PEFC /16-01-01
PEFCUK NEWS www.pefc.co.uk
issue 30 OCTOBER 2013
New BIOMASS sustainability criteria In August, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced that the UK biomass industry must be able to show that fuel is sustainable or lose financial support. Biomass is expected to make a significant contribution to delivering the UK’s 2020 renewable energy target. Around 38% of the new UK’s renewable electricity currently comes from bio energy. From April 2015 the biomass industry, estimated to be worth over £1 billion in new investment while supporting over 3,000 jobs, will be required to demonstrate their fuel is from sustainable sources. All generators of 1 Megawatt capacity or more using solid biomass or biogas feedstock, will be required to demonstrate that they are meeting sustainability criteria in order to claim support under the Renewables Obligation. This would cover around 98% of all biomass power generation in
the UK. Sustainable forest management criteria will be based on the Government’s UK Timber Procurement Policy principles (www.cpet.org.uk). Compliance with the UK
government’s timber procurement policy is mainly demonstrated by certification to either the PEFC or FSC sustainable forest management schemes.
FREE CPET training webinar
Tuesday 29 October, 1:30 -5:00pm Do you know how to comply with the UK Government’s Timber Procurement Policy (TPP)? Do you know how to check evidence of compliance? What are the 6 steps you must follow in order to be TPP-compliant? During this webinar, the CPET Project Manager will talk participants through the TPP and explain how to become TPPcompliant. In addition, there will be three guest presenters - Julia Young from WWF GFTN-UK, Anand Punja from TTF discussing what the trade is doing, and a case study from Steve Cook of Willmott Dixon and the UK Contractors Group (UKCG). .
Find our more
Visit the CPET website for further details www.cpet.org.uk or email cpet@efeca.com
Peter Latham, Chairman of James Latham PLC
2013 stakeholder event The European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) entered the statute
Michael Kearney of the National Measurement Office (NMO)
Jacqui Macalister, McDonalds Europe
Steve Cook of Willmott Dixon and the UK Contractors Group
books in March this year. The Regulation covers a wide range of timber products including solid wood products, flooring, plywood, pulp, paper and packaging. It prohibits the placing of illegally harvested timber on the European market in an effort to tackle the problem of illegal logging across the world. It also sets out requirements that companies within the EU must meet in order to minimise the risk of illegal timber being traded. In May, PEFC published a revised Chain of Custody standard to ensure that Chain of Custody certification provides an efficient mechanism for companies to demonstrate compliance with EUTR requirements. This year therefore, PEFC considered it appropriate to make the responsible sourcing of forest products in general and the implementation of the EUTR in particular, the focus of its annual stakeholder day. The event aimed to give delegates a sense of what the EUTR is designed to do, with advice and a clear examples of how companies and organisations are implementing it.
A panel of knowledgeable, expert speakers from a range of sectors shared their experiences including Michael Kearney, National Measurement Office (the competent authority for ensuring EUTR compliance in the UK), Steve Cook of Willmott Dixon who chairs the UK Contractors Group Materials Working Group, Nina Happonen of Metsaboard and Jacqueline Macalister of McDonalds Europe. Additionally, Alun Watkins of PEFC UK explained how PEFC Chain of Custody certification could help certified companies meet EUTR due diligence requirements. The meeting closed with a lively panel discussion which provided delegates with opportunities to put questions to the panel.
Feedback from those who attended was very positive and we have already set the date for the 2014 event – Tuesday 1 July.
Furniture Research group conference Next month, PEFC’s Alun Watkins will be speaking at the 8th conference of the Furniture Research Group – ‘Current Issues in Global Furniture’. The event takes place on Wednesday 20 November at Missenden Abbey, a 12th century monastery founded in 1133 and now part of the Buckinghamshire New University estates. The conference will focus on key issues of interest to the UK furniture industry. Alun’s
presentation will explain how those in the furniture sector will be affected by the EU Timber Regulation which was introduced earlier this year. The conference has been sponsored by the National School of Furniture, the Malaysian Furniture Promotion Council and
Timberexpo 2013 Last month, PEFC partnered with
the Consortium for Research Excellence Support and Training (CREST). For further details visit www.bucks.ac.uk/furnitureconference or email Julie.Catlow@bucks.ac.uk
Members workshops PEFC has introduced a number of changes to its programme this year and there are more in the pipeline as we seek to improve the services we provide to our members. These changes include the introduction of a revised Chain of Custody standard, an on-line logo generator and a new and improved Information Register.
the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) and the North American, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) to exhibit at Timber Expo for the third successive year. The event, which moved to the NEC in Birmingham this year, showcased a broad range range of timber technologies and wood products and a wide display of new and innovative applications for timber within the built environment. The event was aimed at architects, engineers, contractors, local authorities and specifiers Alun Watkins presented a Toolbox Talk on EUTR compliance and how PEFC Chain of Custody certification provides an efficient tool to demonstrate compliance with EUTR requirements along the supply chain. The Toolbox Talks were free ‘hands on’ CPD seminars and workshops dedicated to timber technology and designed to complement the main Timber Talks programme which were held in a purposebuilt 30-seat presentation theatre.
Alun Watkins, National Secretary. PEFC UK
In the light of these changes, we thought it would be helpful to run some training sessions for members on these new systems. The Sheffield and London workshops are both fully subscribed. However, there are still places available at the Glasgow event on Thursday 7 November. We have also decided to run a further workshop in London on Wednesday 4 December.
Once again, this two-day show provided PEFC with an important platform to engage with a broad spectrum of stakeholders from across the timber and construction industry.
If you would like to attend either the Glasgow workshop or the second London workshop, please email hilary.khawam@ pefc.co.uk. Places at these workshops are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis so early registration is recommended.
PEFC notification fee increase PEFC UK will be raising the tariff scale for Notification Fees by 5% from 1st January 2014. In recognition of a tough trading environment, the current level of charges has been held for more than three years. Although trading conditions remain challenging, in order to meet PEFC UK’s own rising costs, the Board has reluctantly agreed to this modest increase.
Income generated by Notification Fees is invested directly in key areas such as ongoing standards development, growing the global certified area to increase supply and marketing the PEFC programme to those in the corporate and public sectors charged with making responsible procurement decisions for forest products.
From 1st January 2014, the revised tariff (excluding VAT) will be Size of Organisation
Annual Turnover
Notification Fee
Small
Under £3 million
£130
Medium
£3 - £10 million
£365
Large
£10 - £50 million
£630
Very large
£50 - £100 million
£945
Largest
More than £100 million
£1300
International Multi-site More than £100 million schemes
Cost on application
Project Certification
£500 Flat Fee
N.B. In most instances these fees are collected annually by your Certification Body.
FOREST CERTIFICATION WEEK 2013 Advancing Sustainable Trade in Asia: Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 11-15 November 2013 Asia holds the key to unlocking the production and trade of sustainable forest products. Participate in the 2013 Stakeholder Dialogue, part of the Forest Certification Week, brought to you by PEFC, the world’s largest forest certification system, to l join concerted efforts to foster and expand sustainable timber supply chains in Asia. l learn about the opportunities and enabling conditions to mainstream sustainable production & trade in the region. l discuss how current bottlenecks can be addressed to drive sustainability solutions forward. PEFC’s Stakeholder Dialogue (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 14/15 November 2013) will bring together up to 250 diverse stakeholders and key actors across forest sector landscape to engage in solutions-oriented discussions. The Dialogue is part of the PEFC Forest Certification Week.
MEET PEFC PEFC UK Members’ Workshop Glasgow 7 November 2013 Details: hilary.khawam@pefc.co.uk PEFC Stakeholder Meeting Advancing Sustainable Trade in Asia 11-15 November 2013 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia PEFC General Assembly 13 November Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Current issues in Global Furniture Conference 20 November 2013 Missenden Abbey, Bucks Details: Julie.Vatlow@bucks.ac.uk Timber in Construction Awards Dinner 21 November 2013 The Point, Lancashire Country Cricket Ground Details: http://awardstimberinconstruction.co.uk PEFC UK Members’ Workshop London 4 December 2013 Details: hilary.khawam@pefc.co.uk Ecobuild 2014 4-6 March 2014 Details: www.ecobuild.co.uk PEFC UK Stakeholder Day 2014 1 July 2014 Details: hilary.khawam@pefc.co.uk
contacts Alun Watkins PEFC UK National Secretary e awatkins@pefc.co.uk t 0114 307 2334 ...for all general enquiries and queries about Chain of Custody and use of the PEFC logo. Hilary Khawam PEFC Communications Director e hilary.khawam@pefc.co.uk t 01689 819902