Last month, the Forest Solutions Group team attended CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia, to support members of the FSG in leading the charge across climate, nature and equity.
As part of FSG’s ongoing work on the people agenda, they hosted a roundtable with forest sector value chain stakeholders, bringing together voices from trade unions, certification schemes, NGOs, indigenous people, research and the private sector to discuss the role of the sector in tackling inequality and driving a just transition.
The discussion was structured around the BCTI Actions framework, which was widely seen as a helpful guide to priority issues, including human rights, safe working conditions, worker representation and effective public policy. However, participants stressed the need for clearer accountability, more precise sub-actions and credible verification of implementation.
Speakers emphasized that equity challenges vary by region and require context-specific responses—there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. They also noted the growing relevance of migration, language barriers and the social impacts of poor labour conditions. Broader structural issues, including corruption, criminal activity and certain monoculture-based business models, were identified as additional risks that must be addressed.
The group highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration between business and social NGOs, and called on leading companies—particularly members of the Forest Solutions Group—to demonstrate progress within their own operations before seeking wider sector transformation.
Participants concluded that improving equity is not only a moral obligation but also a strategic opportunity. With the rise of the bioeconomy, there is potential to generate greater value from forests while ensuring fairer benefit sharing for workers, Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Beyond this roundtable, members of the FSG participated in an impressive amount of events, including in collaboration with WBCSD’s Nature team at the Nature Positive Pavilion and with external partners such as the Brazilian Tree Industry Association IBA, the certification scheme PEFC and the Wyss Academy for Nature.