Shape The Future of Responsible Forest Management FSC Africa / Smith Oltega FSC Africa / Smith Oltega October 1, 2025 Category : General news FSC launches consultations on the revision of its Principles and Criteria, International Generic Indicators, and other forest management normative documents (collectively referred to as PCI) and the development of country requirements. The consultations are open from 01 October 2025 until 30 November 2025. Forest Management Standards under revision FSC is innovating its Forest Management Certification by developing more user-oriented Forest Stewardship Standards and introducing outcome orientation and risk-based approaches. These revisions will maintain both environmental and social integrity and are aiming to reducing unnecessary burden on certificate holders and standard developers. Help shape the future of the core standards and procedures by participating in ongoing public consultations. PCI Revision The PCI revision aims to uphold sustainable and equitable forest management practices that are adaptable to both current and evolving environmental, social, and economic challenges. As part of this conceptual phase, FSC is conducting a public consultation to collect input on the proposed direction of changes, clarification of open issues, and initial solutions that will guide the drafting of revised requirements. Stay informed and access all background materials through the PCI Hub at pci.fsc.org. Topics for consideration include: Streamlining the structure of PCI through a modular and user-oriented approach. Making the PCI outcome-oriented, guided by the theory of change (ToC) approach Revising the scope of application, including vegetation types and urban forests. Strengthening social requirements, such as gender equality and Indigenous Peoples’ rights living in voluntary isolation. Addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and forest resilience. Developing and Revising FSC Country Requirements FSC is revising its normative framework for developing and maintaining Forest Stewardship Standards (FSS) and Risk Assessments (RAs)—collectively known as FSC Country Requirements. This involves consolidating three standards and two procedures into a single, streamlined procedure: FSC-PRO-60-006 V3-0 EN Development and Revision of FSC Country Requirements. Approved by the FSC Board in March 2022, the process began in September 2022 and is expected to conclude by 31 December 2026. Two addenda complement the main procedure: FSC-PRO-60-006a V2-0 EN – Structure and Content of Forest Stewardship Standards (ongoing) FSC-PRO-60-006b V2-0 EN – Risk Assessment Framework (effective from 1 July 2024) The revision introduces a more focused, efficient, and adaptive framework. Key enhancements in the new approach are: Outcome Orientation – Working groups need to define 3–5 key intended outcomes to guide monitoring requirements and ensure impact. Streamlining –All FSC country requirements can be developed or revised through 3 types of processes: major, regular and accelerated. In addition, development timelines are capped at 3 years, promoting consistency and predictability. Risk-Based Approach – Indicators with negligible risk of non-conformity are excluded from evaluation, reducing unnecessary workload. Additional improvements include: Alignment with FSC-PRO-01-001 Developing and Revising FSC Requirements, introducing a conceptual phase and an accelerated track for urgent updates. Mechanisms to resolve stalled processes, such as replacing inactive working group members or restarting the process through a different process type. For more details, visit the process page. Participate today To access the consultations, please visit the Consultation Platform. The consultations will be open from 01 October 2025 until 30 November 2025 and are available in English, Spanish, and French. Review our tips on providing feedback to maximize your participation impact. The time invested in sharing your views is greatly appreciated and participants will be emailed a Consultation Report once available. Upcoming Webinars To facilitate participation in the public consultation, webinars will be held in English with simultaneous translation into Spanish and French. These webinars will provide an overview of the consultation process and address questions and comments from participants. Overview of Forest Management Consultations: Tuesday, 14 October 2025. Morning: from 09:00 to10:30 CEST, in English only. Register here. Afternoon: from 16:00 to 17:30 CEST, with simultaneous translation to French and Spanish. Register here. This webinar will introduce the conceptual phase consultation of the PCI revision and the drafting phase consultation of the FSC-PRO-60-006 Developing and Revising FSC Country Requirements. PCI Consultation webinar: Thursday, 20 November Morning: from 09:00 to10:30 CEST, in English only. Register here. Afternoon: from 16:00 to 17:30 CEST, with simultaneous translation to French and Spanish. Register here. This webinar will introduce the PCI consultation, focusing on the conceptual phase and highlight the key areas under consultation. Chain of custody consultation around the corner Mark your calendars for the drafting phase consultation for revising FSC’s Chain of Custody Standards. This consultation is focused on streamlining the standards, with stronger incorporation of risk-based approaches and other changes. The consultation will run from 15 November 2025 – 15 January 2026. We are looking forward to your participation!