FSC extends suspension of APP’s remedy process

FSC is extending the suspension of the Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the implementation of the FSC Remedy Framework until the end of June 2025. The extension of the suspension is due to a conflict of interest identified between Domtar and the law firm FSC identified  for conducting the legal review of APP and Domtar’s corporate groups. FSC is identifying a different independent, third-party law firm to conduct this legal review.

In January 2025, FSC suspended APP’s remedy MoU until the end of March 2025 because of the changes APP and Domtar announced regarding the concentration of sole beneficial ownership of the two corporate groups. FSC is commissioning a legal review of the corporate groups of Domtar and APP to better understand the implications and the effect of this change, and any impacts on the scope of the APP remedy process and the MoU.

FSC disassociated from APP’s entire corporate group in 2007. To remedy the environmental and social harms APP caused in the past, FSC and APP signed a remedy MoU in 2024 to implement the FSC Remedy Framework. Earlier this year, Jackson Wijaya, the sole beneficial owner of Domtar (an FSC certificate holder), took over as APP’s sole beneficial owner.