The policy, in the government’s new Sustainable Procurement Action Plan, was a ministerial decision by biodiversity minister Barry Gardiner and seems to have been made with little reference to the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET).
Until now, the government’s policy has been legality as a minimum for its timber contracts, with sustainability preferred. Timber-producing countries which are signed up to the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade voluntary licensing scheme (which covers legality) will have until April 1, 2015 to prove their sustainability credentials.
Dr Mike Packer, Timbmet Silverman‘s director of responsible solutions, gave the new policy a “big thumbs up”, describing it as the signal the trade needed.
“From a political, procurement and commercial point of view it’s entirely the right thing to be doing. Anybody who is raising doubts as to whether it’s the right thing to do is missing the point. It does place a burden, but it’s one that the industry can meet.”
The Timber Trade Federation welcomed the strengthened policy but said the timelines were “challenging” and that there was little evidence the government’s current timber procurement policy was being applied in practice.
Kate Bottriell, of ProForest (CPET), said the new policy was a “ministerial decision” and “not a CPET initiative”. She said details of the policy’s implementation, such as whether Category B evidence is still acceptable, have not been released, though she anticipated CPET would be involved in discussions during coming months.
A Defra statement said the revised policy was the next logical step for its timber procurement.
“The inclusion of targets as described in the Sustainable Procurement Action Plan are consistent with the UK government’s desire to procure sustainable timber.
“Prior to the publication of the action plan, consultation was undertaken wiht central government procurement specialists, who were asked to assess the impact the change would have on the availabilty and price of timber products. Their response was positive.
“Stakeholders have been given a two-year notice period of the intention to procure only timber from sustainable or FLEGT licensed sources, during which time they will have the opportunity to communicate any concerns.”
Crucially, Defra said Category B evidence which demonstrates sustainability at the forest source will continue to be acceptable after April 2009.
Defra has said Barry Gardiner will comment further in the next edition of TTJ.
