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FSC Remedy Framework

As the world’s most trusted provider of forest management solutions, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has launched two ground-breaking procedures, known as the FSC Remedy Frameworks to address past social and environmental harms caused in the world’s forests. With the FSC Remedy Frameworks, FSC is paving the way for organizations and other stakeholders to embark on a journey of healing and regeneration through a verified process. 

For inquiries, please write to:
Brazil forest

About the remedy frameworks

The FSC Remedy Frameworks are based on the basic principles of social environmental justice. The application of Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) is thus at the core of the process and is verified at its critical stages. Further, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights underpins the FSC Remedy Framework requirements around the establishment of effective grievance mechanisms for preventing future social and environmental harms.  

This new facet in FSC’s work will lead to the restoration of environmental values and strengthen the resilience for forest-dependent local communities and indigenous peoples.  

The FSC Remedy Frameworks define requirements for remedying harm caused by:  

  • Destructive activities that are unacceptable to FSC which are stipulated in the FSC Policy for Association (version 2 and version 3). 

  • Conversion of natural forests within a stipulated period of time defined in the FSC Principles and Criteria. Remedy requirements for conversion are provided in only one of the procedures (FSC-PRO-01-007). 

For information about individual cases of organizations implementing the FSC Remedy Framework, click here. 

Expected outcomes

These two procedures will position FSC at the forefront of creating non-judicial access to remedy in the forestry sector while encouraging environmental restoration and social restitution. 

Some of the other outcomes of the FSC Remedy Frameworks include: 

  • Development of remedy plans that are participatory and verified to ensure a sustainable and proportionate remedy of harm. 

  • Creation of social and environmental benefits in forest landscapes.  

  • Building relationships based on trust between affected stakeholders and in the marketplace with organizations involved in unacceptable activities. 

  • Creating certification eligibility for management units previously disqualified from FSC Forest Management certification. 

  • Catapulting FSC to the center of the remedy and restoration conversation underlining the importance and significance of FSC’s contribution to global forest solutions. 

Remedy process

 

Remedy Process
Bamboo forest in China

Differences between the remedy frameworks

In order to ensure alignment with changes in FSC’s normative framework, there are two separate documents called FSC Remedy Framework. The main difference between the two normative documents lies in the applicability of remedy requirements: 

 

 

For more information about the differences in how the remedy frameworks will be applied and the resultant outcomes, read the Executive Summary about the FSC Remedy Frameworks.

Agriculture
FSC GD / Milan Reška

Normative connections

The specific FSC policies that form the foundation of the FSC Remedy Framework are: 

 

  • FSC Policy to Address Conversion, which provides FSC’s general position and fundamental principles on conversion of natural forests and High Conservation Value areas. It also enables organizations who have converted natural forests between 1 December 1994 and 31 December 2020 to become eligible for certification after fulfilling the requirements provided in the FSC Remedy Framework.  

  • FSC Policy for Association, which stipulates the unacceptable activities that need to be remedied by fulfilling the social and environmental requirements provided in the FSC Remedy Framework. 

seedlings

Associated provisions

Advice Notes: 

FSC has developed an Advice Note that is applicable for corporate groups that have been disassociated from FSC or are seeking to associate with FSC after violating provisions of the Policy for Association, version 2 (FSC-POL-01-004 V2-0). This Advice Note on Scope of application of FSC Remedy Framework for outstanding magnitude or gravity of harm caused (ADVICE-10-004-01 V1-0) can be accessed here. 

The Advice Note on FSC Policy to Address Conversion is compiled into FSC Directive on FSC Forest Management Evaluation (FSC-DIR-20-007). This directive applies to forest management accredited certification bodies and to organisations applying for or holding FSC forest management certification.

System development status

The FSC Secretariat is working on a variety of projects to support the implementation of the FSC Remedy Framework.

Useful documents

Executive summaries

A series of executive summaries have been developed to explain some of the key concepts in the FSC Remedy Frameworks. The summaries give an overview of:  

 

 

Remedy Client intake

Do you represent a forestry organization interested in pursuing a remedy process? Please review the following documents and contact the Alternative Dispute Resolution & Remedy Team at FSC International at remedy@fsc.org. 

  • Remedy Client Expression of Interest form: Click here 
  • Excel sheet corresponding to the Remedy Client Expression of Interest form: Click here 

 

Bahasa Indonesian translations of relevant documents: