This session will introduce and explore the insights of Build Trust, Share Value: Principles for Community Engagement and Development, a report developed by WBCSD’s Forest Solutions Group (FSG), with the goal of making its guidance more accessible and relevant to staff across member companies—not only those working in sustainability roles.

Community engagement and development are increasingly central to responsible forest sector operations. This session will provide practical context on why meaningful engagement with local communities matters for business resilience, long-term value creation, and responsible forest management. Participants will be guided through principles outlined in the Build Trust, Share Value report, with these principles brought to life through real case examples from the forest sector.

Beyond presenting the report, the session will create space for participants to reflect on how its principles connect with their day-to-day work and operational practices. Through facilitated discussion and feedback, attendees will share experiences, challenges, and opportunities related to community engagement in the forest sector.

By bringing together practitioners from across FSG member companies, the session also aims to foster connections among colleagues working on related issues. Ultimately, it seeks to build a network of engaged stakeholders who can continue exchanging knowledge and advancing collaborative approaches to community engagement in the sector.

Speakers include: 

• Alyson Greenhalgh-Ball, People Action at WBCSD
• Iraz Soyalp, Senior Director Social Impact, Manulife Investment Management
• Giovanni Sale, Head of Sustainability, Sappi Southern Africa
• Felipe Torres, Sustainability Manager, Empresas CMPC