FSC Remedy Framework Addressing past harm. Healing forests. Rebuilding trust. Why remedy matters When forests are destroyed or communities are harmed, the damage can last for generations. Remedy is about addressing those impacts and making things right. Its purpose is to help heal damaged ecosystems, rebuild trust with affected communities, and support forests in contributing to biodiversity and the wellbeing of the people who rely on them. Creating pathways to remedy harm for forests and communities FSC’s Remedy Framework sets out a clear, credible pathway for organizations seeking to address past social and environmental harm. This may include harm caused by an organization’s own activities or historical harm that occurred on land before it came under the organization’s ownership or management. The framework defines what meaningful remedy should look like: restoring forest ecosystems, upholding community rights, and supporting the wellbeing of people affected by past actions. Through the Remedy Framework, FSC aims to rebuild trust between companies and communities and to enable long-term, responsible stewardship of forests. The framework is an evolving effort that reflects FSC’s commitment to ensuring that remedy becomes a standard expectation and practice in forest management and supply chains. The remedy pathway This overview presents the key stages of the FSC Remedy Framework. Each remedy case is context-specific and may involve additional requirements set out in the full Framework. 1. Establish readiness and governance FSC and the organization enter into an agreement to begin the remedy process. The organization puts essential systems in place, such as grievance mechanisms, due diligence processes, and internal governance. 2. Identify and assess harm Affected communities and areas are identified. Social and Environmental Baseline Assessments document historical and current harm to people and forests, ensuring that all relevant impacts are recognized and that Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is applied where required. Based on the findings, the organization consults experts and engages in dialogue with affected stakeholders to define remedy needs and priorities. 3. Plan and verify remedy actions A remedy plan is developed that sets out concrete actions to address identified harm. Independent third-party verifiers review both the proposed approach and the full remedy plan to confirm alignment with the FSC Remedy Framework and the input of affected rights holders. 4. Implement, monitor, and verify progress Agreed remedy actions are implemented and monitored over time. Independent verifiers assess progress and determine whether sufficient remedy has been delivered for re-entry into the FSC system or the completion of the full remedy process. FSC / Jesús Antonio Moo Yam What happens next? Completing the remedy process does not mean the organization automatically enters the FSC system. Rather, organizations must undergo a standard audit against an FSC standard if pursuing certification or receive approval of the FSC Board of Directors to officially end disassociation from FSC. Independent, Transparent, and Community-Driven Remedy Meaningful remedy requires more than restoring forests. It must recognize the rights, experiences, and priorities of the people affected by past harm. FSC’s approach places dialogue with affected rights holders at the centre of the remedy process, supported by independent assessment, clear agreements, and verification of progress. Free, Prior and Informed Consent At the heart of the FSC Remedy Framework is the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). This means that affected rights holders—Indigenous Peoples, traditional peoples, and local communities—have the right to freely decide, through their own representatives and governance systems, how remedy should proceed. Dialogue and agreements with rights holders Rights holders are engaged throughout the remedy process. Through ongoing dialogue, they help identify harm, define remedy priorities, shape proposed actions, and agree on how those actions will be implemented and monitored. The resulting agreements provide a shared basis for remedy and help ensure that actions respond to the rights, needs, and expectations of affected communities. Baseline assessments Social and Environmental Baseline Assessments are conducted using best available information, expert knowledge, and consultation with affected stakeholders. They evaluate historical and current conditions in impact areas, identify the social and environmental harm linked to unacceptable activities, and document any remedy actions already taken. The assessments also verify that all relevant harm, affected rights holders, and impacted stakeholders have been identified. Third-party verification Third-party verification is intended to ensure that the remedy process is credible, consistent, and in conformance with the FSC Remedy Framework. Verifiers review evidence at key stages, confirming that requirements have been met. Their responsibility includes verifying management systems, due diligence frameworks, grievance mechanisms, FPIC processes, baseline assessments, remedy plans, agreements with rights holders, monitoring results, and implementation of remedy actions. Explore remedy cases To promote transparency and encourage responsible behaviour, where possible and appropriate, FSC shares updates on organizations that are actively implementing the Remedy Framework. These case summaries provide insight into how companies are addressing past environmental or social harm and the progress being made toward verified restoration and restitution. See the status of active remedy cases → Implementing the Remedy Framework – Addressing challenges one step at a time Learn more... → FSC Moves Forward with Remedy Process to Address Harms Caused by APP Operations Learn more... → Contribute your expertise to FSC Policy for Association complaint processes as a decision panelist or investigator Learn more... →
