Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen sustainable forest management, improve forest governance, and enhance the global competitiveness of Indonesian forest products through closer alignment between the country’s timber legality system and international certification standards.
The agreement, signed on June 30 by Director General of Sustainable Forest Management Laksmi Wijayanti and FSC International Director General Subhra Bhattacharjee, aims to deepen cooperation between Indonesia’s Timber Legality and Sustainability Verification System (SVLK) and the FSC certification scheme. The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from government agencies, businesses, certification bodies, civil society organizations, and forestry stakeholders from Indonesia and abroad.
The partnership seeks to develop a joint auditing mechanism that allows multiple certification systems to be assessed simultaneously through a single audit process. According to the Ministry, the approach is expected to improve efficiency, reduce administrative burdens and certification costs, while maintaining the integrity and credibility of both certification systems.
The MoU covers collaboration across the forestry supply chain, from forest management to exporters and importers. It also includes initiatives to improve sustainable forest management performance, harmonize the remedy framework supporting Indonesia’s Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink 2030 target, strengthen human resource capacity, expand market intelligence and data exchange, and promote wider market access for Indonesian forest products certified under both SVLK and FSC.
Director General Laksmi Wijayanti said the collaboration demonstrates Indonesia’s commitment to ensuring its forest resources are managed responsibly while increasing the competitiveness of the national forestry sector in domestic and international markets.
“Indonesia is strongly committed to ensuring that its forest resources are managed sustainably and responsibly. Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen synergy between national and international approaches to sustainable forest management, delivering tangible benefits for the environment, communities, and forestry businesses. We expect the development of a joint SVLK–FSC audit mechanism to enhance forest governance and strengthen global market confidence in Indonesian forest products, ultimately creating greater added value for sustainable forest managers across Indonesia,” Laksmi said.
FSC International Director General Subhra Bhattacharjee emphasized Indonesia’s strategic importance in global forestry, noting its vast tropical forests, plantation forests, community-managed forests, and critical role in international supply chains.
“This partnership reflects FSC’s commitment to supporting responsible forest management in Indonesia. As one of the world’s most significant tropical forest nations, Indonesia plays a vital role in strengthening global climate resilience. Through the development of the joint SVLK–FSC audit mechanism, we aim to simplify certification processes while improving the competitiveness of Indonesia’s forestry sector. Together with our stakeholders, we reaffirm our commitment to delivering lasting environmental, social, and economic benefits through responsible forest management,” Bhattacharjee said.
The Ministry said the partnership is expected to benefit a broad range of stakeholders, including forest managers, processing industries, exporters, importers, certification bodies, and forest-dependent communities. As international demand for responsibly sourced forest products continues to grow, stronger alignment between SVLK and FSC is expected to improve certification efficiency, expand market opportunities, and reinforce Indonesia’s position as a leading supplier in the global sustainable forest products market.
Following the signing ceremony, representatives from the Ministry of Forestry and FSC are scheduled to visit Katingan Regency in Central Kalimantan to observe FSC-certified rattan management practices implemented by the Katingan Rattan Farmers Association (P2RK). The visit will showcase how sustainable management of non-timber forest products can generate economic and social benefits while conserving forest ecosystems. (*)
