FISC

Safetree is run by the Forest Industry Safety Council (FISC)

FOREST INDUSTRY SAFETY COUNCIL (FISC)

Overview

The Forest Industry Safety Council (FISC) is a not-for-profit that leads and co-ordinates health and safety initiatives within the plantation forestry industry.

FISC operates as Safetree, and runs the Safetree website, Facebook and TikTok pages, and Safetree’s Certification scheme, leadership programme and other initiatives. It also produces Safetree-branded health and safety resources, including Best Practice Guides.

FISC’s workplan is guided by a Council that includes representatives of industry, government, workers and Maori. (See a list of Council members below) Programmes are developed with the aid of the industry representatives and experts who make up our Operational Advisory Group (OAG) and Technical Action Groups (TAGs).

FISC is funded by the Forest Growers Levy Trust and ACC and its creation was a recommendation of the 2014 Independent Forestry Safety Review.

CONTACT

Level 9, 93 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011

Po Box 10029, The Terrace, Wellington 6143

enquiries@fisc.org.nz

OUR TEAM

FISC / Safetree team

JOE AKARI, CEO / National Safety Director

Joe is a Kiwi with Samoan heritage and whakapapa. He began his working life in forestry with the NZ Forest Service as a Ranger, and with PF Olsen as a contractor. He then forged a career in human resources with organisations including Rotorua Lakes Council, Bay of Plenty Health Board, Refining NZ and Carter Holt Harvey. He joined FISC in 2022.

M: 0210 888 9240; email: joe.akari@fisc.org.nz

JOHN LOWE, Safetree Certification Manager / Project Manager

John is an experienced project manager who join FISC in 2019 having returned to Wellington after living abroad for 4 years. In addition to his project management skills, he has experience in business development and open data. He has been instrumental in developing and refining Safetree’s Certification schemes.

M: 021 164 8036; email: john.lowe@fisc.org.nz

JACKIE DELANEY, Office Manager

Jackie joined FISC in 2015 and is responsible for running the day-to-day activities of the FISC office. Her work includes supporting forestry contractors and workers to achieve Certification.

P: 04 282 1478; email: jackie.delaney@fisc.org.nz

The Council

SIMON O'GRADY, Independent Chair

Simon O’Grady has more than 25 years’ experience working in investment management, including senior roles in areas such as investment strategy, fixed interest, asset allocation, global and alternatives in Australia. He was previously Chief Investment Officer Kiwi Wealth, then owned by the NZ Super Fund, ACC and NZ Post. Prior to that, he was with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, managing their foreign reserve investment portfolios. A CFA charter holder, Simon is also a fellow of the Financial Services Institute Australasia (F.FIN) and a director of the CFA society of NZ. He is an Authorised Financial Adviser (AFA) and holds a Diploma in Bank Finance from Massey University.

JOE AKARI, CEO / National Safety Director

DON WALLACE, NZ Farm Forestry Association

Don and his wife own and operate 60 hectares of forestry and pasture in Otaki. He has qualifications in engineering and public policy and for more than 25 years has run his own management consultancy. He is on the Executive of the NZFFA and represents them on the FISC Council.

GRANT DODSON, Chief Executive, City Forests / Forest Owners Association (NZFOA)

Grant has run City Forests since 2006 and previously worked for NZ Forest Products and Carter Holt Harvey. He graduated from Canterbury University with a BSC. He is Vice-President of the Forest Owners Association a board member of Forest Growers Research. He is chair of the Southern Wood Council, the School of Forestry Advisory Committee, and the NZ Game Animal Council.

ROWAN STRUTHERS, CEO Forest Industry Contractor Association (FICA)

Rowan became FICA CEO in 2024 and prior to that was Chief Operations Officer at China Forestry Group. He previously worked for Fletcher Challenge Forests, Umbraco, Hancock/Manulife. He has a BSC in Forestry Science and has been a member of the NZFOA executive.

KEVIN IHAKA, Managing Director of FPS Forestry / FICA

FPS Forestry is based in Whangarei and carries out silviculture operations and rural firefighting across Northland. Kevin has been involved in the forest industry for over 30 years. He is a board member of FICA and the Chair of the Forest and Rural Fire Association New Zealand.

MORGAN GODFERY, First Union / Worker Representative

Morgan is an academic and journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. He splits his time between the Law Faculty at Victoria University of Wellington, where he's a senior lecturer, and First Union, where he is the research and policy analyst. His whakapapa is to Ngāti Awa in the Bay of Plenty and Samoa.

WAYNE DEMPSTER / NZFOA, National H&S Manager, Rayonier Matariki Forests

Wayne has been leading H&S at RMF for 15 years and is involved in various industry safety groups, including FISC’s Operational Advisory Group and various FISC Technical Action Groups.

KARL BOWMAN, Workplace Trainer Assessor, Rosewarne Contractors / Worker Representative

Karl has more than 25 years of experience in forest harvesting as a worker, then as crew foreman. For the past 10 years he has worked as a Trainer Assessor, Company Auditor doing Operational Audits and Safe Behavioural Observations.

GLEN COLEMAN, National Health & Safety Manager, Manulife Forest Management NZ (MFM) / NZFOA

Glen is a former serious harm investigator for the Department of Labour (OSH) and MBIE. Since joining MFM, initiatives he’s been involved with, or lead, with contractors have seen a significant improvement in TIFR. He is also a member of the Central North Island Wood Council.

BRADY CLEMENTS, Director of Forest Safety Management Ltd / Worker Representative

Brady runs Forest Safety Management, which designs and implements H&S systems for contractors in the Nelson/Marlborough region. He has a Bachelor of Forestry Science and has worked in forestry for more than 16 years.

PELIN FANTHAM, Head of Strategic Interventions, WorkSafe (Observer)

MARION SCHRAMA, Manager Sector Partnerships, Te Uru Rākau / NZ Forest Service (Observer)

OUR WORK

Annual reports

Our Annual Reports provide an overview of our activities:

CosmanParkes Review Report

This 2018 review identifies how well recommendations of the 2014 Independent Forestry Safety Review have been implemented. Read the report

FISC Charter

In 2016, members of the inaugural FISC Council signed a Charter confirming their commitment to work towards FISC's goal of zero serious harm in forestry. See the Charter