FSC® has published a new version of the Policy for Association V3-0
The Association Policy (PfA) is binding on all FSC certified companies and the new version of the policy comes into force from 1 January 2023. All certified companies and individuals undertake not to engage in unacceptable activities, both certified and non-certified, in all areas of activity.
Summary of changes, six unacceptable activities:
- Illegal harvesting or illegal trade in forest products
- Violation of worker’s rights and principles defined in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work within the forestry or forest products sector
- Violation of customary or human rights within the forestry or forest product sector
- Destruction of High Conservation Value in forests or High Conservation Value areas
- Conversion of natural forest cover
- Use of genetically modified organisms in forestry operations for any other purposes than reaserch
The scope of unacceptable activities, which focuses on forestry operations in the previous version (PfA V2), has been widened to include forest product sectors. For example, PfA V2 says that violation of traditional and human rights in forestry operations is unacceptable, but in PfA V3 not only in forestry operations, but also in the forestry or forest product sector.
Illustrative examples are available in the FSC booklet: https://connect.fsc.org/sites/default/files/2022-10/PfA%20V3%20-%20changes%20-%20booklet.pdf
The Policy for Association V3 is available here (In English): https://connect.fsc.org/document-centre/documents/resource/368
License code FSC-A000521