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Avon Timber Merchants Sourcing Policy
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Environmental Policy
Avon Timber Merchants Ltd (The Company) recognises that the company has a responsibility to the environment.
The company is committed to purchasing all timber from legal & sustainable sources and unreservedly condemns illegal logging practises and keeps informed of processes and changes in international legislation.
The company buys and sells Softwood, Hardwood, Sheet materials, MDF Mouldings, Manufactured Joinery, Fencing and other associated Timber products into the UK construction and Joinery markets.
The company recognises that the independent certification of the forests and the process chain is the best means of providing assurance that the timber comes from legal and well managed forests and will purchase certified material whenever possible.
The company has implemented Chain of Custody (CoC) procedures to ensure that these materials meet the government and C.P.E.T (Central point of expertise in timber) policy and guidelines on sustainable forest management practises and are obtained from legal and sustainable forest sources.
As part of this system, it is the policy of the Company to ensure compliance with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) criteria. As part of this system it is the policy of the Company to avoid using timber harvested from forested areas where traditional or civil rights are violated, timber harvested from non FSC certified forest areas having high conservation values which are threatened, timber from genetically modified (GM) trees, illegally harvested timber and natural forest that has been converted to plantations or non-forest use.
Management shall be responsible for implementing this policy and the day to day responsibility of this statement is carried out, and that the Company’s CoC certification scheme is maintained in line with the certification body requirements and the government and C.P.E.T policy.
The company will work closely with all of its suppliers to encourage greater use of certified timber and timber products, so that our continual improvement programme of introducing more certified products can be sustained. In order to achieve this, all afore mentioned products, where possible, are to be sourced and procured from a list of approved supplier that is maintained and updated in accordance with the company’s CoC scheme requirements. These suppliers will have already achieved CoC certification through a licensed and approved independent third party certification body.
In accordance with the UKTR all timber imported and placed on the UK market by Avon Timber Merchants has been harvested legally and is in full compliance with the UKTR. We fulfil all our obligations as an ‘Operator’ within UKTR.
The company also purchases products that have been custom cleared in the UK. As part of the Company’s CoC scheme it is a requirement that the company maintains records for a minimum of 5 years. These records include the full detail of all sales and purchases. By definition this requirement will fulfil the Company’s obligations as a ‘Trader’ within UKTR.
The company is also required under this scheme to be audited on an annual basis by an independent third party auditor.
Stephen Lomasney
Managing Director
10th May 2022.
Avon Timber Merchants Ltd.
Commitments for the Responsible Purchasing of Timber & Timber Products.
1. Responsibility
The company recognises a responsibility to environment, the Company’s customers, suppliers and staff to base its commercial activities on well managed forests.
2. Legality
The company is committed to sourcing all timber from legal sources and will seek evidence of compliance from suppliers that they are operating in accordance with the laws of their country.
3. Endangered Species
The company will not source any timber species prohibited under Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
4. Traceability and Supplier Monitoring
The company will seek from suppliers:
a) Evidence of commitment to continuous improvement in environmental performance.
b) Clearest practicable information on the sources of wood products.
c) Evidence of good forest management practice at the original source of wood products.
5. Timber Certification
The company will only accept or use labels or certificates which include claims of environmental soundness or sustainability if these are supported by publicly available standards drawn up in a fully participatory, transparent and objective manner and backed by independent inspection.
6. Avoid Boycotts
The company will not encourage boycotts or bans on specific species of timber. Notwithstanding this, the company will cease to source any species if its supply is in breach of Commitments 2 and 3 above.
7. Avoid Misleading Claims
The company will strive at all times to avoid misleading and unsubstantiated environmental claims in relation to wood products supplies.
8. Management Structure
The company will ensure that all employees associated with timber purchasing are encouraged to act in accordance with this policy and are given appropriate education and training to do so if required.
9. Reporting and Audit
The Company holds both FSC and PEFC certification for which we are audited annually.
10. Continuous Improvement
The company will define its own programmes, and establish its own objectives and targets, to achieve continuous improvement in environmental performance in accordance with this Policy.
Avon Timber Merchants Ltd & UK Timber Regulation (UKTR)
The UK Timber Regulation was implemented on the 1st January 2021 to replace the EU Timber Regulation after Brexit. The UKTR aims to stop the supply of illegal timber into the UK. Businesses across the UK are required to implement a system of due diligence to ensure imported timber products have been legally harvested, traded and exported in the country of harvest.
As a business who occasionally imports its own timber from outside the UK Avon Timber Merchants is considered an operator under UKTR. Therefore, due diligence has to be implemented to prove a ‘negligible risk’ of the timber.
Due diligence is integrated into our purchasing and company processes. Avon Timber will undertake risk management exercises to minimize the risk of placing illegally harvested timber on the UK market.
The key steps are:
Collect Information about the product and supply chain. We work with our suppliers to ensure we have all the right information. We ensure we know or have access to information describing the timber and timber products, the country of harvest, species, quantity, details of the supplier and information on compliance with national legislation. We only purchase materials from FSC/PEFC certified companies, and we maintain a list of all approved suppliers.
Assess the risk of illegal harvesting. As an operator we assess the risk of illegal timber in the supply chain, based on the information identified above and taking into account criteria set out in the regulation. The company unreservedly condemns illegal logging practices and keeps informed of international processes and changes in legislation. To minimise the risk, we only purchase FSC or PEFC certified timber as this is the most appropriate market tool in responsible sourcing and provides safeguards.
Mitigate identified risks When the assessment shows that there is a risk of illegal timber in the supply chain that risk can be mitigated by obtaining additional information and further verification from the supplier. Depending on the risks identified this could include: audits and document reviews, hiring third party experts or implementing a programme of product testing to verify origin or species. If any corrective measures are required they will be put in writing to the supplier with the agreed time frames and cancellation of any further orders until resolved.
Determine the final risk conclusion only if a negligible risk can be concluded can the product be purchased.
Avon Timber Merchants Ltd also purchases products that have been customs-cleared in the UK. As such, we assume responsibility as a ‘Trader’. Our obligations are simple: to maintain records of purchases and sales.
Enclosed is a current copy of the company’s Environmental purchasing policy for further information.
Stephen Lomasney
Managing Director
10th May 2022.