How We Are Working to Support Certificate Holders and Deal with COVID-19

In the coronavirus pandemic, we are facing an unprecedented challenge together.

First, our thoughts are especially with those who are sick, to whom we extend our heartfelt wishes for a full recovery. And we have been inspired by the many selfless individuals and organizations in the FSC system around the world who have committed to helping others.

Second, we’re focused on the health and safety of our employees, families and communities. Nearly all of FSC’s employees around the world are currently working from home. This shift has been relatively smooth, and in the US, we continue to work towards achieving the objectives in our 2020 workplan, acknowledging that some objectives are necessarily restricted by stay-at-home orders and related impacts to industries and markets. In particular, we recognize that on-site audits pose a risk to auditor health and are supporting FSC International in exploring solutions to ensure the health and safety of auditors and certificate holders. We are also exercising financial prudence as we look ahead toward an eventual reopening of our economy; in the meantime, we’re connecting with customers through virtual channels as much as possible to continue advancing our collective goals and to realize our mission of forests for all, forever.

Third, even as we deal with this pandemic, our teams remain focused on helping US certificate holders succeed. Accordingly, we pledge to:

1. Be open and honest about all the ways our own global and national organization is affected by - and managing - the crisis, and let you know of changes as soon as we become aware of them. Our updates will be sure to include FSC and CB directives related to COVID-19 and audit guidelines for FM and CoC audits, assessments, and reassessments.

2. Curate useful, credible information certificate holders can use to help manage their businesses, such as news and resources on the future economic outlook for forest-based product industries and ways to manage various aspects of the crisis – communications, finance, health, and anything else of value.

To stay atop news regarding FSC and the pandemic, please bookmark and/or visit our homepage at us.fsc.org and click on the Coronavirus item in the rotating image banner. If you are aware of other opportunities for us to help, please let us know at cmo@us.fsc.org. As we go forward, we’ll be sure to keep you updated, and know that we always value your questions, ideas and feedback.

We have a great team here and around the world. In this moment, we are all called upon to be our best. On behalf of all of us at FSC, we’re committed to be there for you and to persevering together in the days and months ahead.

Sincerely,

Sophie Beckham – Co-Chair, FSC US Board of Directors

Paul Vanderford – Co-Chair, FSC US Board of Directors