FSC International will not withdraw from Myanmar according to a decision taken by the Board of Directors in March 2024 at the 98th Board Meeting. Further, in accordance with their decision, new certificates will not be issued in the country unless FSC’s core labour requirements are diligently implemented and audited.
FSC International’s Board also agreed to suspend the Trademark License Agreement (TLA) of all certificate holders managed by Bureau Veritas – an accredited certification body.
At the 98th Board Meeting, the FSC International Board of Directors reviewed the findings of two FSC-commissioned investigations conducted by FSC’s assurance partner, Assurance Services International (ASI). Investigations carried out by ASI in 2023 revealed the following:
*Workers’ conditions in certificate holders are no better than those in non-certified companies.
*Certification bodies are not adequately assessing certificate holders’ compliance with labour requirements.
*Certificate holders have been issued with non-conformities with respect to freedom of association, protection of workers’ rights to organize, and forced labour.
more at: https://fsc.org/en/newscentre/integrity-and-disputes/fsc-takes-strong-actions-in-myanmar