A New Era For Europe’s Forests Begins

The ongoing war in Ukraine has contaminated certified forests with explosive objects. As a result, substantial areas have had to be excised from the scope of certification. To achieve this goal, the current Forest Stewardship Standard (FSS) for Ukraine has been updated (FSC-STD-UKR-01.1-2024) to include criteria for excising contaminated areas as well as specific, nationally adapted indicators and verifiers. Those requirements are based on the scenario presented in Clause 2.2 of the FSC Policy on the Excision of Areas from the Scope of Certification. After the initial registration of the process by the Performance and Standards Unit of FSC (PSU) in March 2023, the Standard Development Group developed an updated draft in consultation with forestry authorities, the Ministry of Defense, the State Emergency Service, and other relevant bodies. The Policy Steering Group approved the updated FSS in June 2024.

Kimberly-Clark announced a unique three-year agreement and collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) designed to raise awareness of the importance of choosing products that use fiber from responsibly managed forests. As part of the new "♥ YOUR PLANET" campaign, the company will display WWF's iconic logo on its paper towel, facial tissue and toilet paper products sold in North America. This initiative is part of an 8-year partnership between the two organizations, and is a natural next step in advancing responsible forestry through consumer education and engagement. Kimberly-Clark is proud to display the WWF logo on its packaging and in promotion. Click Read More below for more of the story.

FSC strongly endorses the EUDR and its mission to drive deforestation-free supply chains in Europe and globally. Our missions are mutually reinforcing, and we have been actively supporting companies in preparing for compliance, developing tailored solutions to ease the transition, and getting ready to support EUDR implementation. Regardless of the final agreement among the EU Institutions, we remain steadfast in our commitment to resilient, thriving forests and forest communities. This is why FSC Aligned for EUDR – a set of solutions that FSC Certificate Holders can use to support compliance – has FSC Certification at the core. Our standards not only prevent deforestation but offers the strongest social and environmental safeguards for working forests, actively protecting biodiversity and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Any company, anywhere in the supply chain, who chooses FSC also chooses the highest standards for forest stewardship, no matter where the product is traded.