Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to end its contractual association with FSC International and suspend FSC certificates in the invaded areas of Ukraine
Posted on April 18, 2022 |
- Certificate holders will retain their FSC Forest Management certification, and channels of communication will be open to stakeholders in Russia, who are welcome to contact FSC International with any questions.
- Over the past 20 years, FSC preserved 61 million hectares of well-managed forests, including 3.5 million hectares of high conservation value forests in Russia, including intact forest landscapes.
- The FSC will suspend FSC certificates in the invaded areas of Ukraine from 4 May 2022
- Government law cannot be enforced in Ukraine's conflict zones, and it is not safe for auditors to do their jobs, which increases the risk of the non-management of forests.
- However, FSC will continue to support Ukrainian certificate holders as far as possible and will permit certification bodies, and the independent auditors of FSC certificate holders to continue their work in areas not affected by war.