Nick Moss CPET Awareness Coordinator NSCPP Stakeholder Group Meeting 9 th February Sustainable Timber Procurement in Local Authorities

The Central Point of Expertise on Timber

CPET’s role Funded by Defra Operated by ProForest Information on the UK Government’s timber procurement policy requirements Advice on how public sector buyers and their suppliers can meet the policy

Background Forests are a vital resource environmentally, socially and economically; Illegal and non-sustainable timber harvest poses a critical threat to world’s forest resources. In % of timber imports into the EU are estimated to derive from illegal or suspicious sources (WWF, 2008)

Impacts of illegal logging Environmental –biodiversity, habitat, watershed functions, etc. –Climate change Economic –Loss of Gov. revenue, company profit, employment opportunities, etc. Social –Conflict, impoverishment, crime, health & safety, etc.

European Context TIMBER Created to stop the importation of illegal timber to the EU Addressing illegal logging, linking good governance in developing countries with the legal trade instruments and influence offered by the EU’s internal market. European Commission’s 2003 Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade FLEGT

The role of the UK - UK is the 4 th biggest net importer of wood products after the US, China and Japan - Plays a leading role in Europe in timber procurement and shares experience internationally UK timber procurement policy supports delivery of a range of policies: –Combating climate change –Reducing illegal logging –Protection of biodiversity

Local Authorities and timber procurement –Public sector account for over 30% of all timber purchases –Only 7.5% of Local Authorities have a timber procurement policy (ENDS 2008) –An important tool in tackling climate change and meeting sustainable development targets

The UK government Timber Procurement Policy : The UK Government will actively seek to procure only legal timber, and preferably sustainable timber 2009 (1 April) ~ 2015: All timber and wood-derived products must be from independently verifiable legal and sustainable sources or FLEGT- licensed timber only ~ : Sustainable timber only

Timber = all timber and wood-derived products Construction (including wood used temporarily during construction works) Paper (office supplies and printed material) Furniture Wood fuel Other wood composite products Definitions

Applicability Policy is mandatory for all: 1.Central government departments, 2.Executive agencies 3.Non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) Autonomous organisations that receive public funding are encouraged to adopt the policy –Local Authorities –Universities

Implementation -How is it implemented? Put into practice through contract clauses Government purchase of legal and sustainable timber is a policy, not a law. However, ‘breach of contract’ is illegal.

Guidance note Timber Procurement Guidance Note April 2009 – the ‘TPAN’ –Replace November 2005 and August 2008 –Instruction for policy implementation –Model specifications, contract clauses and ITT letter

Defining sustainability UK government defines legal and sustainable via set of criteria which evidence is assessed against Recycled timber is accepted equally with sustainable wood under the policy. Defined and clarified on the CPET website

Types of evidence Forest Certification schemes –Called ‘Category A’ under CPET Other types of credible evidence –Called ‘Category B’ under CPET

Category A evidence Forest certification schemes Assessed for compliance with legality and sustainability criteria + criteria for the standard-setting process, certification, accreditation and chain of custody Bi-annual review of accepted schemes and of other relevant schemes Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) Has endorsed CSA, SFI and MTCS Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Assessment results, 2008

Certificate number to be checked online and invoice/delivery note to be checked at delivery Invoice CoC Certificate Forest management Certificate For more training: CPET workshops!

Category B evidence Other types of credible evidence Evidence that shows –Traceability through supply chain (CoC) –Compliance with legality and sustainability criteria Equivalent to Category A evidence Assessed on a case-by-case basis

When is Category B evidence needed? 1. Broken chain of custody: If the supply chain is partially certified but not to end use 2. If there is no certificate in the supply chain Whenever the supplier is not FSC/PEFC certified to supply product!

Preparing Category B evidence Legality: Checklist 2 (Forest source information on legality) Sustainability: Checklist 3 (Forest source information on sustainability) Checklist 1 Supply chain information

Benefits of a timber procurement policy By implementing a responsible timber purchasing policy, you can: Reduce your environmental footprint; Reduce your carbon footprint; Reduce risk; Ensure resource sustainability; Become a sustainable procurement champion.

Implementation in Local Authorities Local authorities can do so by: Issuing a clear policy on what timber and paper to buy for authority work and use; Always asking for legal and sustainable forest products, or recycled products; Checking and recording basic information on whether what you bought met your policy.

Case study: Durham CC CPET worked with NEIEP and DCC to develop and implement a Sustainable timber procurement policy; Final draft published in May 2009; Policy is in line with the UK government policy and refers to CPET guidance on evidence; CPET and DCC working together to implement and monitor the policy.

Local Authorities Sustainable Timber Procurement Forum Establish a Forum in which Local Authority representatives share best practice in implementing and monitoring sustainable timber procurement policies: –Implement policy in line with UK government; –Share problems and solutions in implementation and monitoring; –Create case studies to share with other Local authorities;

CPET Services Helpline: Technical support on certification and evidence of legality/sustainability; Training and raising awareness: Next workshop in London on the 17 th March; Website: Information and advice on how to meet the timber procurement policy for Local Authorities local-authorities. local-authorities

Policy summary Purchasing legal and sustainable timber is an important issue nationally and internationally It is mandatory for Central Government Departments, Agencies and affiliated Bodies Local Authorities and other autonomous public sector organisations are encouraged to adopt the policy

Evidence summary Two categories of evidence can be used –Category A (forest certification schemes) –Category B (other credible evidence) FSC and PEFC (SFI & CSA) can currently be used to demonstrate compliance There are three Checklists available for use when preparing Category B evidence Due to EU Procurement Directives buyers must allow both types of evidence. CPET available for support

In summary: Ensuring compliance public buyer Implement specifications and clauses for all potential timber/timber products Request evidence of compliance and highlight the requirement with suppliers and contractors Check compliance –Certified supplier: Check invoices or delivery notes –Other cases forward evidence to CPET Implement a system as a part of your contract management Act on cases of non-compliance

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