PEFC /16-01-01

product onto the EU marketplace, it is crucial to remember that whilst certification and Chain of Custody is vitally important, the overriding factor and “key to implementation” is to exercise Due Diligence in your procurement methods.

PEFC is in the process of revising its international Chain of Custody standard, to support certified companies in meeting EUTR requirements and Sarah Price from PEFC International, put the EUTR into the context of protecting corporate reputation; explaining how responsible sourcing and sustainability should be at the heart of all procurement policies. Consumers and customers

are increasingly demanding this as a prerequisite to doing business. This was echoed by B&Q’s Julia Griffin, who said that traceability is increasingly being asked for by customers and as such they have a huge responsibility under the EUTR.

To download the presentations visit: www.pefc.co.uk and follow the links from the home page.

PEFCUK NEWSWWW.PEFC.CO.UK ISSUE 26 JULY 2012

The first in what we hope will

be an annual opportunity for the

sustainable products community

to come together to discuss key

industry issues, saw a panel of

industry experts spanning the

timber, business consultancy, print,

publishing and retailing sectors

share their experiences and

knowledge.

Coming into effect in March 2013, the EUTR will impact everyone trading in timber and timber products in the EU, including paper, packaging, furniture and wood fuel sectors. It will apply to all Member States and will make it illegal to place timber and timber products which have been illegally-harvested at the point of origin, onto the EU market.

Rachel Butler from the European Timber Trade Federation had a simple and clear message for the audience – know your obligations. If you are an operator or ‘first placer’ of the timber

INAUGURAL STAKEHOLDER EVENT

2

WHAT’S BEING UNCORKED ON PAGE 2 ?

With the introduction of EU Timber

Regulation (EUTR) just months away, PEFC

hosted a Stakeholder Meeting in London

on 26 June, with the central theme of

mitigating risk in procuring forest products.

Sarah price PEFC International

Cork is a natural product from the bark of the cork oak tree - Quercus Suber. The majority of today’s global natural cork production is based in the Mediterranean region, principally in southern Portugal, Spain, France and North Africa. More than 12 billion natural cork seals are produced every year which placed end to end would circumnavigate the world eleven times over.

The traditional production of natural cork is an environmentally sound process which supports the preservation of grassland forest,

PEFC CERTIFIED CORK STOPPERS

Mediterranean biodiversity, small-scale agriculture, rural livelihoods and fast-disappearing cultural traditions.

In recognition of the vital functions that cork oak forests perform, PEFC Spain is working with a range of partners to promote certified cork.

For further information about this programme contact: pefc@pefc.es.

SECOND YEAR AT TIMBER EXPOIn September, PEFC UK will once

again partner with fellow PEFC

family members, the Malaysian

Timber Council (MTC) and the

North American Sustainable

Forestry Initiative (SFI) to exhibit

at the UK’s only dedicated timber

show – Timber Expo.

This show aims to promote timber as a key material to help deliver an attractive and sustainable built environment. Last year,

over 4,000 visitors including architects, specifiers and major contractors made their way to Coventry’s Ricoh Arena for the two-day show and more than 100 companies exhibited.

We hope this year’s show will provide PEFC UK with a platform to engage with a broad spectrum of stakeholders from across the timber and construction sectors.

The show, from 25-26 September 2012, will be held at the Ricoh Arena Coventry.

If you are planning to visit the show, you can find us on Stand H1. For more information visit www.timber-expo.co.uk

The award is bestowed by an independent NGO, American Rights at Work and recognises those who advance human rights for workers. Bill shared the award with Per-Olof Sjöö, President of the Swedish Union, GS.

“PEFC is honoured that our Chair has received this recognition,” commented PEFC Secretary General, Ben Gunneberg. “It comes as no surprise to us who work with Bill on a regular basis. During his term as Chairman we have strengthened and clarified some of our fundamental core values relating to the social aspects of

PEFC CHAIRMAN HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDLast month, PEFC International Chairman, William Street, was

awarded the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award for his

efforts on behalf of IKEA’s workers in Danville Virginia, USA.

sustainable forest management. Today, we believe that PEFC is a leader in social standards in forest management certification as a result of Bill’s support and guidance.”

The range of PEFC-certified products on the global market continues to

grow. Later this year, wine using PEFC-certified cork stoppers will go on

sale in Europe, the Americas and Australia. In the UK, Bibendum will be

selling Geol 2008 towards the end of 2012.

In May, Alun Watkins, who heads up PEFC in the UK, joined colleagues from across Europe to exhibit at Drupa, the largest printing equipment exhibition in the world. The show is held once every four years in Düsseldorf. This year’s event attracted thousands of visitors from 140 countries and 2,000 exhibitors from 54 countries.

Located in the Lean and Green area, the PEFC stand served as a central point of information for the print and graphics sector on sourcing sustainable paper. The international PEFC team was kept busy engaging with visitors from around the world keen to learn more about the benefits of using certified paper to provide assurances of responsible sourcing to their customers.

DRUPA 2012

The initiative to develop forest certification in the UK in the early 1990s led to the publication of two national documents namely, the United Kingdom Forestry Standard (the Government’s Approach to Sustainable Forestry), which was revised in 2011 and the Forest Management Certification Standard, which is known as the United Kingdom Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS).

UKWAS has recently completed its own five yearly revision process. UKWAS is an independent certification standard

for verifying sustainable woodland management. It is the national certification standard used by both PEFC and FSC in the UK and it was developed on a consensus basis through an inclusive multi-stakeholder process with a balanced representation of economic, environmental and social interests, over a three year period.

The third edition of UKWAS has been agreed by stakeholders and was endorsed by PEFC UK in November last year. The latest edition (UKWAS v 3.1) has been developed via a review process including international

RE-ENDORSEMENT OF FOREST MANAGEMENT SCHEMEbenchmarking and several rounds of stakeholder consultation. Full account has been taken of the new governmental UK Forestry Standard’s requirements and those of FSC and PEFC.

Both global schemes provide a way for the UK forestry sector to assure buyers and users that its wood and wood products come from responsibly- managed woodlands. 45% of the UK’s woodland area and an estimated 85% of harvested timber is certified through one or both of these schemes.

The UK Scheme which is based on UKWAS also incorporates the requirements of the updated PEFC Council’s Sustainable Forest Management Standard and the Chain of Custody Standard. PEFC UK welcomes the chance to further improve its scheme and welcomes comments which may arise from the worldwide consultation process.

Stakeholders globally are invited to comment on its compliance with PEFC International’s Sustainability Benchmarks by 2 September 2012. http://consultations.pefc.org/consult.ti/PEFCUKsystem

PEFC UK has applied for re-endorsement of its Forest Management

Scheme, as required by PEFC International, after five years. The UK

scheme is based upon the UK Woodland Assurance Standard which was

itself recently reviewed and updated.

In warm April sunshine, PEFC Director Rob Shaw

completed his fourth London Marathon.

A member of the Highland Hill Runners club, Rob

finished the course in a creditable 4hrs 4 minutes.

This brings his overall road marathon tally to

twelve. The Marathon provided useful training

for the just completed Geneva to Nice Highland

Cross and Cycling event. Well done Rob!

Timber Expo 201225-26 September 2012Ricoh Arena, CoventryFor further details visit: www.timber-expo.co.uk

PEFC Stakeholder Dialogue14 November 2012Vienna, Austria For further details email info@pefc.org

Illegal Logging Update andStakeholder Consultation Number 218-9 January 2013Chatham House, 10St James’s Square, London SW1For further details visit: www.illegal-logging.info

Ecobuild 20135-7 March 2013Excel, London For further details visitwww.ecobuild.co.uk

MEET PEFC

CONTACTS

Alun WatkinsPEFC UK National Secretarye awatkins@pefc.co.ukt 0114 307 2334For all general enquiries and queries

about chain of custody, use of the

PEFC logo

Hilary KhawamPEFC Communications Directore hilary.khawam@pefc.co.ukt 01689 819902Marketing and communications

enquiries

The 2012 Annual Report was published

in May. It contains reviews of our

marketing, communications and public

affairs activities over the past year as

well as Peter Latham’s final report as

Chairman. After five years of dedicated

service, Peter has now joined the

Board of PEFC International. The

publication also contains facts and

figures outlining the growth in demand

for forest and Chain of Custody

certification both in the UK and

around the world as well as reports on procurement and

the dual certification of the Olympic Park. It can be downloaded

from the PEFC UK website at:

OUR 2012 REPORT TAKE A LOOK

FITTER THAN THE AVERAGE DIRECTOR

PEFC /16-01-01

PEFC UKANNUAL REPORT

www.pefc.co.uk/index.php/news-page/news/news-detail/item/267-annual-report-2012

Printed copies can be requested by emailing info@pefc.co.uk