48 Global Actions
FSC Stories 2021
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48 Global Actions

The Forest Stewardship Council has defined a set of actions for 2021 that were designed to move the organization towards achieving the ambition of the Global Strategy.

We are reporting against these actions to demonstrate the level of progress towards the Global Strategy.

48 Global Actions

Strategy 1
Strategy 2
Strategy 3

ACTION 1 - Membership Engagement

  • A total of 62 virtual membership events (with over 6,000 registrations) were held in preparation for the first virtual FSC General Assembly 2021. The event was very successful with over 800 participants, 10 plenary sessions, 24 chamber meetings, and 15 side meetings. The quorum was reached and nine motions were debated and voted on.
    • RECAP: What happened at the 2021 FSC Virtual General Assembly?

    ACTION 2 - Membership Enhancement

  • A new member welcome kit was developed and two virtual inductions for new members were completed.
  • A total of 48 new members joined: 14 to the environmental chamber, 10 to social, and 24 to economic.

    • ACTION 3 - Co-creation Initiatives

  • Focus Forests is exploring new dialogue methodologies to provide solutions for the stewardship of forests with exceptional social and environmental values. An informal reference group for this initiative was engaged and a member advisory group was established.
  • Sustainable intensification advisory group continued its work, with a focus on defining shared value from intensification and on engaging the research community for genetic engineering safeguard proposals.
  • The concept for a ‘Restoration Toolbox’ was finalized, with input from an external advisory group.
    • Focus Forests

    ACTION 4 – Indigenous Peoples’ Engagement

  • Four Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (PIPC) regional representatives for Africa and two for Asia were elected and approved by the FSC Board for the 2022–2026 term. The PIPC advises the FSC Board on all issues related to Indigenous Peoples’ involvement in FSC including policies, standards, organizational presence, certification, and forest sector engagement.
  • The FSC Indigenous Foundation signed terms of collaborations with three regional indigenous networks representing Indigenous Peoples of 30 countries to collaborate on, among others, topics related to forests and Indigenous Peoples in all countries in the Central America and Africa regions. These are the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests, the Network of Indigenous and Local Populations for the Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa (REPALEAC), and the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating Committee (IPACC).
    • FSC Indigenous Foundation

    ACTION 5 – Information Technology

  • In 2021, the FSC members’ voting applications, the Certification Bodies’ Annual Administration Fee and the FSC General Assembly events registration portals (FSC connect modules) were launched. Additionally, the geographic information systems (GIS) portal and the blockchain beta were piloted.
    • How Blockchain can Help FSC
    The Launch of the FSC GIS Portal

    ACTION 6 – Requirements Accessibility

  • A Proof of Concept for a Database of Standards was developed with the purpose of evaluating databases and interfaces that can manage, store, and publish FSC Policies and Standards.*
    • *E.g.: a prospective certificate holder could ask and/or answer questions that bring the relevant certification requirements (clauses) into focus, providing relevant clauses and information of what FSC certification requires.

    ACTION 7 – Core Procedure Revision

  • The first public consultation was launched, and a white paper was developed and shared to inform the FSC membership about the objectives and ongoing efforts to streamline the normative framework.
    • White Paper: Streamlining the FSC Normative Framework

    ACTION 8 – Outcome Orientation

  • Provisions for outcome orientation were included in the draft core procedure for the development and revision of FSC requirements (FSC-PRO-01-001). This procedure regulates the internal processes within FSC for developing and revising normative documents.
    • Development and revision of FSC Normative Documents (FSC-PRO-01-001)

    ACTION 9 – Risk-based Approaches

  • The first draft of the revised FSC-STD-20-007 standard was developed and publicly consulted. The objective of this standard is to clarify the principles to be followed by certification bodies when sampling forest management units and sites, and integrating the observations to come to a reliable certification decision.

    • ACTION 10 – Supply Chain Verification

  • The FSC Blockchain information technology platform and data specifications were developed. A pilot was conducted in two supply chains in Ukraine and China: over 10,000 transactions were submitted and 90 per cent of companies activated their accounts.
    • Just Around the Block – Blockchain and Revolutionizing Compliance in Supply Chains

    ACTION 11 – Quality Data

  • The forest management online data specification was completed with a data architecture for FSC forest management audit data capture and submission requirements. Additionally, the FSC Impact Dashboard, an online platform that provides stakeholders with a means of learning the effects of FSC certification based on scientific research, was launched and a proof of concept for the database of standards was developed.*
    • *See Action 6 - Requirements Accessibility.

    ACTION 12 – Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technology

  • Geographic information systems – GIS Portal Version 2 – imagery and functions were implemented. The GIS Portal provides auditors of forest management-certified organizations the tools to target areas where they could focus their inspections during audits. The tools provide knowledge and objective measurements, and details of forest canopy change, water source locations, high-conservation areas, community, and Indigenous Peoples’ proximity.
  • The pilot programme with certification bodies’ auditors was completed successfully.
  • The forest vegetation analysis 2021 was launched and will be completed in 2022.
    • FSC on the Map: Our GIS Portal after 2 years

    ACTION 13 – System Integrity

  • FSC announced its decision to disassociate from Korindo, with effect from 16 October 2021; Korindo’s trademark licences with FSC were terminated.
  • FSC announced its decision to end the disassociation from Austrian timber company, HS Timber Group (formerly known as Holzindustrie Schweighofer): The decision came after a 4-year programme to improve HS Timber Group’s operations and resolve social and environmental issues.
  • Two drafts of revised FSC Policy for Association outlining unacceptable activities for organizations associated with FSC were developed and publicly consulted; the new related remediation framework was publicly consulted for the first time.
    • Interview with Marc Jessel, FSC Chief System Integrity Officer
    FSC Announces Disassociation from Korindo Group
    FSC Ends Disassociation with HS Timber Group

    ACTION 14 – Expand Ecosystem Services

  • A road map for organizational, market, product, and technology development was completed and disseminated. Also, regarding the revision of the FSC Ecosystem Services Procedure, an impact demonstration and market tools will start in 2022 and should be concluded in 2024.
    • Getting up to speed on Ecosystem Services

    ACTION 15 – Climate-related Indicators

  • Implementation of the Gold Standard/International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling (ISEAL) project and guidance documents have been finalized.
  • The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG): The Land Use guidance first draft was developed with input from FSC. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is developing new guidance on how companies and organizations should account for greenhouse gas emissions and carbon removals in their greenhouse gas inventories. FSC is part of the Land Use working group of the GHG.
  • There is continued collaboration with Verra through FSC’s participation in Verra’s Carbon Innovations Working Group.
    • New road map to bring climate action front and centre in FSC
    New Greenhouse Gas Protocol

    ACTION 16 – Restoration Toolbox

  • The FSC Restoration Toolbox aims to leverage the tools and solutions currently available to create a restoration verification framework, which can reliably indicate when a forest is restored sustainably. An informal advisory group was established, and a concept note was finalized. As part of the Policy Working Group, there was engagement and participation in the Global Partnership for Forest Landscape Restoration (GPFLR).

    • ACTION 17 – Focus Forests

  • A green paper has been developed for landscape dialogues in collaboration with a research consortium. A landscape dialogue is a multi-stakeholder tool for solving difficult issues. It seeks to find supported solutions to complex problems, where different interests are conflicting among stakeholders. Proposals were accepted for a landscape dialogue in tropical environments.
    • Focus Forests Landscape Dialogues - Information Sheet
    New Ways to Find Common Ground - Landscape Approaches in FSC

    ACTION 18 – Sustainable Intensification

  • A draft framework for conventional intensification with shared value in forestry was developed.
  • FSC began a co-creation period on a possible learning process on genetically engineered trees outside FSC-certified areas.*
    • *FSC started a learning process on genetic engineering - the goal is to better understand genetic engineering in forestry and if FSC could play a role in governance of safeguards for this, or not. (Please note: FSC does not allow GMOs in its certified forests and products.) 
    FSC to begin learning process on genetic engineering in forestry outside of FSC-certified area