It has been about three months since I joined FSC as India Country Director and the experience so far has been exhilarating. I understood that it is going to be a different world of an international non-governmental organization. Having worked as a forester with the Government for almost four decades, I was a little uncertain about working in a more open, informal environment without strict hierarchical systems. But these initial days have put me completely at ease. Colleagues at FSC are most welcoming and cooperative, always willing to extend a helping hand, whenever I need their support. The work culture encourages you to do your best by fostering self-motivation. I feel I have learnt a lot about FSC’s mission and the concrete strategies it has to achieve that.
Before becoming part of FSC, I thought I knew quite a bit of forestry but now I know how wrong I was! I have been exposed to many new aspects like industry relationships, brand equity, supply chain management, system integrity, workers relations, and developing consensus through dialogue. How well FSC balances the three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic – is a huge learning experience. I am now getting a better understanding of the plight of smallholders and small industries in the forestry sector. Learning from colleagues from across the world is a rare opportunity. I am confident that I will definitely be able to contribute significantly towards the achievement of FSC’s mission and objectives. With FSC, it is indeed working and enjoying at the same time!
Connect with him at s.gairola@fsc.org