Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

This award recognises a global certification system that has become the world’s most trusted benchmark for responsible forest management, directly supporting carbon storage at scale. Throughout 2025, the FSC demonstrated its relevance to climate action by signing a joint Action Agenda letter at COP30 alongside 132+ organizations, urging negotiators to scale up Nature-Based Solutions and rapidly increase private finance for forests.

This followed the appointment of a dedicated Climate, Biodiversity and Restoration Manager to advance these priorities. The FSC’s impact is measurable and deep. Its Verified Impact program enables certificate holders to quantify and showcase their positive impacts on carbon sequestration. In February 2025, the Chestnut Carbon restoration project became the first U.S.-based project certified under this program, providing third-party verification that its forest management practices contribute to long-term carbon storage.

By providing a proven, scalable framework for turning climate commitments into tangible benefits for forests and the climate, the FSC is an indispensable pillar of the global carbon removal landscape. For maintaining the global gold standard in forest certification and expanding its reach to new carbon programmes, the Forest Stewardship Council receives this recognition.

Score: 89

Reference: https://fsc.org/en/newscentre/events/fsc-signs-joint-action-agenda-letter-at-cop-30-0