Anand PUNJA

Anand has worked on sustainability through its different core lenses (Social, Environmental and Economic) for 25+ years now at varying scales from local level to international. 

Anand has held several roles at FSC International and is currently the Director of Stakeholder Relations working to strengthen FSC’s Relationships with Civil Society Organizations and Actors, especially through alliances, coalitions and partnerships. He collaborates with the various teams across FSC to find meaningful and innovative ways to collaborate with CSO's to create and scale out FSC solutions through forest related markets- whether this is through tangible value chains such as fiber or construction or less tangible markets such as carbon, biodiversity and restoration finance markets. 

As a social scientist, Anand has a well-rounded perspective of the challenges and opportunities faced by society and nature across the world. He strongly believes that the current environmental and societal challenges faced must be tackled through a whole of society approach, engaging people with empathy and courage to make them a part of the solution, not the problem, as many narratives do. 

Anand lives with his wife and two teenage daughters in Ruislip, West London, just on the edge of the London’s largest National Nature Reserve - Ruislip Woods- a semi-ancient woodland, where he walks his dog almost daily. Anand’s connection goes beyond walking in the woods, as he is an active  Volunteer in managing the woodland as well as a Trustee of Ruislip Woods Trust, a Charity set up to support the Local Authority in managing the woods. As part of this role he supports the Local Authority to Long Term improve conservation outcomes. Anand is fascinated by Rewilding and is in the final stages of completing a UK based Rewilding Programme with the hope that some of this experience and knowledge can be applied in Ruislip Woods.