FSC takes strong actions in Myanmar

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

Related Posts

South Africa joins PEFC as a national member

“Becoming a PEFC national member is an important step towards the endorsement of our country’s national forest certification system,” said Craig Norris, Forest Technology Manager at NCT Forestry. “We expect to finalize the system documentation by June and will submit the system to PEFC shortly after.” There are approximately 1.2 million hectares of exotic tree plantations in South Africa. While much of this is already certified to alternative forest certification systems, most of this area is owned or managed by large organizations. This has led to a growing concern that small- and family forest owners are being left behind. Click Read More below for more of the story.

General Assembly Moves FSC Into Forest Restoration

At the FSC General Assembly recently, members voted on a range of important issues. Organized into Social, Economic and Environmental Chambers, the diverse perspectives brought by FSC’s members is key to the system’s integrity and credibility. In particular, the membership voted to approve changes to the FSC Principles & Criteria that will support implementation of a new Policy to Address Conversion. This was the result of years of debate and stakeholder engagement, impacting millions of acres of forests, particularly in tropical countries. This change will bring FSC into forest restoration, to create market incentives to restore degraded and deforested lands.

SFI Community Grants Support Collaboration on Education, Climate, Indigenous Relations, Urban Forestry and Biodiversity

“SFI’s commitment to making better choices for the planet also means better choices for its people,“ said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI. “Our grantees are leaders in their communities and we look forward to collaborating with them on so many important issues that will strengthen local communities and support solutions to important sustainability challenges.” The grants address key themes across SFI’s work including urban and community forestry, forest literacy and education, building a diverse and resilient workforce, promoting Indigenous forest stewardship, and connecting communities to conservation. Urban and Community Forestry: SFI is elevating its role in this important issue with the development of a new SFI Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard. Forest Literacy and Education: SFI is committed to helping all people better understand the values and benefits of sustainably managed forests. click read more below for details
Back To Top
×Close search
Search