Disassociation implies the immediate termination of DLH’s FSC membership as well as the suspension of all FSC certificates held by DLH, taking effect three months from February 12, 2015. This decision was made after in-depth research, by an impartial complaints panel, concluded that DLH had been involved in unacceptable activities in Liberia, specifically the trade of illegal timber.
“The purchase of illegal timber has serious impacts on rights and livelihoods of land-holding communities,” said Kim Carstensen, Director General of FSC, “and our continued association with the DLH Group would clearly put the credibility of the FSC system at risk.”
The disassociation results from a formal complaint filed by Global Witness in February 2014, alleging that DLH had purchased illegal timber harvested under ‘Liberian Private Use Permits,’ and that it exported the timber to Bangladesh, China, and France. These permits were found to not be in accordance with Liberian laws and regulations.
The complaints panel was established in July 2014 to conduct an independent evaluation of the complaint, and determine whether DLH had been involved in the trade of illegal timber harvested under the Liberian Private Use Permits. Following a thorough and detailed investigation, the complaints panel concluded there was clear and convincing evidence that DLH and its subsidiaries repeatedly purchased illegal timber in Liberia in 2012.
FSC is a global, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management worldwide.