First HCSA Assessments in Central & South America!

For the first time HCSA assessments have been conducted in South America and Central America: two in Brazil, two in Guatemala and one Honduras – all in palm oil concessions.
Expansion of HCSA assessment to these critical regions is landmark confirmation that the approach and toolkit can be successfully implemented in different geographical regions, contexts and cultures around the world. It also shows the potential for growth and impact as a robust, field-tested no deforestation tool across the tropics.
The new assessed areas increase the global total of HCSA assessments to 3,579,120 hectares, with 667,117 hectares of HCS forest identified for conservation.

Our 2021 Annual Report is available to view and download here
Sincere thanks to the HCSA Steering Group members, partners, donors and stakeholders for their continued support to allow us to expand and accelerate the impact of the HCS Approach – to end and reverse deforestation.
Key Highlights and Developments
- 2021-2025 Strategic Business Plan launched at virtual HCSA Steering Group meeting on 24th March. Through its work with members, land use managers, communities, partners and other stakeholders, HCSA aims to achieve its 2025 goal of conserving 5 million hectares of forests by scaling the HCS Approach methodologies.
- Publication of Interim Guidance on the consolidation of Integrated Conservation and Land Use Plans.
- Publication of training materials on HCSA Social Requirements and Implementation Guidance to assist practitioners to understand how to put Social Requirements into use.
- Learnings from trialling the HCV-HCSA Simplified Approach with smallholders in Indonesia were used to update the latest Approach draft, with plans to launch the Simplified Approach Toolkit by Q4/22.
- HCSA member Barry Callebaut worked with the EcoVision Lab at ETH Zurich University to produce large-scale indicative High Carbon Stock (HCS) forest maps for Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
- HCSA collaborated with the High Conservation Value Network (HCVN) on Guidance for combined HCS forest large-scale mapping and HCV screening in the updated HCV screening guidance for jurisdictional and landscape approaches.
- HCSA and the Accountability Framework initiative (AFi) launched our Partnership Plan to advance shared objectives related to natural forests and ecosystem protection, land rights, climate change and biodiversity loss mitigation within ethical supply chains.
- HCSA awarded a Top Innovator winner of the Tropical Forest Commodities Challenge at the United Nations Climate Conference, COP26, in Glasgow. Our virtual booth at COP26 showcased the HCSA as a Nature-Based Solution Contributor Putting No Deforestation into Practice to over 40,000 registered participants.
New HCSA Executive Director
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Adrian Choo as the new Executive Director of the HCSA Secretariat.

Adrian joins us from WWF-Malaysia, where he led the Sustainable Markets Programme Strategy focused on commodities including palm oil, forest products, rubber and plastic. During his time with WWF Adrian also delivered a milestone project establishing the guidelines for HCV identification, management and monitoring in Malaysia.
He was Chair of FSC Malaysia for several years and brings extensive technical expertise and experience in tropical forest certification, palm oil sustainability and high conservation value areas.
Adrian has strong leadership credentials working with passionate conservation teams in multistakeholder collaborations. He is a committed conservationist convinced of the potential of HCSA to grow in reach and influence:
“Helping companies and small farmers to break the link with commodity-driven deforestation is an imperative not just for the planet, but to thrive in today’s consumer conscious global markets. HCSA is a crucial tool to do this – to conserve forests and the magnificent biodiversity and ecosystems they hold – and protect the rights of the communities that live in and around them.”
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. He has authored and co-authored several published scientific papers focused on reducing pressures on forests through maximum use of wastes, such as palm oil wastes
Adrian takes up his new post with the Secretariat team in Kuala Lumpur on 1 August 2022.