Consolidated By Happy Tarumadevyanto | Independent Consultant | Environmental Asia | happy.devyanto@environmental.asia
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is deeply committed to ensuring that forest management is not only environmentally sound but also socially beneficial. This means a holistic approach to improvement across various sectors, with a strong focus on the well-being of communities that depend on forests.
For these communities, the presence of companies in their traditional lands can be a complex issue. The FSC’s Remedy Framework is specifically designed to address past social and environmental harms, facilitating a structured process for companies to make amends and rebuild trust. This includes conducting social baseline assessments to identify harms, ensuring Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) from affected communities for any activities, and developing participatory remedy plans.
The goal is to transition to a position where communities not only recover from past negative impacts but also actively benefit from sustainable forest management. This can involve restitution, rehabilitation, financial or non-financial compensation, and the creation of new social and environmental benefits. Ultimately, the FSC strives for a harmonious relationship where the existence of companies and the well-being of forest-dependent communities are mutually supportive, promoting long-term sustainability for both people and the planet.
