The assembly highlighted FSC’s unique chamber-balanced democratic governance system, where members from the social, economic, and environmental chambers deliberated and voted on motions to guide the organization's future. Notable decisions included:
- Addition of French as FSC's Third Official Language: Recognizing the diversity within the FSC community, French was adopted alongside English and Spanish to enhance inclusivity, especially for francophone members in regions like Africa and the Congo Basin.
- Adoption of Landscape-Wide Approaches for Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs): A new strategy was approved to combine protection requirements within certified areas with a focus on the status of IFLs in surrounding landscapes. This approach also acknowledges Indigenous Cultural Landscapes, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous territories in forest stewardship.
- Implementation of the Policy to Address Conversion: Members agreed on motions to implement policies addressing forest conversion, aiming to balance environmental integrity with social and economic considerations.
- Advancement of Ecosystem Services: Motions were passed to improve access to incentives and benefits for protecting High Conservation Values (HCVs). This includes revising the Ecosystem Services Procedure to serve markets beyond forest products, enabling certificate holders to demonstrate their contributions to climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
- Strengthening Workers' Rights: Two motions were approved to enhance workers' rights within FSC-certified organizations. One motion ensures that workers have the right to freely elect their own occupational health and safety representatives, while the other grants trade union representatives' access to workers to inform them of their rights in the workplace.
Reflections from Leadership
Kim Carstensen, then FSC’s Director General, expressed profound appreciation for the assembly's outcomes, stating, “Coming together at the FSC General Assembly 2021-2022 has shown me again how important it is to reconnect and be together, to look each other in the eyes and come to ideas for solutions together.” He emphasized the significance of co-creation and the collective efforts in addressing complex issues like conversion, remedy processes, and the protection of Intact Forest Landscapes.
For a more in-depth reflection, you can watch Kim Carstensen's message here:
As FSC prepares for the 10th General Assembly in Panama City from October 26 to 31, 2025, we remain dedicated to fostering collaboration among our members and stakeholders. The collective decisions and reflections from GA2022 serve as a foundation for future initiatives, reinforcing our mission to promote responsible forest management worldwide. Registrations to GA 2025 will open soon—stay tuned for more details at ga.fsc.org.
For detailed insights into the preparations for GA2025 and reflections from FSC leadership, keep visiting the official FSC GA newsfeed. Also visit www.fsc.org to learn how to join FSC in leading the change needed for Forests.