High quality forest impact data

FSC is developing Verified Impact, a collaborative way to capture high-quality climate and nature data from FSC certified forests.

Invest in measurable change for our forests

Workers standing on a wooded hillside
FSC / Milan Reška

Verified Impact (formerly Ecosystem Services Claims) is FSC’s evolving approach to monitoring, conservation, and improvement of ecosystem services in forests.  

This upgraded system will help businesses, governments and forest managers access and disclose high-integrity forest data from FSC-certified forests. By investing in monitoring and improvement projects in FSC forests they unlock the data and stories needed to show their true forest impacts. ​ 

Verified Impact in action

Learn how the Huong Son State Forest Company is actively protecting and restoring the forest within Vietnam's Ha Tinh province, leveraging the benefits of FSC Verified Impact.

(Read the case study for more details about the project impacts on carbon sequestration)  

Spanning 20,000 hectares of forest land, this region hosts a rich biodiversity of more than 2,300 plant and animal species. Thanks to its commitment, 727,425 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) were successfully sequestered from the atmosphere during the period spanning from 2015 to 2020. 

Discover the true value of forests

Healthy and resilient forests are often the unseen heroes in the battle against the climate and biodiversity crises. Forests regulate and stabilize our climate; they house vital ecosystems that are home to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and provide the life support systems for hundreds of millions of Indigenous Peoples. 

Without forests, we will lose the fight against climate change, diversity and social equality.  However, the ecosystem services that forests provide are often overlooked. FSC provides data for five ecosystem services:  

  • carbon storage 
  • clean water 
  • healthy soil 
  • thriving biodiversity 
  • recreation. 
Close shot of Japanese flowering cherry
FSC / Milan Reška

Connecting forests, companies and climate action

The solution we are developing matches businesses, financial institutions, and governments to ecosystem-services projects in FSC-certified forests. These projects, run on the ground by forest managers, focus on monitoring, maintenance, and improvement of forests.  

As a project sponsor, Verified Impact gives you access to credible, verified data around the real-world environmental and social impact that the project is having, so you can communicate this impact to your stakeholders. 

Soil texture

Benefits for sponsoring organizations

  • Quantifiable data 

  • Three layers of verification 

  • Transparent, publicly available dashboard 

  • Tailored and flexible 

  • Data linked to your forest footprint 

  • Socially responsible 

iStock.com / Atthaphol S
Worker standing in a forest doing an audit
FSC / Mayank Bhavesh Soni
Green forest
FSC / Marius Čepulis

FSC Verified Impact roadmap

01

Forest commitment

Forest managers commit to protect or restore a vital service provided by their forest. Ecosystem services include biodiversity preservation, carbon storage, water filtration, soil regeneration, and recreation opportunities. In collaboration with FSC and third-party certification bodies, they collect scientific data verifying the impact of their efforts.

02

Sponsorship

Organizations like yours volunteer to sponsor forest managers and their initiatives. Many forest managers are smallholders, Indigenous communities, or public—private associations that need financial support to ensure the long-term viability of their projects.

03

Evidence

Your business receives clear, verifiable evidence quantifying the impact of your sponsorship.

04

Communication

Share your verified impact data. These results show your customers, employees, and investors that you’re backing up your sustainability promises with actions that make a measurable difference.

Companies worldwide are making a measurable impact with FSC

Levico logo Levico Acque has been an FSC promotional licence holder since 2019.
Roller logo Roller has been an FSC promotional licence holder since 2010.
VolkerWeseels logo VolkerWessels has been an FSC chain of custody certificate holder since 2019.
“Ecosystem services claims highlights our company’s efforts to make the public more aware of the need to protect biodiversity.”

Vincent Perrotin, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Groupe FDJ

Find a forest project

Forest managers around the world are looking for partners to support the sustained viability of their conservation and restoration efforts. Each project delivers real-world, verified outcomes that you can communicate to your stakeholders. Explore open projects below.
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France

Join forces with forest managers across France who are engaged in a variety of responsible forestry initiatives. Several sponsorship opportunities are available.

Project focus:  biodiversity, carbon storage, water

Learn more →
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Germany

Help conserve municipal forests in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Project focus: biodiversity, carbon storage, water, recreation conservation

Learn more →
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Indonesia

A joint initiative based on community and organizational collaboration is set to restore over 7,000ha of degraded forest land in East Kalimantan.

Learn more →
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Italy

Help ensure that natural forest regeneration and carbon and water management efforts can continue across several regions in Italy.

Project focus: biodiversity, carbon storage, water, soil, and recreation conservation

Learn more →
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Mexico

Help our initiatives in Mexico, led by communities that are protecting and restoring important conservation hotspots for the world.

Project focus:  biodiversity, carbon storage, water

Learn more →
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Namibia

Help community managers restore forest habitats for cheetahs, giraffes, antelope, and other wildlife.

Project focus: biodiversity restoration

Learn more →
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Netherlands

Support more than 80 smaller forests spread over the Netherlands that are working to enhance biodiversity and soil quality, securing climate-proof forests in the country.

Project focus:  biodiversity, soil quality

Learn more →
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Portugal

Take a look at a number of forests in Portugal that provide biodiversity and climate benefits and are open for sponsorship.

Project focus: biodiversity, carbon storage, recreation

Learn more →
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South Africa

Support watershed restoration and be a part of the solution to the country’s water scarcity problems.

Project focus: water

Learn more →
Spain

Spain

Several sponsorship opportunities are available, including initiatives to conserve carbon storage, ensure clean water, and protect the Cantabrian brown bear and other wildlife.

Project focus: carbon storage, water, biodiversity

Learn more →
Close shot of ferns

The FSC difference

Trust: FSC is the world’s most trusted forest certification organization.

Experience: We have a proven history of forest stewardship spanning more than 25 years.

Results: The FSC system is a proven method to prevent deforestation, protect biodiversity, and strengthen the carbon storage capabilities of forest ecosystems.

Vision: We’re driven to ensure that the true, holistic value of forests is recognized by all.

iStock.com / Jasmina007
Worker smiling in a hard hat
FSC / Bablu Singh
Stack of logs
iStock.com / Hans Verburg

Find the right forest for you

We can pair your organization with the right forest project for your goals and give you the tools to bring your sustainability story to the world.

Contact us to get started
Get in touch →
Water droplets on a green leaf
iStock.com / LuPa Creative
Shunchang Forest Becomes the First Site in China Certified for Ecosystem Services
See how →
In the Congo, people-centric businesses drive change
See how →
Autumn forested mountain and lake in Italy
Photographic Archive, FSC Italy
Italian Local Entities Join Forces with FSC to Preserve Ecosystem Services
See how →

* GlobeScan Global Consumer Research, August 2021