FSC’s commitment to protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation

There is growing global concern regarding the impact of forest management activities – particularly logging – on the rights and welfare of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation (IPVIs). Such communities are among the most vulnerable in the world, and their right to remain uncontacted must be fully respected. 

Protecting, respecting, and upholding the rights of Indigenous Peoples is an integral component of the FSC system’s architecture. To achieve this, FSC has embedded the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) at the core of FSC’s normative framework, thereby emphasizing the importance of engagement, involvement and consent of rights holders, including Indigenous Peoples.  

However, this principle cannot be applied in the context of IPVIs due to their right and decision to remain uncontacted. This represents a gap in FSC’s current normative framework that we are actively working to bridge. We are committed to taking decisive action to safeguard the territories of IPVIs, uphold the principle of no contact, and ensure that any engagement is preceded by appropriate consultation with the responsible stakeholders. 

FSC’s unique membership-based governance system plays a critical role in guiding this process. Members are actively discussing this issue, and will vote on a motion proposing enhanced measures to protect and uphold the rights of IPVIs at the upcoming General Assembly in October 

In September 2024, FSC suspended the FSC trademark license agreement with Maderera Canales Tahuamanu (MCT) because their certified concession partially overlaps with forest areas inhabited by IPVIs. This has implications for another certified organization, Maderera Río Acre SAC (MADERACRE), whose certified forests also overlap with IPVI inhabited forest areas, though to a significantly lesser extent. 

As an interim step ahead of FSC’s General Assembly in October 2025, FSC will deliberate on the most appropriate action regarding MADERACRE. This decision will aim to balance the imperative of protecting IPVIs, with the need to respect the economic viability of the company and the social well-being of its workers. 

FSC remains committed to implementing systemic change that ensures the highest level of protection for IPVIs. We will continue to work collaboratively with rights holders, stakeholders, and our members to uphold human rights and strengthen the integrity of our certification system. 

Background

FSC suspended the FSC trademark license agreement of MCT, prohibiting the company from making FSC claims on timber harvested from concessions overlapping with territories designated as Reserved Forests for IPVIs. This decision was made while FSC continues to investigate and engage  stakeholders to identify and address gaps in its normative framework. As part of this ongoing process, FSC has extended MCT’s suspension until November 2025.