Call for National Risk Assessment Working Group Participants – FSC Canada

Press Release

Thursday, 25 January 2018

The National Risk Assessment (NRA) seeks to determine the risk designation for all 5 controlled wood categories, following the framework established by FSC International. The National Risk Assessment for Canada, once approved, will replace Company Risk Assessments currently used by FSC Certificate Holders sourcing non-certified material originating in Canadian forests.

Since 2016, FSC Canada has established a National Risk Assessment Working Group (NRA-WG) with the mandate of guiding the development of FSC Canada’s National Risk Assessment.

Since 2016, FSC Canada has established a National Risk Assessment Working Group (NRA-WG) with the mandate of guiding the development of FSC Canada’s National Risk Assessment.

The NRA-WG provides oversight, strategic direction and input into the development of the Controlled Wood NRA, specifically:

• Gathering of information in relation to the five Controlled Wood categories;
• Determining scale for homogeneous risk designation;
• Designating of risk for each assessed Controlled Wood category and indicators; and
• Establishing Control Measures to mitigate ‘specified risk’ (where appropriate).

To date, the NRA-WG has been successful in delivering a draft of the National Risk Assessment to FSC International for review. Key remaining deliverables in the NRA process includes public consultation of the draft NRA, analyzing stakeholder feedback and finalizing the NRA. The NRA is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. Refer to NRA webpage for an overview of the NRA timeline.

The NRA-WG is to be composed of two individuals from each of its four chambers (Aboriginal, Economic, Environmental, and Social) with consideration of regional representation. Currently, there are 3 vacancies in the NRA-WG in each of the following chambers: Aboriginal, Environmental and Social chambers. FSC Canada is seeking to fill these vacancies.

Candidates will be selected based on the following requirements:

• NRA-WG members shall possess an understanding of the CW system and/or expertise in one of the specific CW categories.
• NRA-WG members cannot be simultaneously appointed to any other FSC International committee or working group that relates to controlled wood;
• Members of the FSC International Board of Directors, FSC staff, FSC Network Partner staff, and certification bodies shall not be eligible;
• NRA-WG membership shall ideally be limited to those who do not have an employer in common with an FSC Canada board member to avoid conflicts of interest and increase organizational diversity; and
• A preference will be for FSC members to cultivate knowledge of the FSC system.

For more information, please review the NRA Working Group General Description (below).

To apply, please complete the NRA-WG Application Form and submit to info@ca.fsc.org by February 9, 2018.

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