The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Forest Solutions Group (FSG) proudly announces the launch of its latest report, “Build Trust, Share Value in Forests: Principles for Community Engagement and Development.” This landmark publication provides actionable guidance for forest sector companies and other land-use businesses to strengthen relationships with local communities and create shared value.
The report was unveiled at the Forest Pavilion during the Climate COP30 in Belém, Brazil, further underlining the close interconnections between climate mitigation, nature protection and social justice.
Why this matters Community engagement and development is not a peripheral activity—it is a business imperative. Forest operations are deeply intertwined with local landscapes and livelihoods. By prioritizing meaningful engagement, companies can not only mitigate risks, secure social license to operate, but foster resilience and create shared value in forest-based value chains. The report demonstrates that thriving communities and thriving businesses go hand in hand.
What the report offers
- A clear business case for embedding community engagement into corporate strategy.
- Practical, actionable guiding principles drawn from real-world practices across the forest sector.
- Insights on moving beyond compliance toward transformative, long-term positive impact.
“This report is a call to action for companies to further embed community engagement at the heart of their operations,” said Francisco Ruiz-Tagle, CEO of Empresas CMPC, member of the Forest Solutions Group. “It’s about creating shared value that secures social resilience and business continuity at the same time.”
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