As I sit down to write this in the heart of Borneo, in the world’s longest certified tropical forest surrounded by a sea of oil palm plantations, I am reminded of the positive impact that responsible management can have on our last great forest areas.
This month, the TTJ has graciously given us the opportunity to share our vision for a responsible forest products industry with you. WWF’s mission is to help people and nature live together in harmony, and a big part of that depends on environmentally and socially responsible business.
We want the timber industry to be a lasting force of positive change by embedding sustainability throughout the value chain. By sending clear market signals for credibly certified products, you can drive improvements in forest management in regions of the world where it matters most – like the Congo, Amazon and Borneo.
In this section we’ll explore some of the problems currently plaguing the industry, from the threats posed by illegal logging and increased competition for forest resources to how responsible forestry can be applied in both the construction and timber sector as a whole. We envision a way forward in which industry and the environmental community can work together to deliver results against one another’s objectives.
Twenty years ago, the UK industry was brave enough to join us on a journey, which led to the global phenomenon that is WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network. Today we continue our work to transform the forest products market into a force for conserving the world’s valuable and threatened forests.
But we recognise that we cannot do it alone. Our approach is founded on the cornerstone of serving your needs and helping you realise your goals in order to achieve our own. As we all face an uncertain future, we recognise the enduring need to go forward together.
