Unlocking Finance for Forest Protection: FSC and Mirova Partner to Drive Global Climate Action

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers dedicated to sustainable investing, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to unlock responsible finance for planted forests, sustainable management of natural forests, and other land-use projects. This strategic alliance aims to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges, including deforestation, soil degradation, climate change, biodiversity loss, and to promote equitable economic development and inclusiveness.

Fostering Sustainable Land Management for Climate & Biodiversity Resilience

Sustainable forest management is essential for enhancing climate resilience, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring decent livelihoods for local communities. In 2022, the world lost 6.6 million hectares of forests, primarily in tropical regions, contributing to significant biodiversity loss and an increase of 2.7 gigatonnes of CO₂ emissions[i].

Through their partnership, FSC and Mirova aim to champion best-in-class forest conservation, large-scale reforestation, and responsible production of forest-based materials. By channeling investments into FSC-certified solutions, the partnership seeks to drive measurable impact in climate adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and social inclusion, with a strong focus on empowering women and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs)[ii].

Scaling Investment for FSC-Certified Solutions

FSC and Mirova will work together to identify high-impact investment opportunities and implement forestry projects through the Mirova Sustainable Land Fund 2 (MSLF2)[iii], which focuses on sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration. With an initial focus on Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia, the partnership will prioritize building a robust pipeline of forestry initiatives that deliver measurable environmental and social benefits and aims to implement the best sustainable forestry and reforestation practices within timber and other forest resource value chains.

Gautier Queru, Managing Director, Natural Capital, Mirova: “Our partnership with FSC will enable us to direct capital toward high-quality forestry projects that not only protect vital ecosystems but also empower local communities. By investing in these sustainable initiatives, we seek to enhance the potential for long-term financial returns, demonstrating that responsible investing can yield both environmental and economic benefits for all, while addressing urgent challenges like deforestation and climate change.”

Subhra Battacharjee, Director General, FSC International: “Forests are global public good in their role as a critical line of defense against climate change and biodiversity loss. They also provide food, livelihoods and ecosystem services to over 1.6 billion people[iv]. Our partnership with Mirova represents a major step toward aligning responsible investment with responsible forest management, ensuring forests continue to support people and the planet for generations to come."

Sustainable Finance as a Climate Solution

This partnership underscores the critical role of sustainable finance in scaling nature-based solutions to address global sustainability challenges. By integrating impact-driven investment strategies with FSC-certified forestry projects, FSC and Mirova are setting a new precedent for leveraging financial markets to drive environmental and social progress.

As the world prepares for the 30^th Conference of the Parties (COP 30) in Brazil, where forests and land use will be central to climate negotiations, this collaboration reinforces the need for finance-driven solutions to protect and restore the world's forests - one of the most powerful tools in the fight against climate change.

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. The information provided reflects the FSC and Mirova’s opinion / the situation as of the date of this document and is subject to change without notice.

About the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®)

FSC is a non-profit organization that provides a proven sustainable forest management solution. Currently, over 160 million hectares of forest worldwide is certified according to FSC standards. It is widely regarded as the most rigorous forest certification system among NGOs, consumers, and businesses alike to tackle today’s deforestation, climate, and biodiversity challenges. The FSC forest management standard is based on ten core principles designed to address a broad range of environmental, social and economic factors. FSC’s “check tree” label is found on millions of forest-based products and verifies that they are sustainably sourced, from forest to consumer. www.fsc.org.

About Mirova

Mirova is a global asset management company dedicated to sustainable investing and an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers. At the forefront of sustainable finance for over a decade, Mirova has been developing innovative investment solutions across all asset classes, aiming to combine long term value creation with positive environmental and social impact. Headquartered in Paris, Mirova offers a broad range of equity, fixed income, multi-asset, energy transition infrastructure, natural capital and private equity solutions designed for institutional investors, distribution platforms and retail investors in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. Mirova and its affiliates had €32 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2024. Mirova is a mission-driven company, labeled B Corp*.

*References to a ranking, award or label have no bearing on the future performance of any fund or manager.

Website – LinkedIn

About Natixis Investment Managers

Natixis Investment Managers’ multi-affiliate approach connects clients to the independent thinking and focused expertise of more than 15 active managers. Ranked among the world’s largest asset managers¹ with more than $1.3 trillion assets under management² (€1.3 trillion), Natixis Investment Managers delivers a diverse range of solutions across asset classes, styles, and vehicles, including innovative environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies and products dedicated to advancing sustainable finance. The firm partners with clients in order to understand their unique needs and provide insights and investment solutions tailored to their long-term goals.

Headquartered in Paris and Boston, Natixis Investment Managers is part of the Global Financial Services division of Groupe BPCE, the second-largest banking group in France through the Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne retail networks. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit Natixis Investment Managers’ website at im.natixis.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers. Natixis Investment Managers’ distribution and service groups include Natixis Distribution, LLC, a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various US registered investment companies for which advisory services are provided by affiliated firms of Natixis Investment Managers, Natixis Investment Managers S.A. (Luxembourg), Natixis Investment Managers International (France), and their affiliated distribution and service entities in Europe and Asia.

¹ Survey respondents ranked by Investment & Pensions Europe/Top 500 Asset Managers 2024 ranked Natixis Investment Managers as the 19th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management as of December 31, 2023.

² Assets under management (AUM) of current affiliated entities measured as of December 31, 2024, are $1,363.7 billion (€1,316.9 billion). AUM, as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets, assets of minority-owned affiliated entities and other types of nonregulatory AUM managed or serviced by firms affiliated with Natixis Investment Managers.

[i] Source: Tropical Primary Forest Loss Worsened in 2022, Despite International Commitments to End Deforestation, Global Forest Watch, 2023       

[ii] Source: Deforestation and forest degradation, IUCN, 2021

[iii] MIROVA SUSTAINABLE LAND FUND 2 SLP RAIF is a special limited partnership (société en commandite spéciale) qualifying as a reserved alternative investment fund (fonds d’investissement alternatif réservé), opened to subscription exclusively for eligible investors as defined in the fund rules. Mirova is the management company. The supervisory authority approval is not required for this fund. The fund is exposed to risk of capital loss risk, discretionary management risk, valuation risk, counterparty risk, liquidity risk, sustainability risk, country risk, operational risk, regulatory risk, currency risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, risk linked to the investment strategy, sustainability risk.

[iv] Source: CIFOR Facts & Figures on Livelihoods.