Policy update

Currently the UK government’s timber procurement policy requires its departments to actively seek to purchase legal and sustainable timber and timber product. This will change from April 1 2009, when the policy will demand, that all timber and wood-derived products must be from independently verifiable legal and sustainable sources or FLEGT-licensed timber only. Timber which only meets the legality criteria will be accepted in very special cases only, see exemptions to the policy below.

Details on the new policy is available in the Timber Procurement Advice Note August 2008, available for download here.

It is essential that relevant personnel, contractors, suppliers etc. are aware of the new policy. CPET has developed an info sheet on the policy change which should be downloaded and distributed.

Download CPET info sheet on policy change here (PDF). 

Scope and applicability of the policy will not change

The policy is mandatory for all central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). It also applies to other public sector bodies, such as local authorities, which have voluntarily adopted the policy. The requirements apply to all timber and wood-derived products used on the government estate, such as paper, furniture and construction timber, including temporary site works and material supplied by contractors. See definition of timber here.

Specification text and contract condition

Model specification text and a model contract condition are provided in the Timber Procurement Advice Note August 2008.

The model specification text should be included in specifications for all contracts and funding mechanisms involving the supply of timber or wood-derived products. Similarly, the model contract condition should be used as a Supplementary Condition including the supply of timber or wood-derived products.

The model specification and the model contract condition can be downloaded here (wordfile available for copy-paste).  

Evidence of compliance with the policy

The UK governments legality and sustainability criteria have not changed - they are the same as defined by the document titled "UK Government timber procurement policy: Definition of "legal‟ and "sustainable‟ for timber procurement" and can be found here.  The new policy, however, requires government buyers to request evidence from contractors that the supplied products comply, not only with the policy requirements for legal, but also the requirements for sustainable timber or FLEGT-licensed timber (see below). This evidence should cover both the source of the timber (chain of custody) and proof that this source is legally and sustainably managed or FLEGT-licensed.

Evidence can still come in the two forms:

Category A evidence is independent certification of the timber and timber products by any of the forest certification schemes that meet the policy requirements (such as FSC and PEFC). See a full list of approved schemes here.

Category B evidence is alternative documentary evidence that provides assurance that the source is legal and sustainable. More information on how to collect and evaluate category B evidence here.

These two forms of evidence can be combined, for example when the forest of origin is certified, but the chain of custody is not.  

What is FLEGT?

FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) is an EU initiative to support countries to address illegal logging. A key component of FLEGT will be a licensing scheme between producer partner countries and the EU.

Currently there is no FLEGT-licensed timber available in the market and therefore further detailed guidance on requirements to FLEGT-licensed timber  will follow from CPET as it becomes available. Further information on FLEGT is available here. 

Exemptions to the policy

The policy applies to all timber and wood-derived products used on the government estate in furniture, paper, construction including temporary site works and material supplied by contractors such as scaffolding, hoardings and shuttering.

Only in situations where a particular type of product or timber species is needed (e.g. for use in marine defences or refurbishment of an historic building) and no legal and sustainable or FLEGT source is available will exceptions to the requirements be accepted.

In the event of such a situation, CPET should be contacted and provided with:

1. A documented justification setting out why no alternative can be used;
2. Evidence that the source of material was legally managed;

Additionally, preference should be given to material from sources that are demonstrably in an active programme to improve and certify forest management - CPET can provide up-to-date information.  

Recycled timber is defined as recovered wood that prior to being supplied to the Authority had an end use as a standalone object or as part of a structure. The term ‟recycled‟ is used to cover the following categories:

1. Pre consumer recycled wood and wood fibre or industrial by products (from furniture production for example). Sawmill co-products fall within the category of virgin timber and not recycled.
2. Post consumer recycled wood and wood fibre (recycled paper for example) and drift wood. CPET shall be contacted if claims of drift wood are made.  
3. Reclaimed timber which was abandoned or confiscated at least ten years previously. Evidence of the timber being harvested more that 10 years ago is required and CPET shall be contacted.

Documentary evidence and independent verification also apply to recycled timber, but focus on the previous timber use rather than the forest source. Recycled timber shall be supported with evidence tracing the timber back to the previous use.  

Short-rotation coppice (SRC) is a specific management regime- (tree stems are cut every 1-2 years) aimed at producing biomass for energy. It is exempt from the requirements for timber and falls under agricultural regulation and supervision rather than forestry. The exemption only refers to "short-rotation coppice" and not 'Conventional' coppice which is forest management, and therefore subject to this guidance. It should be noted that the European Commission is considering the development of sustainability criteria applicable to renewable sources of energy, including woody biomass.