On behalf of the Board of Responsible Wood, I wish to advise that our Chief Executive Officer, Simon Dorries, has tendered his resignation after more than 11 years of dedicated service to Responsible Wood and sustainable forest certification in Australia.
Simon joined the organisation in May 2015 and has played an instrumental role in the development and growth of Responsible Wood and the PEFC certification system in Australia. During his time as CEO, Responsible Wood has strengthened its position as Australia’s leading forest certification scheme, while building greater awareness of the importance of sustainably managed forests and responsibly sourced wood and paper products.
Simon has always been much more than simply the CEO of Responsible Wood. He genuinely believes in certification, in the principles behind PEFC, and in the role responsible forest management can play in supporting our forests, our industry and the communities that depend upon them.
His passion, technical knowledge and commitment to Responsible Wood have been evident throughout his leadership. He has represented the organisation nationally and internationally with professionalism and integrity and has built strong relationships across the forest and wood products sector, government, environmental organisations and the broader PEFC network.
Simon has made the decision to take on a new professional opportunity as he begins transitioning towards eventual retirement. While we are naturally disappointed to see him leave Responsible Wood, the Board fully supports his decision and wishes him every success in this next chapter.
On behalf of the Board, our members and the broader Responsible Wood community, I sincerely thank Simon for his outstanding contribution over the past 11 years. He leaves Responsible Wood in a strong position and with a legacy of which he should be extremely proud.
The Board will shortly commence a recruitment process for the next Chief Executive Officer of Responsible Wood, with the position to be publicly advertised.
During this transition, Matt de Jong, Responsible Wood’s Sustainability Manager, will act in the CEO role, ensuring continuity for our members, certificate holders, stakeholders and PEFC partners. Responsible Wood’s work and commitment to forest certification and responsible sourcing will continue without interruption.
We look forward to acknowledging Simon’s contribution more formally before his departure and, most importantly, thanking him for the passion and commitment he has given Responsible Wood over so many years.
Dr. Tony Bartlett
Chair
Responsible Wood
