“Simon brings extensive forestry experience and a strong commitment to responsible practice,” said Melanie Robertson, CEO of FSC ANZ. “He played a leading role in Forico’s delivery of Australia’s first Natural Capital Report and in Forico becoming the first FSC-certified organisation in Australia to implement the FSC Ecosystem Services Procedure, demonstrating positive outcomes in biodiversity conservation. He also contributed significantly to our Standards Development Group, helping shape the first draft of the revised Forest Stewardship Standard for Australia. We’ve greatly valued his insights and are excited to welcome his leadership and perspective on the Board.”

On his recent appointment to the FSC ANZ Board, Simon reflected that “Certification is critical for businesses pursuing the gold standard for sustainable forestry in Australia and New Zealand. With challenges like climate change and nature loss, which are offset by emerging opportunities in carbon markets and biodiversity credits, it's more important than ever to ensure that our certification systems remain robust, credible and evolve with time. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to governance and best practice for our industry at FSC ANZ during such an exciting time.”