The Timber Trade Federation (TTF) is looking for volunteers to test the new Forests Forever Responsible Purchasing Policy (RPP).
The RPP has been developed by a small TTF project group led by Frank Miller of the environmental auditing and forest product tracking company Oxigenisis.
The initial RPP document has been sent out for comment to certain TTF members and a range of other organisations, including the Forestry Commission and WWF. Following this, consultation will be widened to the whole TTF membership.
Individual companies are also being asked to try out the RPP in everday business to help fine-tune it further.
“We’re starting to look for volunteers now, hoping to start practical testing in March/April,” said Mr Miller. He added that any companies that came forward would be closely supported through the implementation process.
The aim of the RPP initiative is to provide an environmental purchasing framework to enable timber companies to do business in a market increasingly concerned with forestry sustainability and eco-certification.
“In particular, signatories to the RPP should be in a strong position to secure government business,” said Mr Miller. “The government’s own purchasing policy has been a call to arms and the industry needs to be proactive in demonstrating that it can comply. The RPP will enable them to do that.”
He said that the RPP had attracted interest from other international timber organisations and was discussed at the EU meeting on legal timber sourcing in December. It should be finalised by the end of 2004.
