Ambassadors 
of the Forest

FSC had a powerful new offering – Verified Impact – that allowed businesses to sponsor projects in certified forests and get triple-verified proof of their climate and biodiversity outcomes.

But FSC wasn’t positioned as a strategic climate partner in the minds of business leaders. After 30 years of talking technical certification, it needed to pivot. From tick-box to transformation.

The challenge? Inspire business leaders under mounting pressure to take credible climate action to see forests not just as a resource, but as a solution.

2023 was a tipping point for corporate sustainability. New laws, investor scrutiny, and greenwashing backlash put CEOs under immense pressure to deliver measurable climate and biodiversity impact.

While companies scrambled for alternatives to controversial solutions like carbon credits, offsets and charity partnerships, one of the most powerful enterprise tools on the frontlines of the dual climate and biodiversity crisis was hiding in plain sight. Forests.

With digital tools and verified data, FSC could now let businesses sponsor real forest projects in exchange for measurable carbon, biodiversity and other ecosystem impact.

Shift the perception of FSC from certification body to strategic partner for impact by positioning forest-based solution Verified Impact as the antidote to greenwashing –  offering not just action, but proof.

Show business leaders that while they face the climate crisis alone, the forest is ready to fight with them.

Ambassadors of the Forest, an enterprise campaign led by a parliament of wise, animated owls delivering a clarion call to business leaders: invest in a solution that fights harder. Owls were chosen for their universal symbolism, presence across every forest, and cultural neutrality. They called on leaders to join forces with forests –  to co-invest in regeneration, biodiversity, and climate resilience through FSC’s new Verified Impact offering. The campaign put emotion and empathy into a space typically ruled by spreadsheets and standards.

The digital-first campaign launched across paid and owned channels with a hero manifesto video as the lead creative, optimised for LinkedIn and FSC’s global business ecosystem.
Supporting blogs and content drove leaders through the funnel:

• Awareness of the climate potential of forests
• Education on FSC’s offerings
• Action through lead-gen and engagement with the Verified Impact platform

Built and produced entirely remotely, the campaign avoided traditional carbon-heavy production and in-person events to align creative delivery with the sustainability it promoted.
Launched globally in the lead-up to COP28.

• 30+ warm leads from major multinationals
• 17% increase in Verified Impact tool usage across FSC clients
• 120x boost in engagement vs. previous benchmarks
• 5.15 million film views (124% above benchmark)
• Significant inbound interest from financial institutions, expanding FSC’s footprint into new sectors

FSC’s shift from certification checklist to climate action partner had begun.

It helped secure new investment in forest-based solutions and set FSC up for deeper partnerships with leaders facing pressure on SDGs 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land). And it sparked a measurable uptick in forest project support that’s already capturing carbon, protecting biodiversity, and funding Indigenous-led regeneration.

In a world of scrutiny and pledges, FSC gave businesses something better: proof.

Work completed as an employee and part of the team at We. Communications.