FSC core labour requirements - V1-0 - Guidance for organizations and certification bodies

Oct 3, 2026

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Guidance document describing the FSC core labour requirements integrated into the FSC Chain of Custody standards. It supports organizations and certification bodies by explaining objectives, scope, and how to implement and evaluate fundamental worker rights aligned with ILO Core Conventions and the 1998 ILO Declaration. The text clarifies that it is non-normative, offers illustrative approaches for conformity evidence, self-assessment, interviews, confidentiality, and considerations of national context and organizational scale.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages39

Reading Time1 h 38 min

AccessFree to download

Version History

Introduction

Guidance document purpose

Using this guidance document

PART I: FSC core labour requirements

Policy statement

Due consideration for national law

The effective abolition of child labour

The elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour

The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation

Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining

Certification body & auditor guidance: Interviews with management and workers

PART II: FSC core labour requirements self-assessment

Implementation guidance

Completing the self-assessment

ANNEX: FSC core labour requirements resources

FSC core labour requirements: Guidance for organizations and certification bodies V1-0-EN Version History ........................................................................................................................ 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 Guidance document purpose .................................................................................................. 2 PART I: FSC core labour requirements ................................................................................... 4 Policy statement .................................................................................................................. 5 Due consideration for national law ....................................................................................... 7 The effective abolition of child labour ................................................................................. 10 The elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour ............................................... 15 The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation....................... 19 Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining .. 25 Certification body & auditor guidance: Interviews with management and workers.............. 30 PART II: FSC core labour requirements self-assessment...................................................... 36 Implementation guidance ................................................................................................... 36 Completing the self-assessment ........................................................................................ 37 ANNEX: FSC core labour requirements resources ................................................................ 39 Version History V1-0 This version introduces guidance on the FSC core labour requirement as auditable social requirements. Introduction In its 65th meeting in March 2014, the FSC International Board of Directors requested the FSC Secretariat to develop an FSC system-wide solution for certificate holders’ compliance with fundamental workers’ rights (as expressed in the ILO Core Conventions and defined in the 1998 ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work) . In January 2021, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) reached an important milestone with the approval of the FSC core labour requirements within the Chain of Custody standards. With this new step, the principles of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Core Conventions and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at work (1998) are integrated into FSC’s Chain of Custody standards. Using this guidance document This document is not normative and is only meant for guidance purposes. No part of this document is normative unless referencing normative documents (standards, procedures, etc. ) . Auditors may use this document, but they also need to factor in the size and scale of operations and the specific country contexts. The guidance provided here is not prescriptive but only illustrative in nature. Certificate holders and auditors do not need to use everything here and are not limited to what is provided in this document. Based on ongoing feedback, FSC international will periodically update this document. Guidance document purpose The objective of this informative document is to: • Guide organizations certified against the FSC Chain of Custody Standard to implement the FSC core labour requirements within their operations. • Inform certification bodies and auditors • Support prospective organizations to prepare for FSC Chain of Custody certification This document is not intended to be exhaustive or prescriptive but guides organizations and certification bodies from a generic, international perspective. This document does not

FAQs

What is the purpose of this guidance document?

It guides organizations certified to the FSC Chain of Custody standard in implementing the FSC core labour requirements, informs certification bodies and auditors, and supports organizations preparing for Chain of Custody certification.

Is the guidance document normative?

No. It is for guidance only and becomes normative only when it references normative documents. Auditors also must consider organizational size, scale, and country context.

How should certification bodies and auditors evaluate conformity?

They should evaluate self-assessment information and referenced evidence, account for situations where national law restricts conformity, and may review additional documentation, conduct interviews with workers and management, and perform on-site observations, while protecting interview confidentiality.

Oct 3, 2026

Upload by sagouaw