Dear friends and supporters,
As 2024 draws to a close, we at FSC Asia-Pacific wish to express our gratitude for your continued engagement and support of our efforts throughout the year. We invite you to explore our latest initiatives and key achievements of 2024, along with memorable moments that highlight the collective work and strong ties with our stakeholders in the region.
This has been a year of significant milestones for FSC Asia-Pacific. For the first time, our Forest Management (FM) certified area surpassed 11+ million hectares—a testament to the region’s growing commitment to responsible forestry. Notably, Taiwan has achieved 100% FSC Certification for all public forests, covering nearly 1.6 million hectares, representing 71.5% of Taiwan’s total forest areas and setting a new benchmark for forest certification in the region.
This momentum extends beyond forest management to our supplychain certification. Our Chain of Custody (CoC) certificates have exceeded 35,000—marking a robust 16.67% increase from 30,000 in 2023 and reflecting the region's expanding commitment to transparent, traceable, and responsible supplychains from forest to consumer.
Innovation and experimentation continue to drive our regional success, and we are proud to have established several industry firsts. One is our first ever Ecosystem Services (ES) Forum —the first of its kind in the forestry sector—establishing a dynamic platform where businesses explore and exchange insights on integrating nature-positive solutions into their ESG strategies. The forum also marked the debut of FSC Verified Impact, our latest innovation in environmental certification. In another industry first, we forged new paths in sustainable fashion through our collaboration with Hong Kong designer Vickie Au of V Visionary Design Studio (FSC-N004591), launching the first-ever FSC-certified capsule collection made entirely from sustainably sourced materials from responsibly managed forests. Our participation in the RETHINK Business Forum further amplified these innovations, allowing us to showcase these unprecedented initiatives and strengthen relationships with key regional stakeholders.
Smallholders remain our core focus. We recognize our crucial role in bridging the gap between large corporate demand and smallholder market access. Through targeted initiatives like the Changemaker Series, we've highlighted the practical applications of our Asia-Pacific Regional Forest Stewardship Standard (AP RFSS), designed specifically to benefit smallholders. This collaborative approach is essential for driving transformative, systematic change across global supply chains. Our rigorous certification system serves as both a practical tool and strategic opportunity to align with evolving forestry legislation like the EU Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR).
Looking ahead, the 2025 FSC General Assembly will take place in Panama City from October 26 to 31. This flagship event will chart the way forward for our organization, focusing on developing resilient forest ecosystems that are rich in biodiversity and equipped to face climate change challenges. To this end, we are actively engaging with our Regional Members to ensure their perspectives are integral to this important process.
We remain dedicated to supporting you and your organization in advancing responsible forest management, leading the change for forest stewardship, and fostering biodiversity. We wish you a joyful and restful holiday season, and look forward to continuing our collaboration in 2025 as we advance our global mission of responsible sourcing and climate conservation. We welcome your thoughts and ideas—please reach out to us at asiapacific@fsc.org.
Cindy Cheng
Regional Director, FSC Asia-Pacific