Founded in 2005, Responsible Forestry Solutions (RFS) is a Canadian-based company with a global vision of Responsible Forestry. RFS is a solutions-oriented consulting firm, driven by a mission to promote environmental conservation and the generation of social and economic benefits through the responsible use of natural resources. The practice of Responsible Forestry is built on leveraging a wide knowledge base, drawing on both physical and social sciences; this is the approach taken by RFS. Nick Moss Gillespie and Marcelo Levy, Principals in RFS, possess almost 50 years of combined experience in the Forest sector, combining both academic qualifications and real-world experience gained in Temperate, Boreal, and Tropical ecosystems on 5 continents. Drawing from a global network of area experts and associates, RFS builds highly-qualified teams with multi-disciplinary expertise to deploy anywhere in the world.
A core focus for RFS is the harnessing of market demand for forest products from sustainable supply chains to drive the development of responsible global business. RFS possesses significant expertise in the Certification of Forest Management and Chain of Custody against world-class standards such as those created by the FSC and PEFC . However, only a relatively small percentage of forests are certified today, and RFS can also benchmark management practices against cutting-edge tools that are recognised as global best-practice for evaluating and implementing sustainable management, from the forest floor right through to the final consumer of wood or paper products. These tools include High Conservation Value (HCV) assessment, verification of the Legal Origin/Legal Compliance of forest products, and engagement with Stakeholders and Indigenous Peoples through consultation processes including the evaluation of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
RFS today works with a range of partners and clients – from private companies, publicly-traded corporations, and government agencies, to NGOs and communities – and across multiple sectors. Engagements include: Field Audits and Benchmarking of Responsible Forest Management; the Verification of Supply Chains for Due Care; Project and Company Due Diligence for Investment purposes; Program Evaluation & Policy Analysis/Design; and the Implementation of complex Risk Management tools, including for Tracking & Traceability of Forest Products.