Developed through the FSC Technical Working Group on the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and with BWI's strong participation, the set of auditable core labour requirements in the FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) Standards aims to replace the very limited one-page self-declaration on adherence to the FSC Policy for Association. This has been BWI’s long standing advocacy since 2011.
“Even in the midst of these difficult and extraordinary times due to COVID-19, BWI has not only called on FSC certificate holders and auditors to ensure that workers’ rights, health and safety are upheld in their operations, but also mobilised our affiliates, which are members of FSC International, to actively participate in the first round of consultations and endorse the FSC core labour requirements,” said Ambet Yuson, BWI General Secretary.
Yuson said that the initial report of the first round of consultations has indicated an overwhelming support from all chamber members and FSC networks to the proposed FCLR. He said that once it is finally approved, all 40,000 CoC certificate holders, certification bodies and auditors are required to comply.
The FCLR is anchored on ILO Core Conventions on freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; elimination of all forms of forced labour or compulsory labour; effective abolition of child labour, and the elimination of discrimination in respect to employment and occupation.
FSC Director General Kim Carstensen, in his May Day statement, also welcomed this development. He encouraged all to participate in the next round of consultations to help shape FSC´s standards and certification process to ensure decent and sustainable work at the chain of custody level.
BWI said that it is confident that the revised FSC CoC Standards with FCLR will be approved and implemented by 2021. “With strong commitment from BWI and its members to successfully conclude the final public consultations this year, we are confident that we will accomplish this important task,” Yuson concluded.