Over the past six months, the Timber Trade Federation, with its membership, has been revising its Forests Forever Environmental Purchasing Policy. A small project group has been working on the detail led by a forestry specialist, Frank Miller, but it is now at the stage where the views of the wider membership will be sought.
One of the aims of the revision is to make the policy more robust and authoritative and we will be seeking a larger number of member companies to sign up to its provisions. One of the objectives of the new policy is for it to be compatible with the government’s unfolding approach to timber procurement.
Current guidance to central departments is to demand independent verification of suppliers’ claims where there is no credible evidence of legal and sustainable timber sources. Not surprisingly, implementation is proving to be difficult for many suppliers and buyers alike.
Under the current rules individual buyers judge what is or is not credible evidence and therefore the government intends to set up a Central Point of Expertise to advise buyers. The government is still considering what form it will take and how it will be resourced but representatives from the trade will be included in its supervisory board.
The government recognises the environmental value of timber through its support both for the wood. for good campaign and the work of the TTF.
The Federation will continue to be fully engaged in this process and we hope that the newly revised environmental purchasing policy will contribute to expanding the UK market for timber and timber products, which is relatively small compared with many other European countries.
