Forest matters September 2015 (public edition) by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) UK

Forest Matters FSC UK Newsletter September 2015

Director’s Overview Contents

Dear Reader,

2 News in Brief 3 WWF Timber Scorecard 5 Forest Photo Days 8 Chain of Custody Review

9 Forestry (UKWAS) 11 Case Study - WPG 13 Forests For All For Ever 14 FSC Friday 15 Shopfitting 18 Staff Changes 19 Product Focus

Welcome to the September edition of Forest Matters. FSC UK is all systems go at the moment as we gear up for a series of shows and conferences, FSC Friday at the end of the month and our 20th anniversary celebration in October. FSC Friday is a great way to promote your FSC credentials and even individuals can do their bit to help to spread the word, take a look at page 14 for more details of the web banners, printed posters and other resources available from the FSC UK office. In October we celebrate our 20th anniversary with a reception at the London Aquatics Centre, do get in touch if you’d like more information. Not only that, we mustn’t forget that two very important consultations are currently underway: the UKWAS Forest Management and FSC Chain of Custody Standards, please see the information in this edition and make sure your views are heard.

19 FSC in Numbers Rosie Teasdale Executive Director, FSC UK

News in Brief p14

FSC Friday is Go!

Chain of Custody Review

The new FSC Friday website is now live at www.fscfriday.org Take a look around, there are lots of ideas on how individuals, businesses, schools/youth groups and others can join in the celebrations. See page 14 for more information.

The CoC Standard, the main standard for companies that manufacture, process or trade in FSC certified products, is under revision (p8). Click here to access all relevant informational resources. p9

UKWAS Forest Standards Review

The standard against which forest management in the UK is assessed for FSC certification, the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) is under revision.

New study certification businesses

proves profitable

FSC for

In addition to numerous environmental and social benefits resulting from FSC certification, a new WWF study has shown that there is a concrete economic benefit - on average, forestry companies can earn an extra US$1.80 for every cubic metre of FSC-certified timber.

Charcoal Fires up Debate Chris Burchmore, FSC Regional Director for Africa, was recently interviewed by Radio 4’s You & Yours current affairs programme about FERN’s charcoal report, ‘Playing with Fire’. The story was also covered in the Independent newspaper with a strong call to choose FSC certified options.

FSC Online Claims Platform (OCP) now ready for use FSC has released a new and improved version of the OCP, a digital tool that provides timely information about FSC certified products and the organisations that produce them. Click here to read more

WWF Timber Scorecard Construction industry building a future without deforestation – but many businesses have further to go

The construction industry has come out as a clear leader in a new WWFUK timber scorecard published this month. Having analysed over 100 businesses to see if they are transparent and informative when it comes to using sustainable timber, the report authors found that Travis Perkins, Mace, Saint-Gobain and Carillion all scored the maximum ‘3 trees’ rating. This indicates the companies have made public commitments and there is visible evidence that they have set up the right policies to ensure sustainable timber is being used as much as possible in their products. Also leading the way are major supermarkets such as Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, plus Macmillan Publishers and M&S. Several brands occupy the middle ground on the journey to transforming their supply chains and are making solid progress, including Boots, IKEA, and Penguin Random House. However, many businesses have a long way to go, including several publishers, card companies, furniture retailers and musical instrument suppliers. 3

The scorecard looks at companies’ practices and policies in relation to sustainably sourced timber and timber products, against a backdrop of increasing deforestation. Helpfully, the scoring process has raised awareness with companies of the perils of forest destruction, which leads to habitat loss and contributes to climate change. Recent WWF-UK research shows that consumers do care about the type of timber used and where it’s from, but they are left wanting; information for consumers around buying products made from sustainable timber is far less available than that on animal welfare in food, or fair trade coffee and chocolate.

Julia Young of WWF-UK’s forest team explains that “as with many agricultural products such as meat or eggs it is just as important to know where our timber products are coming from. If we don’t then UK consumers could be contributing to deforestation.”

The campaign also calls for the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) loopholes to be closed by making it apply to such products as books, chairs and toys, currently not included in the regulation. This means they can currently be imported and sold legally in the EU even if they are not shown to be made from legally logged wood. The campaign is designed to show that businesses can be part of the solution rather than part of the problems facing our global forests today, by publishing clear policies and stating how well they are doing in sustainable sourcing.

“As with many agricultural products such as meat or eggs it is just as important to know where our timber products are coming from.” - Julia Young, WWF As a result of the scorecard, WWF are calling for:

The scorecard shows, however, that change is possible, and that many household names are making progress on using sustainable timber. Julia adds: “Some are in fact making great progress but it’s behind the scenes – they need to shout about it and make customers aware. “Some of the companies who didn’t fare so well have engaged with WWF-UK since they were given their scores, to look at how they can improve their policy and communication around sustainable timber. As a result, we have decided to update the scores in the autumn to reflect immediate changes made by businesses.” The scorecard will be repeated in full at least twice more before 2020, building on WWF-UK’s Save Forests campaign, which aims to get UK business to pledge to buy timber products from sustainable sources by 2020, and to support a move to a 100 per cent sustainable timber market by 2020.

Business: All businesses scoring two or three trees to continue their commitments in responsible forest trade and communicate this; those scoring zero or one tree to make a commitment to procure their timber and timber products from sustainable sources and to communicate this to their customers. European Commission: To recommend the scope of the EU Timber Regulation be expanded so that all wood-based products are covered, alongside measures to ensure the regulation is being properly implemented and enforced in all 28 member states. UK government: To establish incentives and mechanisms to enable the transition to a market in sustainable timber and timber products by 2020. Consumers: Only purchase wood-based products that are from responsible sources – e.g. clearly indicated as from a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or recycled source and ask companies where the timber in their products have come from if it isn’t clear in their stores or on their websites.

Source: WWF UK 4

Forest Photo Days

For a number of years, FSC UK have run an annual photographic competition attracting hundreds of high-quality entries. Grand prize winners Max More (2013) and Marion Sidebottom (2014) recently took up their prizes by attending a oneto-one photo tuition day with professional environmental photographer and head judge, Edward Parker. Edward is a renowned and prize winning photographer and writer who specialises in environmental issues, travel and education.

Two go mad in Dorset

Max More’s photograph was selected as the winner of the Timber category and the judge’s overall winner in the 2013 competition.

Max’s day with Edward began at The Springhead Trust woodland garden in Dorset, here they concentrated on macro photography and the controlled use of a flash gun. “We tried out different techniques to try and get the best close up images and also how to focus super accurately. I let Max know a number of “tricks of the trade” but the one that caught his fascination was expert control of what is known as “fill in flash”. I also explained how many regular lenses can focus almost as closely a specialist macro lens when the auto focus was turned off and the right zoom setting was used”, explained Edward.

Twelve hours of technique © Marion Sidebottom

Caption: Many regular lenses can focus almost as closely a specialist macro lens when the auto focus is turned off and the right zoom setting is used. In the afternoon the pair travelled to the Silton Oak, which stands behind the church in the village of the same name. It is one of the UK’s largest and most wonderful oaks formerly standing as a boundary marker in the medieval hunting forest of King John. “It is a tree with wonderful presence and we could have spent the rest of the day there,” commented Edward.

“I learned some useful techniques, and I was particularly taken by the demonstration he gave of fill-in flash, which I had not used before.” - Max More However, far from resting on their laurels, they pushed on to visit two more trees to see at the National Trust property of Stourhead. One, a large decaying chestnut with a pale, bleached twisted trunk like a skeleton on the beach, stands quietly minding its own business in a forgotten quarter of the grounds. The day finished stood under a colossal tulip tree on the edge of the ornamental lake. Throughout the day they discussed technique and the location of other fabulous trees and FSC certified forests. “[Edward] clearly has vast experience and ‘knows his onions’ when it comes to photography but I was just as impressed by his ability to share both his enthusiasm and considerable knowledge without showmanship or being in any way patronising.” - Max More

Marion Sidebottom’s photograph of an ancient hornbeam was the winner of the 2014 Terrific Trees category and People’s Choice vote.

Edward collected Marion from Chelmsford at 5.30 am in order to try and catch the dawn light at their first tree of the day. They then dropped south round the M25 from Chelmsford to the A22 turn off in order to see the UK’s only true “monumental” yew tree, which stands in Tandridge church yard. “It is considered to be at least 2000 years old and has the most colossal trunk which rises majestically in a way that wild yews do in the forests of northern Turkey and southern Georgia. A pale watery dawn light lit the huge trunk for short periods but mainly a low cloud clamped down over the hills,” waxed Edward. Having talked to Marion and found out that her passion was to visit and photograph ancient, gnarled, twisted trees Edward then took her a few miles further south to the extraordinary Crowhurst Yew. This is considered to be possibly another 1000 years older than that at Tandridge, making it in excess of 3000 years old. Rather than a broad trunk that rose up for maybe 30 ft without narrowing, the Crowhurst yew had a hollowed trunk which tapered quickly. A quick walk round the bole revealed that it is a large shell of a tree with a hollow big enough for groups to meet within it in the past. 6

In fact on its northwest edge there is a small wooded door set in the trunk to facilitate access. The pair talked about technique and about the many ancient trees that they had both visited in the UK, Edward also gave some pointers on how to make a living through photography.

“I won the FSC photography competition whilst completing an MA about tree photography so it was the perfect time for me. For the last 3 years I have been developing my own style and building up a portfolio of tree images. As I result of winning the competition I have been lucky enough to meet some very interesting people from different conservation organisations such as the Ancient Tree Forum and the Woodland Trust. I would like to think that if the general public notice and like my images they will also start to notice the trees around them more and realise their importance. I am hoping that my day with Edward will help me to kickstart my work in the right direction.” - Marion Sidebottom

The next FSC UK photo competition

Edward Parker in action The last site to visit was at Wakehurst Place in Sussex to see a group of yew trees “whose tendril-like, exposed roots almost drip and slow motion cascade over large sandstone boulders.” “The effect is bewitching and beautiful. So much so for Marion that I stepped away for nearly an hour to allow her to get in to the zone that photographers often enter when confronted with such a spectacle.”, said Edward. For maybe 80m a series of yew tree roots spill down and over the large house-sized boulders along a little visited path near the Millennium Seed Bank. All told, they spent almost exactly 12 hours talking technique and ancient trees.

We’ve taken a year off from the photo competition but aim to relaunch it next year, hopefully with the continued support of our esteemed judge and long-time supporter of FSC, Edward Parker

Further information: You can visit Edward Parker’s website: www.edwardparker.com and features a number of galleries of his photographs. To see more of Marion Sidebottom’s photographs: Photography Blog on Wordpress : www.marionsidebottom.wordpress.com Facebook page, Marion’s Eye:

Ancient Chesnut, M.Moore 7

www.facebook.com/Marionseye @MarionSide on Twitter: https://twitter.com/marionside

CoC Review FSC Chain of Custody standard: draft released for second consultation

The consultation process also addresses the five approved motions of the 2011 General Assembly relating to the CoC standard: • Motion 38 calls for a study to be

conducted – in which the economic, environmental and social chambers are equally represented – to evaluate the risks and benefits of pre-consumer material from a market, environmental and social perspective.

• Motion 43 requests the development © FSC UK

The second draft of the Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard (FSCSTD-40-004) is open for consultation from 1 September 2015. This revised draft is accompanied by a discussion paper that proposes a range of options to provide better assurance for FSC transactions between FSC Certificate Holders. The CoC Standard is the main standard for companies that manufacture, process or trade in FSC-certified timber and non-timber forest products. It affects more than 29,000 FSCcertified companies. The objective of this consultation is to review and streamline the CoC Standard, to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness in demonstrating that materials and products purchased, labeled and sold as FSC-certified are authentic and that the associated claims are correct.

of a policy to guide certificate holders in communicating truthfully and transparently about FSC Mix products, whose visible and characterising components are not FSC-certified but are Controlled Wood.

• Motion 44 calls for the revision of the

CoC Standard and the development of tools and templates to improve access for small enterprises to CoC certification.

• Motion 45 requires FSC to examine

the barriers and opportunities for enhanced collaboration between FSC and retailers, including improved CoC procedures.

• Motion 46 requires FSC to clarify the

intent of the Credit System.

We are now asking all interested stakeholders to read the revised draft standard and provide their comments and recommendations for improvement.

A draft of the standard, the discussion paper and all relevant informational resources can be found by clicking here. The consultation process on the second draft will be open for 60 days, closing on 31 October 2015. 8

Forestry Forest Standards Manager visits Northern Ireland ‘We have to make sure that certification is relevant in all parts of the UK.’ ‘It was a great shame that on the day we weren’t able to meet with a private landowner as originally planned,’ says Owen, ‘but nonetheless this was an important opportunity to hear and see first hand some of the issues with which the forestry sector in Northern Ireland is grappling. Some will be familiar to foresters working in other parts of the UK, like species choice in the uplands, but other issues, like politics and markets, are quite different. I’m very grateful to Forest Service staff for taking the time to share their views so candidly, and FSC UK will certainly take those views into account going forward.’

In early June, FSC UK Forest Standards Manager Owen Davies, travelled to Northern Ireland to meet with the Forest Service. ‘Representatives from Northern Ireland have to go to a lot of effort to join meetings on certification, which are usually held in Edinburgh or London; it seemed only fair to reciprocate,’ says Owen. ‘We have to make sure that certification is relevant in all parts of the UK.’ Owen’s visit was hosted by senior staff of the Northern Ireland Forest Service, including Chief Executive Malcolm Beatty and Directors Stuart Morwood, Ian Irwin and John Joe O’Boyle. The day started with a very frank exchange of views on certification, including issues such as close forest industry links with the Republic of Ireland, FSC logo recognition amongst Northern Ireland consumers, and FSC pesticides policy. This was followed by a brief tour of state forests to the west of Enniskillen, where the discussion moved beyond certification to wider forestry issues including species suitability and diversification.

Acetamiprid derogation application and FSC pesticides policy In the last newsletter we mentioned the imminent public consultation on a derogation application to use the chemical acetamiprid for weevil control in UK forests; hopefully anyone with an interest in the use of pesticides in certified forests will since have had a chance to respond to the consultation, which closed on 6 August.

FSC pesticides policy continues to be the subject of a great deal of discussion amongst certificate holders and stakeholders. In response to stakeholder comments received during the revision of the standard and procedures relating to highly hazardous pesticides, the FSC Board of Directors has given the go ahead for a revision of the FSC Pesticides Policy. We’ll keep you informed of any opportunities to feed into this policy revision.

Remind me, what is a derogation? A derogation is a deviation from an agreement or rule, in this case from FSC’s controls on highly hazardous pesticides. Certificate holders applying for a derogation have to make the case for their use of the chemical and demonstrate that they are actively searching for less harmful alternatives. Public consultation gives stakeholders the opportunity to present their views, which will be passed on to the FSC Pesticides Committee in Bonn when they meet to discuss the application.

Make your views on UK forest management known (UKWAS) Every five years, the standard against which forest management in the UK is assessed for FSC certification, the UK Woodland Assurance Standard or UKWAS, is revised. The revision process takes into account not only FSC’s international requirements, reflected in our Principles and Criteria, but also the views of the many other stakeholders in UK forests. Following initial stakeholder comments, an intensive period of work has resulted in a first draft of a new version of UKWAS. This version is intended to be simpler, clearer and more user friendly, while maintaining the same high standards of forest management. Now is your opportunity to read the new draft and make your thoughts known. The main public consultation on the draft standard will

And what is the FSC Pesticides Policy? FSC policy in relation to the use of pesticides in FSC-certified forests and plantations aims to minimise the negative environmental and social impacts of pesticide use whilst promoting economically viable management. The key elements in implementing this policy are: a. The identification and avoidance of ‘highly hazardous’ pesticides; b. Promotion of ‘non-chemical’ methods of pest management as an element of an integrated pest management strategy; c. Appropriate use of the pesticides that are used.

You can learn more about pesticides and integrated pest management by Clicking here

run through September and October. If you have an interest in UK forests, we encourage you to read the standard and let us know what you think is good and what you think is bad, where you think the standard goes too far and where you think it doesn’t go far enough. Over the coming weeks we’ll be suggesting key topics in the standard that might interest you, but any and all of the text is open for discussion. Of course, any feedback has to balanced against that from other stakeholders, but it is vitally important that you make your views known. Click here to download a consultation paper, which includes a link to the consultation draft, details of how the draft was prepared and some key questions for stakeholders. Any responses should be sent to ukwas@confor. org.uk by 30 October 2015. If there is anything you would like to discuss directly with FSC UK, please feel free to contact Owen Davies, our Forest Standards Manager, at owen@fsc-uk.org. 10

Case Study Welshpool Print Group (WPG)

‘One of the first things people ask for when they call up is what our environmental policy is, and if we’re FSC certified.’ Welshpool Printing Group (WPG) has been in business for over 53 years and employs over 50 people. The wall of their reception has a framed copy of their FSC certificate, alongside their environmental policy. Not only is over 90% of the material they bring in FSC certified, they also use 100% vegetable oil based inks, and generate electricity from 181 solar panels installed on the roof. WPG were among the first 100 printers to be FSC certified, and are therefore well placed to tell us what they really think about certification. They also actively promote their FSC status to customers with their own publicity and during the enquiries potential customers make. WPG’s certification means that they get work from environmentally 11

conscious customers who may otherwise go elsewhere. ‘When we buy FSC paper, it gives peace of mind to know we are buying responsibly and are buying paper from sustainable sources.’ One thing that immediately stands out is the huge drop in numbers between those who want to print on FSC certified paper, and those who want to include the FSC label on the finished production. Of the nearly 20 million sheets of paper WPG printed in the last year, under 700,000 went into publications that carried the FSC label. On the one hand, it’s great to know that most WPG customers are keen to use sustainable paper, but on the other, it’s disappointing that so few choose to celebrate and publicise this by including the FSC label.

Mostly, this seems to be down to the limitations on the final artwork – there may not be enough space for the label or it may not fit in with the design of the publication, especially if it’s a small one. Although, it’s worth bearing in mind that the FSC mini label can be used where there is limited space and is always permitted on paper less than A5 and packaging less than 500ml. The other potential hurdle to getting a publication FSC labelled, is the time taken to get trademark approval the Certification Body. This can take from one to three days, and since modern print runs are shorter and need to be returned in a faster time, this time may not be an affordable luxury.

‘People will ask if their printer is FSC certified and they do care, but don’t want the logo on.’

Fundamentally, the provenance of the material matters more than whether the label is on it or not, but it’s unfortunate that more customers aren’t choosing to include it. Our research (GfK 2013) shows that certification seals are the most trusted source of information on a product’s level of environmental and social responsibility. Regardless of the concerns around trademark use, seeing WPG at work shows how the FSC certification system fits well into normal business practice. Paper is checked for its FSC status on delivery into the warehouse, when that paper is used for a job, the FSC status is communicated to the client and appears on their invoice and delivery notes. The racks of paper standing ready in the WPG warehouse are adorned with the tick-

tree logo and show that, as for many businesses, FSC certification is a core part of their day to day activities.

‘It doesn’t cost to add the FSC logo.’

FSC, and forest certification in general, continues to evolve as uptake increases across different industries and experience is garnered in the field. Simplification was a key theme at last year’s FSC General Assembly, where motions included a request to simplify trademark requirements and approval procedures, which was passed almost unanimously. Work is underway on this and other motions but it must always be born in mind, that not only must requirements be simple, they must also ensure the FSC system remain strong. Businesses like WPG do a lot to increase awareness about what FSC certification means and how customers can request the use of FSC certified paper and have their publication carry the FSC label. They do not charge anything to add the FSC label to productions using FSC certified paper, but it is commonly assumed that there must be a cost involved. After being shown round WPG and had the whole operation explained, it was encouraging to go away knowing that FSC certification can fit into an already busy organisation. Knowing that the paper comes from well-managed sources is a boost for WPG and a source of confidence for their clients. FSC has come a long way since it was founded over 20 years ago, and having created a certification system that does so much to improve forest management, addressing the remaining barriers to trademark use is surely just around the corner. 12

Forests For All For Ever

FSC recently launched a new Marketing Toolkit for license holders with a new Forests for all Forever brandmark and associated imagery. Below, we’ve outlined some of the main queries we’ve received to date. Questions and Answers Q: I am a certificate holder, how do I log in to the Marketing Tookit? A: Certificate holders can log in to the Marketing Toolkit at https://marketingtoolkit.fsc.org/login. You can use the same log in details as you use for the FSC Trademark Portal to access the Toolkit. If you have forgotten your password you can use the reset password link on the log in page. If this doesn’t work, please contact your certification body to request your log in details. Q: Does the new artwork replace the existing FSC labels or Promotional Panels? A: No, the new artwork does not replace the existing FSC Labels or Promotional Panels but can be used in addition. The advice note FSC-ADV-50-004 (V1-0) Requirements for use of the Forests-for-All-Forever trademarks by Certificate Holders, provides more information. Certificate holders and non-certified trademark license holders must comply with the trademark standards, FSC-STD-50-001 and FSCSTD-50-002 respectively. 13

Q: If the brandmark is used with a full promotional panel (or elements of) does the licence code still need to be added to the brandmark? A: No, it is sufficient to show the license code just once. Q: If the brandmark and license code are used promotionally, must a promotional panel (or elements of) still be included? A: No, there is no need for the promotional panel as long as the license code is included with the brandmark. Is your company making use of the new artwork? We want to hear about it! Please let us know how you’re using the artwork, we also welcome images. Our intention is to collaborate with FSC International to provide examples of FSC campaign roll out’s carried out by license holders. Please contact tallulah@fsc-uk.org to provide examples or if you have any questions. We’ve used the new artwork to create the posters for this year’s FSC Friday!

FSC Friday FSC Friday, our annual celebration of responsible forestry, will take place on 25th September 2015. It’s a great opportunity to promote your FSC certificate or trademark license and help to spread the word about the little tree with a tick that means so much to so many! FSC Friday website launched! The new FSC Friday website is now live at www. fscfriday.org. Take a look around, there are lots of ideas on how individuals, businesses, schools/youth groups and others can join in the celebrations. Look out for more information on events from around the world appearing in the lead up to the day.

Logos, posters and banners

FSC Friday resources can be used by the FSC network, FSC license holders (CH and NCH) and other organisations promoting FSC educationally e.g. libraries, schools, zoos etc. Again, register by clicking here to request FSC Friday resources or contact fscfriday@fsc.org for more information or to let us know about your plans for FSC Friday 2015. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

FSC Friday poster designs, FSC Friday 2015 logos and email and web banners are available on request by emailing fscfriday@fsc.org. Printed posters and other resources, such as pencils, stickers, wristbands, factsheets and competition prizes can also be requested by registering here.

Social Media The hashtag to use for this year’s event is #FSCFriday2015. You can follow FSC Friday on Twitter or on Facebook.

Keep in touch Let us know if you’re celebrating FSC Friday 2015 – for large events, we can put a marker on the world map which can be seen by clicking here, all events can also be added to the UK map. 14

Shopfitting Shops fit for the environment

Shelves, racks, doors and floors: UK retailers increasingly expect their suppliers to deliver eco-friendly interior fittings. And the shopfitters themselves are no stranger to sustainability thinking. These are the main reasons why FSC certification is displaying a new side in UK retail. Shoppers browsing the racks and shelves of Britain’s home stores and supermarkets are increasingly familiar with the FSC logo. It is found on everaything from toilet tissue, tea packaging, tool handles, to teak garden furniture, and of course timber pure and simple. Some certified businesses actively use it in their wider marketing, notably food-to-clothing giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) and lead DIY retailer B&Q. GfK NOP research has found that 50% of UK adults now recognise the label. However, fewer are probably aware that the FSC scheme today increasingly extends beyond certified goods to those very racks and shelves they’re displayed on. 15

“With retailers ever more engaged with FSC in products, packaging and promotion, shop fit-out becomes the logical next Corporate Social Responsibility step,” says FSC UK Communications Manager Tallulah Chapman. Consequently, she adds, shopfitting is now among the most active sectors in seeking certification. NEPCon has certified several major UK shopfitters and is experiencing mounting interest from others, says manager of NEPCon UK & Ireland Elisa Colpo. “Retailers increasingly realise they can support responsible forestry, not only when building stores, but every time they refurbish. It’s part of a trend towards sustainability encompassing the whole retail experience.”

Retailers are raising the bar Shopfitters’ retail clients set this ball rolling, with M&S cited most often as the company blazing the trail. In 2007, M&S announced its 100-point Plan A environmental and social performance strategy.

“We were the first major UK retailer to ensure all timber products were from well-managed forests or recycled,” she says. “Today 100% of our timber and paper-based products are CoCbacked, and we work specifically with goods-notfor-resale suppliers to help them achieve this too. So all timber-based store shell, fit out and shop fitting equipment materials are also now certified – FSC-only for tropical hardwood.” With big name retailers taking such an uncompromising stance – and GAP, Tesco, John Lewis and Next are reported adopting similar positions – shopfitters admit certification is approaching a necessity.

Within this, timber-based products, including store fittings and building components, were a ‘specific target’. “We aimed for all wood for store construction and fit to be from FSC certified, or otherwise protected forests, or recycled, by 2012,” says Plan A Property Manager Rachel Mellows. Initially this proved difficult as none of M&S’s 38 shopfitters or main contractors were certified. So, together with NEPCon and Rainforest Alliance, it launched a supplier sourcing strategy.

“Customers, notably M&S, which we’ve supplied for 30 years, clearly influenced our decision,” says David Kirkup, Cardinal group Associate Director (Joinery). “But we already had strict environmental policies and certification sat with them comfortably.” It dovetailed with the ethos of fellow shopfitter SFD too. “Our environmental strategy already covered everything from materials sourcing to diverting waste from landfill,” saysMannequin Buying Manager Sharon Terry.

“Customers, notably M&S, which we’ve supplied for 30 years, clearly influenced our decision,” - David Kirkup “We developed monthly supplier reporting tools for percentages of FSC-certified or recycled timber procured and ran education workshops with NEPCon and the Rainforest Alliance,” says Ms Mellows. Each year since then, M&S has raised the bar, until its 2015 Property Wood Policy stipulates that all wood-based fit-out, construction and display materials must be FSC 100%, FSC Mix or recycled. According to Sustainability Manager-Products Julia Griffin, B&Q is equally committed.

Workable challenges That’s not to say getting certified has been without challenges for these companies. Certainly, Cardinal faced an uphill task as one of shopfitting’s certification pioneers. “It was six years ago and we had no examples to follow!” says Mr Kirkup. “We had to interpret it for ourselves.”

What also made the process complex was Cardinal’s scale and international spread. “We have two UK plants, but also manufacturing partners in China, where we have an international sales office, so they had to be certified too,” says Mr Kirkup. “However, the advantage of FSC’s system is that it’s global, so from Manchester I can instantly check suppliers’ CoC certification status anywhere in the world.”

“took sustainability very seriously.” Another natural concern about certification for any timber-using manufacturer is whether it will limit raw materials choice and hence design options. But shopfitters say this hasn’t been a significant issue and become less so as certification among their suppliers has increased. “We initially had issues with certain laminates,” said Mr Kirkup. “However the situation has improved and we’re now sourcing 80% of materials fully certified and aiming for 100%. And while there’s a premium for some certified hardwoods, there’s none for standard panel products where certified is becoming the norm.” SFD reports a similar experience. It has not had to drop any of its panel products selection, or timber species, which range from cherry to yew.

At the same time, companies say they’ve found FSC certification a valuable net to filter out suspect or high risk suppliers.

“NEPCon undertakes our yearly audit, which is a full day checking paper work and stock, but thanks to our systems, hasn’t given us any problems,” says Mr Kirkup. SFD is equally positive about the certification experience, although Ms Terry also admits it wasn’t all straightforward, not least because of deadlines in the business. “We work across the UK, China, Middle East and Europe and project times range from months, to just days,” she says. “As a result, we operate night shifts at our manufacturing and joinery plants 50% of the time.”

“We’re now sourcing 80% of materials fully certified and aiming for 100%.”- DK SFD, which according to Joinery Managing Director Tim Wood is capable of working with any timber variety, reports a similar experience. It has not had to drop any of its panel products selection, or timber species, which range from cherry to yew. SFD decided to go for certification because it is “an absolute requirement for some clients, like Bodyshop and M&S”, but also because it already 17

“We buy most of our solid wood or wood veneer from the UK because of lead times, notably oak for customers like John Lewis,” says Display Plan Project Buyer Jacqui Cawley. “But we also buy elsewhere, and do now avoid certain sources, such as Romania. We’re also sceptical of Chinese supply, which we’ve used, but only reputable FSC companies as part of our sustainability plan.”

Overall, shopfitters that have gone for certification clearly believe it’s been a worthwhile exercise; beneficial for market reputation and an increasingly valuable criteria for doing business. Cardinal and SFD also recognise wider management benefits. “It’s always valuable to step away from a business to analyse and challenge what you’re doing,” says Mr Kirkup. “Certification presents an opportunity to do that top to bottom.”

Ms Terry agrees. “It’s a useful tool to home in on supply lines and monitor operations.” Cardinal additionally finds its FSC experience, and NEPCon’s expertise, valuable in its compliance with the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) on imported goods.

A growing trend The consensus is that certification in shopfitting can only grow in the UK. Another factor expected to drive shopfitting further down the certification route are the environmental concerns of the shopfitters themselves. “We recently watched Al Gore talk on combating climatic changes, and it made a real impact,” says Ms Terry. “There’s increasing realisation we all need to play our part and if shopfitting’s design and construction methods serve from environmental principles, we can change the face of the industry.”

“For me this isn’t just about business,” concludes Mr Kirkup. “I’ve got grandchildren and I’m increasingly thinking about the world we’re leaving behind.”

This article was written by timber industry expert and journalist Mike Jeffree on behalf of NEPCon.

Staff Changes FSC UK appoints Communications Assistant Julien Price “It gives me great pleasure to have begun work at FSC UK as Communications Assistant. My experience is mostly in graphic design and digital communications, delivering artwork and marketing communications to cross sector organisations. I hold such high regard for nature and our woodland, and to be given the opportunity to apply my skills to a cause I am passionate about, in an organisation that is directly involved in bettering our world, brings me great satisfaction. I am already helping to entice interest and raise awareness for this year’s international FSC Friday campaign and I am delighted to have commenced work with this fantastic FSC UK team. I very much look forward to the time ahead.” 18

Company: Rectella International Ltd License number: FSC-C015372 Certified since: 1995 Product: Bar-Be-Quick range – Instant Barbecues, Party Barbecues & Instant Lighting Charcoal Label: FSC 100% & FSC Mix

Product Focus

Why FSC? Environmentalists raised the profile of deforestation in the 90’s, targeting timber sales through the ‘sheds’ – places such as B&Q and Homebase, for example. At that time, charcoal wasn’t a consideration for the environmentalists as they had so much to try and achieve in terms of raw timber and processed timber, so we took it upon ourselves to be proactive and to take the initiative with our premium branded Instant Lighting Charcoal and in turn, win ourselves an additional badge which supported our premium brand. What does FSC do for your business? The FSC mark ensures that all charcoal used in the manufacture of our instant barbecues and charcoal packs is sourced responsibly. Our products carry the FSC mark of responsible forestry, which requires stringent social and environmental checks to ensure that workers, factories and harvesting methods are environmentally appropriate and socially beneficial.

We have gone one step further and are the World’s only supplier of Fairly Traded Charcoal, again this came about by working closely with the Co-operative. What’s next? As a business, we are fully supportive of initiatives that raise the standards in the market place and ensures sustainability in both UK woodlands and world wide. Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) UK is a charity dedicated to promoting responsible forestry. For more information about FSC UK: www.fsc-uk.org info@fsc-uk.org 11-13 Great Oak Street Llanidloes Powys, SY18 6BU 01686 413916

Charity number: 1130203 FSC® F000231

FSC in numbers 2,373 Chain of Custody certificates in the UK 1,613,888 hectares of FSC certified forest in the UK 29,508 Chain of Custody certificates worldwide 183,863 million hectares of FSC certified forest worldwide Latest figures from FSC IC. Correct as of 03/09/2015.