Jan 16, 2015. /Lesprom Network/. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has suspended the operation of its Polish national office. Existing Polish FSC certificates remain valid, and current assessments for possible future certification will continue unaffected, FSC said in the press release received by Lesprom Network.

The suspension came into effect on 30 December 2014. The decision to suspend the office was made when FSC Poland’s Board of Directors failed to formally revise and implement the statutes of FSC Poland to fully adopt the three-chamber governance structure as required by FSC International.

In addition, the Board made no efforts to meaningfully address formal com-plaints made by environmental NGOs related to allocation of members to chambers. The three-chamber governance structure is essential to allow the voices of stakeholders represent-ing environmental, social and economic interests to be heard in the management of FSC.

Following the suspension, the responsibility for the Polish National Forest Stewardship has passed to FSC’s Policy and Standards Unit, located in its headquarters in Bonn, Germany.

FSC is a global, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management worldwide.