London Hardwood Club members discussed illegal logging and the procurement legislation being considered by the UK government and the European Union.
Speakers at the November meeting included consultant Michael Buckley of World Hardwoods and representatives from Malaysia, Ghana and the Timber Trade Federation.
Concern was expressed at the lack of consultation with the trade and Mr Buckley called upon hardwood traders to lobby the TTF and consider their own environmental policies.
This issue, he said, took the focus of monopolistic forest certification and opened the case for mutual recognition of national standards and credible schemes such as the PEFC and SFI.
