wood and paper sourcing policy
The Co-operative is committed to the responsible purchasing of forest products. Our long-term aim is to source all forest products that we purchase or specify from well-managed forests that have been certified to credible certification standards. Currently the credible certification standard, which meets all of the co-operatives requirements, is FSC.
The Co-operative will not source forest products from:
• Forests or forest product suppliers that do not comply with all relevant national legislation relating to the trade in forest products.
• High-conservation-value forests where these are recognized nationally or regionally, unless these forests are progressing towards credible forest certification in a time-bound, stepwise and transparent manner.
• Protected areas, parks or similar areas where harvesting operations are not complementary to responsible forest management.
• Forests which are currently being converted to other land uses, or forests that have been converted since 1994.
• Forests which are in areas of armed conflict or civil unrest where there is a direct relationship between the forest products trade and the funding of such conflicts.
To ensure that these goals are achieved the Co-operative will:
• Scrutinise all suppliers of forest products for all purchases of goods for resale, not-for resale and in all new construction activities.
• Seek information as to the source of all forest products.
• Evaluate this information against our stated policy.
• Continually improve the level of compliance against these policies, with annual reviews, reports and actions agreed with our suppliers.
• Work with and encourage suppliers and forest sources that are actively engaged in a process of time-bound, transparent, stepwise commitment to credible certification (such as WWF Producer Group members).
• Work with key stakeholders to ensure that best practice is followed.
• Set annual, publicly communicated targets regarding our performance.
The Co-operative will abide by all local, state and national laws and international conventions (including but not limited to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), World Heritage Convention (WHC), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as well as moratoriums on logging, declarations of protected areas, forestry laws, environmental protection legislation, and labour and social laws.
The Co-operative will never knowingly become involved in, collude with or purchase timber from illegal logging operations. We will work with our supply chain to ensure where feasible that all forest products originate from forests where there is full legal and verifiable title to the land and where the harvester has all relevant and current permits and approvals. We will ensure that all products are extracted with the full authorisation of those holding rights to the land or forest resources and with the required authorisation, permits and approvals from all relevant government agencies.