Environmental Paper Network<\/p>\n
95 Achmelvich, Lochinver
\nIV27 4JB, Scotland, UK
\nEmail: hag@environmentalpaper.eu
\nPhone: +44 1571 844020
\nFax: +44 1414048224<\/p>\n
Aida Greenbury,
\nAsia Pulp and Paper
\nJl. M.H. Thamrin 51
\nBII Plaza Tower I<\/p>\n
Tuesday, 3 May 2016<\/p>\n
Dear Ms. Greenbury,<\/p>\n
Thank you for the invitation to the Stakeholder Advisory Forum (SAF) to be held on 9 th May 2016.\u00a0We appreciate that APP is trying to inform and engage stakeholders but have some concerns about\u00a0the SAF as the most appropriate stakeholder engagement mechanism. We\u2019re writing to suggest\u00a0initial ideas for developing an alternative approach for effective stakeholder consultation that\u00a0addresses these issues and we would like to discuss these further with you.<\/p>\n
We recognize that the SAF can be a useful forum for briefing a wide range of external parties on the\u00a0status and implementation of APP\u2019s Forest Conservation Policy (FCP). However, we do not think it\u00a0is functioning effectively as a mechanism for identifying and facilitating meaningful input from or\u00a0discussion with stakeholders on some of the more complex issues and challenges facing the\u00a0company.<\/p>\n
During the first SAF meeting, the broad ranging agenda and the presence of a very diverse range of\u00a0participants, from diplomats and development agencies to NGOs and consultants, all with different\u00a0levels of knowledge, interest and engagement in the FCP implementation process, made it difficult\u00a0to explore issues in depth and discuss ways to address them. Furthermore, only a limited amount of\u00a0information was shared and stakeholders did not have input on which issues should be on the\u00a0agenda.<\/p>\n
When issues were raised or input was given, it has not been clear what APP is doing about\u00a0these issues or how the suggestions are being taken up. Where they are not being addressed, it is not\u00a0clear why this decision has been taken. As an example, several inputs and concerns that were raised\u00a0during the SAF, and reiterated in a letter sent on October 6 th 2015 by a group of NGOs 1 , were not\u00a0included in the report from the meeting 2 and appear not to have resulted in actions being taken by\u00a0the company.<\/p>\n
Despite some shortcomings, the Solutions Working Group (SWG) did at least provide a forum for\u00a0constructive and more in depth dialogue on many key issues. The development of APP\u2019s policy of\u00a0association, the agreement on third party verification that led to the Rainforest Alliance evaluation\u00a0and the development of APP\u2019s commitment on restoration were all positive outcomes from this\u00a0process. We believe however, that in certain cases the SWG did not involve all the right\u00a0stakeholders or provide an effective venue for some issues and we are therefore not calling for its\u00a0re-establishment. We are of the opinion, however, that APP needs to rethink and redesign its\u00a0stakeholder engagement approach and involve stakeholders in this process.<\/p>\n
We would like to request that APP revisit the process and mechanisms for stakeholder engagement\u00a0in an inclusive, transparent and accountable way. We are interested to work with APP in a\u00a0transparent process of redesigning stakeholder engagement mechanisms and processes that build on\u00a0and learn from the SWG and SAF and forward APP and civil society\u2019s shared interest in\u00a0successfully implementing the FCP. A couple of immediate suggestions come to mind for an\u00a0improved or additional stakeholder engagement:
\n\u2022 identify collaboratively a group of NGOs that can provide substantive in-depth input on high\u00a0level issues related to the implementation of the FCP (while, from time to time other NGOs\u00a0could bring focused expertise on specific issues)
\n\u2022 identify and set agenda items collaboratively and share relevant information well in advance of\u00a0meetings
\n\u2022 limit the number of issues discussed at each meeting and organize meetings in such a way that\u00a0allows sharing sensitive information and conducting a dialogue and in-depth discussion of\u00a0issues. This will contribute to the opportunity to discuss and agree on innovative solutions.
\n\u2022 develop a clear process for considering, adopting or rejecting stakeholder inputs and demands,\u00a0and agree on procedures for monitoring and reporting on how input is adopted and followed-up<\/p>\n
It will be important that improving the stakeholder engagement has wide agreement on ground rules,\u00a0participants, facilitators and agendas.\u00a0We look forward to discussing APP\u2019s proposals for recasting its stakeholder engagement processes\u00a0and mechanisms.
\nSincerely,<\/p>\n
Sergio Baffoni<\/p>\n
(European Environmental Paper Network)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Environmental Paper Network 95 Achmelvich, Lochinver IV27 4JB, Scotland, UK Email: hag@environmentalpaper.eu Phone: +44 1571 844020 Fax: +44 1414048224 Aida Greenbury, Asia Pulp and Paper Jl. M.H. Thamrin 51 BII Plaza Tower I Tuesday, 3 May 2016 Dear Ms. Greenbury, Thank you for the invitation to the Stakeholder Advisory Forum (SAF) to be held on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-752","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-berita"},"yoast_head":"\n