you can submit them either:
- Online: Upload your documents and apply online: http://fsc.force.com/membershipportalapplication
- By email: Send us your documents and application form by mail to: membership@fsc.org
Before you start the application process, please read the following documents:
Once this is submitted, you’ll also need to upload some supporting documentation, as detailed in the next step.
Download and complete the forms corresponding to your membership, add a hand-written signature, scan and send.
Relevant documents:
Please also provide us with the following documentation:
- Organizational Statutes or Articles of Incorporation or any legal document that proves their constitution.
- Latest Annual Report
- Publicly available financial information or legal document of number of employees (to set the fee)
- List of Board of Directors and their affiliations
- Information on forest operations (when applicable)
- Other information showing aims of the organization (reports, history, brochures, and newsletters)
- Additional requirements for the economic chamber:
- Information on commercial activities and relations
- Holding company or Branch
- Additional requirements for non-profit applicants:
- Evidence of non-profit status
- Information on funding
- Number of members (if applicable)
Once you have gathered all the required documents, you can submit them either:
- Online: Upload your documents and apply online: http://fsc.force.com/membershipportalapplication
- By email: Send us your documents and application form by mail to: membership@fsc.org
Download the FSC Statutes
The FSC Statutes are the most important documents guiding FSC's governance. The Statutes determine our registration, domicile, source of revenue and more.
You can download the preliminary French translation of the FSC Statutes here. The final translation will be available soon.
Membership Payment
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.
Who Are Our Members?
FSC international members come from all across the globe and represent the global South and global North, with interests spread across three chambers: social, environmental and economic.
General Assembly 2022
Find out what happened at the 9th FSC General Assembly
that took place from 09-14 October 2022 here: