FSC project selected for Salesforce Accelerator – Agents for Impact to improve certification access for prospective certificate holders worldwide

A project led by FSC Investments & Partnerships has been selected to receive transformative support from the Salesforce Accelerator – Agents for Impact; will use Agentic AI to make FSC certification more accessible, especially for those currently underrepresented in sustainable forest management and supply chains.

Paving the way for accessibility   
FSC provides the world’s most trusted standards for sustainable forest management and forest-based supply chains. The process of getting and staying certified involves adherence to detailed rules, third-party audits, and other assurances that management practices are environmentally, socially, and economically viable. This complexity helps to ensure the integrity of certification, preserving the value of the FSC check-tree logo for consumers, businesses, and NGOs worldwide. However, it also creates barriers to entry that go beyond forest management practices, limiting access to the benefits of certification and leading to underrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and managers of small forests.  

For the largest companies, navigating FSC’s standards — mostly in PDF format — and figuring out which apply to them is a challenging process. For a non-native English or Spanish speaker unfamiliar with industry jargon, it may be impossible.  

“The journey to sustainability starts with the intention,” says Joanna Nowakowska, FSC’s Policy and Performance Director — and there’s no shortage of interest. “There are many out there who understand that sustaining forests is critical not only to their business but for generations to come. And yet, those with limited capacity are also the ones facing increasing demands from governments and supply chains. The detailed nature of certification requires time and resources they may not have.”  

A tailor-made solution 
Nowakowska’s team had been exploring paths to simplify the certification process without lowering the high bar set for certification when the Salesforce opportunity came up in an FSC Technology Consortium meeting. Agentic AI presented a promising path forward, with the Accelerator program supporting nonprofits to develop solutions much faster than would otherwise be possible.  

Salesforce later selected FSC’s proposed solution for the program: an agent that would help potential Certificate Holders navigate FSC’s necessary complexities and expand access to sustainable forest management certification worldwide. In addition to receiving flexible funding and product licencing, FSC will work with pro bono Salesforce employees throughout a customised 6-month Accelerator program to pilot the AI-powered solution. When implemented, the agent will address key barriers to certification uptake: simplifying jargon and providing guidance, extracting relevant information, providing tailored step-by-step guidance, and reducing complexity and confusion. The tool will also support existing Certificate Holders by tracking and communicating changes in FSC policies. “The Accelerator is the first step towards a completely new way of managing standards,” says Nowakowska. 

The impact of agentic AI  
Agentforce is Salesforce’s digital labour platform for building and deploying autonomous AI agents. When equipped with the right information, AI agents can understand and respond to multiple questions at once and can even be taught when to escalate queries to a human. With quick, accurate responses and around the clock availability, AI agents are transforming business across industries.  

With the Salesforce Accelerator – Agents for Impact, the company aims to bring this change to help the nonprofit sector transform their bold, nature-based solutions into tangible real-world impact. “To fully unlock nature’s power to drive global resilience and regeneration,” says Sunya Norman, Salesforce SVP of Impact, “we need innovation that’s not just visionary but scalable, urgent, and grounded in action. That’s why we’re enabling mission-driven organisations with the tools, technology, and support to amplify their impact at speed.” 

“We’re excited to partner with Salesforce to transform how FSC certification reaches smallholders and underrepresented communities,” says Mark Smith, Executive Director of FSC Investments & Partnerships. “This collaboration helps us close the digital divide, making certification faster, simpler, and more inclusive. With Salesforce, we’re unlocking real opportunities for forests, communities, and the future of our planet.” 

Nowakowska says, “We offer the best solution for sustainable forest management, and we must increase access to it.” With Salesforce’s support, FSC will deliver a scalable, AI-powered assistant that meets potential Certificate Holders where they are, no matter their language, location, or level of expertise. Together, we are building the tools to ensure sustainable forest management is accessible to all – now and for generations to come.