HCSA Steering Group Statement on Valid HCSA and HCV-HCSA Assessments

The HCSA has an established HCSA Quality Review Process for stand-alone HCSA assessments, in addition to quality assurance processes undertaken by the High Conservation Value Network (HCVN) ALS system for HCV-HCSA Assessments, to ensure assessments are credible and transparent. [1]

The HCSA Toolkit is open access but requires companies to register planned HCSA assessments and work with Registered HCS Approach Practitioners and HCVN ALS Licensed Assessors to undertake and submit the assessment(s) for independent review. [2] These requirements are in place to ensure quality of assessments is in accordance with the HCSA Toolkit and/or HCV-HCSA Assessment Manual. These quality assurance processes also assist in ensuring that any claims made by land managers are supported by published registrations and results of the quality review processes.

HCSA or HCV-HCSA assessment will only be recognised as a valid assessment if the HCSA Quality Assurance or HCVN ALS system requirements are complied with and assessments are published.[3]

We strongly encourage organisations that have not yet registered and/or submitted HCSA stand-alone or HCV-HCSA assessments for quality assurance to do so to obtain recognition of a valid assessment.

Also see the HCSA Communication and Claims Guide for claims that can be made when referring to the use of the HCSA Toolkit when implementing the HCS Approach or HCV-HCS Approach that adhere to the recognised quality assurance processes.

[1] The HCSA Quality Review Process is a quality assurance process to be followed by HCSA’s members of the Steering Group members’ operations from 7th December, 2015 (HCS Approach Quality Review Process) and for their supply chain and investment holdings from 20th December 2016 (HCS Approach SG Membership Document Version 2, Final).  For other users of the HCSA Toolkit the quality assurance process was expected to be followed from the launch of Toolkit Version 2.0 from 3rd May 2017 onwards or earlier if a review was requested.

After November 2017, companies are required to conduct/commission HCV-HCSA Assessments which are evaluated by the HCVN ALS.  HCV-HCSA assessments are evaluated by a Quality Panel through the HCVN’s Assessor Licensing Scheme. For more details on the two quality assurance processes see this link.

[2] HCSA assessments are registered on HCSA’s website here.  HCSA members are required to register both HCSA stand-alone and HCV-HCSA assessments with the HCSA secretariat. Non-member are required to register HCSA stand-alone assessment as part of the HCSA QA process and encouraged to register HCV-HCSA assessments with the HCSA secretariat even though the QA process will be conducted by HCVN ALS. 

[3] After the First Round of Peer Review the company can address the findings and recommendations and provide responses to them and may also update their HCSA report as a result.  Peer reviewers then finalise the findings and recommendations in a final Peer Review Report.  The company can also make an additional public response to the final report which is published on the HCSA website – see more details here. In the ALS, assessors submit reports for evaluation by the ALS Quality Panel, which gives a satisfactory or unsatisfactory outcome. If the evaluation has an unsatisfactory outcome, assessors can amend and resubmit reports for re-evaluation for a total of two times.  Peer reviewed HCSA stand-alone assessments are published here and ALS evaluated HCV-HCSA assessments are published here.  Additionally, through HCSA’s GFW Pro monitoring platform, conservation areas identified under HCSA stand-alone and HCV-HCSA assessments of HCSA Steering Group member’s operations, raw material suppliers, and investment operations will be monitored to ensure they are maintained.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

HCSA Foundation, Suite 18-01A,
Plaza See Hoy Chan
Jalan Raja Chulan 50200,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

General Enquiries and media requests:
info@highcarbonstock.org

Tel: +603 2702 4631

Quick Links

Useful Links

Follow Us

Development Manager

Natalia Merchan

Natalia Merchan joined HCSA as a Business Development consultant in 2020. She is responsible for fundraising in general and building relationships with new donors. Natalia has over 10 years of fundraising experience with foundations, major donors, institutional and corporate donors. Prior to joining HCSA, she worked with Greenpeace as a major gifts’ advisor raising funds for the forests campaign. She holds an MSc. in Environmental development from the University of Amsterdam.

Digital Designer & Communications Officer

Kirsti Drain

Kirsti joined in 2022 and is responsible for visual digital content production for HCSA’s new website, digital assets for all communication channels, as well as design for corporate reports and bids. She has over 20 years of experience in design and content across web, digital and print channels in a broad range of sectors. She previously worked as senior graphic designer for Capital City College Group in London and digital designer and content editor for the Commonwealth. She has a BA in Film and Photographic Arts from the University of Westminster.

Outreach Executive

Saffira Mohamed

Saffira Mohamed joined the High Carbon Stock Approach in 2022 as Membership Officer. She supports the Membership Outreach Manager and Membership Committee. Saffira has experience in avifauna surveying and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Forestry from University Putra Malaysia with a focus on Forest Management.

Communications Manager

Leslie Jewell

Leslie is responsible for producing and managing HCSA’s internal and external communications. Her background is journalism, starting as a reporter and then current affairs producer with BBC World Service Radio and BBC Radio 4. She moved into international TV news, working in Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia as Bureau Producer in Moscow for BBC News and covered New York and Washington as North American Bureau Producer for Reuters. She studied politics at Cardiff University and speaks French, Italian and Russian.

Head of Development

Jesús Cordero

Jesús Cordero is our Head of Development. He leads on the development and deployment of our Membership Strategy, coordinates the Membership Committee, and supports the development of our Information Management, Communications, Fundraising and HR functions. Jesús has extensive experience with membership and communications management and innovations as well as promoting smallholders’ livelihoods in the tropics via sustainable land use management approaches. Jesús speaks English and Spanish, and he holds a degree in Forestry, an MSc. in Agroforestry (Cranfield University), an MSc. in Communications for Innovation and Development (University of Reading) and an M.A. in Translation Studies (University of Portsmouth).

Landscape and monitoring manager

Jonathan Byers

Jonathan Byers is responsible for managing the HCSA Global Forest Watch Pro monitoring platform. Jonathan has a diverse background in natural and physical science research, cartography and GIS, non-profit management, education, and digital storytelling. Most recently he led a National Geographic funded project to study the habitat and behaviour of the endangered Matschies’s tree-kangaroo in Papua New Guinea to assist community conservation efforts. He previously worked on cartography projects for Panthera to provide high-resolution maps for tiger anti-poaching efforts in Malaysia, and for the National Park Service mapping glacier retreat in California and Alaska. Jonathan holds an MSc. Degree in Geography from the University of Montana.

Administrative Officer

Anis Farhana Wahab

Anis Farhana Wahab is the Administrative Officer of the High Carbon Stock Approach. She supports the HCSA Executive Director, HCSA Executive Committee and working groups on HCSA governance and priority workstreams. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Major in Biology with Minor in Psychology) from Carleton University.

Quality manager

Daneetha Muniandy

Daneetha Muniandy joined the HCS Approach in 2020 as the Quality Assurance Officer. She is responsible for supporting HCSA Grievance Mechanism Unit, HCSA trial applications and other HCSA QA work. Daneetha has experience in forest conservation and holds both, a diploma and degree in Forestry from University Putra Malaysia (UPM).

Finance Manager

Lee Kuan Lih

Lee Kuan Lih joined HCSA as a Finance Manager in 2020. He is responsible for the company’s bookkeeping, budgets, and cash flow control. Prior to joining HCSA, he was a finance manager in Helikonia. He was also in charge of financial matters at Apple Crumby & Fish, a start-up e-commerce platform for essential baby products and had previously worked as an auditor. Kuan Lih holds a Bachelor of Business and Commerce (majoring in accounting and finance) from Monash University, Malaysia. He is also a Certified Practising Accountant as a member of CPA, Australia.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Adrian Choo

Adrian Choo is the Executive Director of the High Carbon Stock Approach. He leads the development and implementation of HCSA’s strategic business plan, oversees the HCSA membership and Secretariat and fosters partnerships to drive HCSA’s impact and growth. Adrian has extensive experience in tropical forest certification, palm oil sustainability and high conservation value areas. He led the Sustainable Markets Programme Strategy at WWF-Malaysia and was Chair of FSC Malaysia for several years. Adrian has a BA in Forestry and a PhD in Biocomposite Technology from Universiti Putra Malaysia, where he was also a Post-doctoral Research Fellow.