As the UK’s largest distributor of timber and other building materials, Saint-Gobain is in a strong position to influence customers and suppliers to consider the environmental impact of their activity throughout the supply chain.
Responsible timber procurement in particular is fundamental to the industry but the story doesn’t stop there. Sourcing legal and sustainable timber is one thing, but merchants must also be able to accurately track the certified timber products they sell all the way through the supply chain.
Chain of custody is a subject that has been on everyone’s minds for the last few years and plays a significant part of the timber industry ‘life cycle’. Jewson now has chain of custody certification in over 75 of its branches and sales offices nationally, so can deliver any quantity of certified timber throughout the country to a growing number of customers including the government, the Office of Government Commerce, contractors, housebuilders and housing associations.
Saint-Gobain Building Distribution (SGBD UK) is also a member of the Worldwide Fund for Nature‘s Forest and Trade Network (WWF FTN), which involves setting and achieving key milestones for progress in responsible timber procurement. The development of the WWF FTN Producer Groups is particularly important as Saint-Gobain continues its search for responsible forest managers.
Saint-Gobain also regularly meets customers and suppliers to discuss wider sustainability issues as well as timber procurement and supply. The more knowledge customers have, the more demand is created for legal and sustainable products and the more pressure we, as an industry, can apply to foresters and mills the world over.
As the timber industry ‘life cycle’ continues to evolve and with each component playing its part in developing best practice, responsible supply and demand will only help to drive the environmental wheel.
