FSC UK Forest Matters March 2016 Public Edition by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) UK

Forest Matters FSC UK News March 2016

Director’s Overview Contents 2 News in Brief 3 Staff and Trustee Changes 5 Interview with Anand Punja 7 Forest Focus 9 MBE Honours 11 FSC Certfied Plastic 14 A Postcard From... 16 Product Focus 17 Competition & FSC in numbers

Dear Reader, Welcome to the March edition of Forest Matters. In recent times there have been changes to the make up of our staff and trustee teams, on pages 3 – 4 we say farewell and welcome new members. There is another chance for stakeholders to comment on the UKWAS standard, against which UK forests are assessed in order to obtain forest certification. We outline the main changes in the latest draft on pages 7 – 8. We encourage all interested parties to respond to the consultation by 16th March. Plastic might be the last thing you’d expect to hold FSC® certification but new developments are seeing increased use and incorporation of renewable material sources, such as wood fibre. See pages 11 - 13 to find out more. Want to know what makes our new European Director tick? Read our interview with Anand Punja on page 5. If you have any comments on this e-zine or would like to be featured in a future edition please get in touch.

Rosie Teasdale Executive Director, FSC UK

FSC UK interview new Regional European Director Anand Punja

News in Brief p3

During his recent visit to the UK office in January, FSC UK interviewed Anand to gain an insight into his background, thoughts and objectives.

New FSC Board Chair and ViceChair appointed Colin Bradford and Mark Barthel appointed as Chair and as Vicechair.

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Forestry: We discuss the role of stakeholders - and your opportunity to be heard

Save the Date! FSC Friday is being celebrated on 30th September this year! Save the date and find some inspiration.

“When developing new standards or revising existing ones, it is vital to seek the views of a range of economic, environmental and social stakeholders”

UKWAS Public Consultation open for comments. p9

MBE Honours sawmill owner

awarded

Its your last chance to comment on the new UKWAS standard. Final public consultation open until 16th March http://ukwas.org.uk/

Emma Woods, owner of Duncombe Sawmill awarded MBE in New Year Honours.

Staff and Trustee Changes We appoint Business Liaison Assistant Dylan Jones We are delighted to welcome Dylan Jones to the FSC UK team as Business Liaison Assistant. His role will involve providing advice on all relevant FSC standards to companies both large and small across the UK, and encouraging uptake of certification and trademark licences. Having initially trained as a furniture designer, Dylan quickly realised that his interest was in timber and timber construction. This has led to twenty years in a wide range of roles in the timber industry, from forestry and carpentry through to furniture design and project management. His most recent post was as Project Manager for a Welsh woodlands charity working on a supply chain project based around the conversion of small diameter thinning’s of Welsh timber into high value end-grain flooring tiles and cobbles.

“It is a pleasure to be working for an organisation that is committed to advocating responsible forest management both globally and here in the UK.” Colin Bradford, head of Non-Food Technology and Sourcing Practices at Sainsbury’s, appointed as Steering Group Chair Colin has responsibility for the safety and quality of all Non-Food products at Sainsbury’s. His team ensures production sites adhere to ethical standards and that key raw materials such as timber and cotton meet Sainsbury’s sustainability targets. Colin has many years’ experience in the manufacturing and retail sides of business. He first became involved with FSC as part of a major Chain of Custody project and believes his work as a Trustee helps further the aims and objectives of the organisation.

FSC UK appoints Mark Barthel as Steering Group Vice-Chair Mark has a 25-year track record in identifying, managing, communicating and, above all, finding solutions to difficult environmental and sustainable development issues - and has been involved in the development and implementation of voluntary sustainability standards for 20 of those years. He has been a trustee at FSC UK for almost 11 years, joining the organisation because he is a passionate believer in the fact that FSC standards, and the many talented people behind them, provide a great opportunity to protect our forests and the livelihoods of those who depend on them. 3

FSC UK appoints Constance L. McDermott, senior Fellow and Chair of the Ecosystem Governance Group at the University of Oxford, as Social Trustee. Over the past twenty years Constance has conducted research and applied work on the relationships between people and forests in more than 30 countries worldwide. She first began to follow FSC certification in the 1990s, while working in community forestry in Nepal, California and British Columbia. She saw the potential of certification to recognise local producers for their unique contributions to long-term forest stewardship, while also reconnecting consumers with the forests and people producing wood products. Constance joined the FSC UK Social Chamber with a particular interest in supporting small-scale forest owners to access and benefit from certification, as well as to improve the engagement of all FSC UK stakeholders.

FSC UK would like to take this opportunity to thank Meriel Robson for her valuable contribution as Chair of FSC UK over the last five years. Executive Director, Rosie Teasdale, commented “I am personally indebted to Meriel for her support and advice as FSC UK’s Chair, particularly during my first year as Director. We will continue to benefit from her input as a board member and we all look forward to working with Colin and Mark in their new roles.” Hannah Scrase showed initiative and vision in establishing FSC UK as the first national office back in 1995. She was the first Executive Director of FSC UK and subsequently became a trustee. Having played a proactive role in the charity since its inception, Hannah has been a key part of FSC UK’s success and we have no doubt that there will be times when we will need call on her expertise in the future! Journalist and author Nicola Baird has also been involved with FSC UK over many years, we would like to thank her for her valuable support and advice, particularly in relation to FSC UK’s communications and promotional activities.

Liaison Officer, Tess Jenkins, has chosen not to return to FSC UK after her maternity leave in order to spend more time with her young family. Membership enquiries will now be handled by our Office Administrator, Bethan Gratrix (office@fsc-uk.org). We would like to thank Tess for her six years at FSC UK and wish her every success in future. 4

Interview Collaborative, Strategic and Focused: European Regional Director Anand Punja on his vision for FSC

From his five and a half years leading on sustainability issues at the Timber Trade Federation in the UK, newly appointed FSC Regional Director for Europe, Anand Punja brings with him a diverse network within both the UK and wider European Timber Trade, and a sound knowledge of European policy making. He has predominantly focused on Responsible Timber Procurement and Supply Chain Management and on the role that timber can play in delivering a low-carbon built environment.

During his recent visit to the UK office in January this year, FSC UK interviewed Anand to gain an insight into his background, thoughts and objectives surrounding his recently appointed role. What motivated you most to join FSC? First of all, I love working in the timber trade and therefore was keeping an eye out for opportunities within this sector. Secondly the values that FSC stand for are something that I have always been connected with from my first experience of it back in 1996. Finally, I was involved in the development of the new Global Strategy as a member and really believe in it - to have the opportunity to be part of the team that delivers the aims and objectives of the strategy was just too good an opportunity to miss!

“Focus on delivery will be key over the next three years.” Can you tell us a little more about your background? My background is pretty diverse having worked across the 3 different pillars of sustainability, doing economic and social regeneration in the UK, development work and research in India 5

and of course supporting the timber trade and wider construction sector to embrace and integrate environmental sustainability into their businesses. My work includes working within the arts, where I researched policies - considering heavily which initiatives acted as long-term enablers for individuals to achieve future success. I enjoyed encouraging those I worked with to see themselves as creative enablers, stimulating their thinking about the bigger picture. My strategic role within ‘Street League’ was integral to this.

How has your background prepared you for this role? Previously I worked at Ecotec (now Ecorys UK), a policy and research consultancy. During this time I developed a broad appreciation for social, economic and environmental thinking and perspectives. This, along with my multidisciplinary background, has enabled me to understand situations from different viewpoints, a skill I know will support my new role as regional director.

What do believe is at the very centre of FSC? If you stripped all the layers of complexity off FSC and took it back to its central purpose, I believe, from a brand perspective, it is a marketing tool for business to show consumers they are buying ‘good wood’ and that by buying these products they are helping keep forests standing.

What are your thoughts surrounding public perception of FSC? I believe FSC is seen too much as a conservation organisation, which it was not originally set up to be. It was established to enable business to be involved in keeping forests standing. Businesses have a huge role to play in the future of FSC and without their engagement investment and energies we will not succeed in achieving our vision.

What are your key priorities for the next 1-3 years?

I aim to encourage innovation and take a steering and enabling stance, to effectively be the glue between European partners, helping to facilitate greater collaboration and synergy across the network. Is there anything else you believe needs focusing on in general? Whist member involvement and chamber balance is a core component to steering policy and to FSC as a whole, focus on delivery will be key over the next three years. I believe greater focus on cross-communication, strategy and impact is key.

“From a brand perspective, FSC is a marketing tool for business to show consumers they are buying ‘good wood’.”

Firstly, I wish to build trust, informing and reminding network partners I am here to support them and secondly, I wish to strategise how FSC can work better at a sub-regional level, clearly establishing the capacities of countries in for example, the Baltics’ and Nordic regions. Here I wish to locate the synergies, and help each different office to access the resources from elsewhere within Europe in order to develop, grow and meet their national objectives. Secondly I wish to ultimately encourage and facilitate the simplification of the FSC system, working to transform it to be more accessible and alluring to businesses, whist at the same time reassuring social and environmental chambers of its sustained credibility and high standards.

Can you summarise the core aspect of your Network role over the next 12 months? To support, provide clarity and help network partners connect and find solutions, whilst also highlighting boundaries to ensure the system remains credible and regulated.

And finally, do you have a favourite tree? My favourite tree is the Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalensis) which is native to the Indian Subcontinent, unusual in its ability to grow roots from its branches. It has strong associations with my cultural history and although mostly not suitable for economic purposes, it holds much social and cultural significance - especially in providing a great space for a community gathering. I like its interesting nooks and crannies and love how the canopy expands outwards, as though it could do so infinitely. 6

Forest Focus The role of stakeholders in developing national forest stewardship standards – and your opportunity to be heard National forest stewardship standards are the foundation of the FSC system, setting out how our international Principles and Criteria should be addressed at a country level. These standards have to take account of the particular circumstances of each country, including the types of forests present and the cultural values attached to them. When developing new standards or revising existing ones, it is vital to seek the views of a range of economic, environmental and social stakeholders so that requirements can be properly adjusted to reflect national conditions. Public consultation in the UK In September and October last year, UK stakeholders had an opportunity to comment on a revised draft of the UK Woodland Assurance Standard, or UKWAS, used in FSC forest management certification in this country. This is part of the five year revision cycle for the standard, which takes account of changing international requirements, national conditions and technical knowledge. FSC UK Forest Standards Manager Dr Owen Davies says ‘There was a good response to the last public consultation, from a wide range of individuals and organisations. Most parts of the standard attracted at least a few comments, some positive, some challenging the draft contents, and some suggesting refinements. All of the feedback received has been considered by the UKWAS Steering Group, and changes have been made throughout the standard. Requirements relating to tree species choice, monitoring and deadwood habitat received the most comments and the most attention from the Steering Group.’ Guidance has also been added or refined to clarify the intent of several requirements. Addressing the FSC Principles and Criteria In addition to the stakeholder feedback, the Steering Group was asked to consider 7

proposals to bring the standard fully in line with version 5-2 of the FSC Principles and Criteria, and also to take account of the International Generic Indicators. Owen explains: ‘The current version of UKWAS, 3.1, meets the requirements of version 4 of the Principles and Criteria. As part of the revision process, we need to bring the standard in line with the latest version of FSC’s international requirements. FSC UK made proposals to achieve this right at the beginning of the revision process, but I think all parties have been surprised by how willing the Steering Group has been to embrace relatively radical change to UKWAS, and the extent of changes to the structure and content of the standard has meant that we have had to reconsider our proposals.’ One particular challenge was the change in the status of guidance: ‘In UKWAS 3.1, guidance is explicitly considered by auditors, and effectively adds detail to the standard requirements. One very welcome development in the revision of the standard is that a clear line has been drawn between requirements and guidance; guidance is now clearly just that - intended to help forest managers meet the requirements of the standard rather than imposing additional requirements. A consequence of this, however, is that anything forming part of the Principles and Criteria must be addressed in standard requirements, so we have had to suggest that some text be moved from guidance to requirements, or that some new text be added.’

Some of the changes adopted by the UKWAS Steering Group in the current draft include: • Modified dispute resolution requirements (UKWAS 1.1.4), to address FSC Criteria 1.6 and 7.6. • Appropriate engagement with police and statutory bodies to address illegal or unauthorised activities (UKWAS 1.2.1), to address FSC Criterion 1.4. • A new, explicit requirement for environmentally sound, socially beneficial and economically viable long-term policy and objective (UKWAS 2.1.1), to address FSC Criterion 7.1. • A new requirement to avoid high grading (UKWAS 2.4.3(b)), to address an instruction in the International Generic Indicators for FSC Criterion 10.11. • Modified requirements for regeneration to ‘pre-harvesting or more natural conditions’ (UKWAS 2.8.1), to address FSC Criterion 10.1. • A new requirement to halt or relocate operations if conservation values are damaged (UKWAS 3.1.4), to address International Generic Indicators relating to FSC Criteria 4.7 and 9.3.

If you have any questions about how the UKWAS process relates to FSC’s international requirements, contact Forest Standards Manager Dr Owen Davies at owen@fsc-uk. org. To learn more about the Principles and Criteria and the International Generic Indicators, click here. What happens next? After this last public consultation there will be final intensive period of redrafting to take account of the views expressed. Once the UKWAS Steering Group is content with the draft, it will be submitted to FSC UK to be passed to FSC International. There, it will be scrutinised by FSC staff who will check that all of the appropriate procedures for standard development have been followed, and finally passed to the independent Policy and Standards Committee for approval. If all goes well, the revised standard will be approved and ready to be rolled out around the end of this year. FSC UK will be considering how to support current and potential forest management certificate holders through the phasing in of the new standard, for example through workshops addressing issues of particular concern. If you have any suggestions for how we may be able to help you, please contact Owen at the e-mail address above.

One more chance to be heard There’s still one last chance to comment on the new version of UKWAS, with a period of public consultation running to 16th March. To make your views known on the latest draft, download a copy here and send your comments to ukwas@confor.org.uk. As part of the bundle of consultation documents, you’ll find details of stakeholder comments received during the previous consultation, and a description of how the UKWAS Steering Group chose to address them. © FSC UK

MBE Honours Owner of FSC Certified Sawmill awarded MBE in New Year Honours

A Helmsley businesswoman has been awarded an MBE for services to rural business and skills in North Yorkshire. Emma Woods, owner of FSC Certified Duncombe Sawmill, is in this year’s New Year’s Honours list and will be invited to Buckingham Palace for an investiture ceremony in 2016. With no previous industry experience, Emma took over the sawmill in 2003 as it faced closure and has spent the past decade making it what it is today: a niche timber business which prides itself on manufacturing good quality British products and offering outstanding customer service. By taking on the business, Emma, 48, ensured valuable skills, passed down through generations for well over a century, were not lost forever. Today the sawmill employs a team of eight people and enjoys a reputation for sourcing British timber to create gates, fencing, outdoor furniture and timber framed buildings using traditional woodworking techniques. Clients include the North York Moors National Park Authority, the Forestry Commission and London Fashion Week. The start of Emma’s career saw her studying antiques at Leeds University and then moving to London to inventory the Queen’s silver at the 9

“The first couple of years were extremely hard work and there were plenty of challenges” Royal Collection. In 2003, having moved back to Yorkshire and as a customer of Duncombe Sawmill, she received a letter saying the 100 year old business was closing unless a buyer could be found. Emma, who lives in Kirkbymoorside, explains: “My husband and I decided to take the sawmill on, which at the time was a risky decision as neither of us had ever worked in a business environment before or knew anything about timber. But it just seemed so sad that this historic business was going to close. There had been three sawmills in Helmsley and now there was potentially going to be none. My husband had a full time job so it fell to me to work in the business. The first couple of years were extremely hard work and there were plenty of

challenges – learning about timber and sawmilling, introducing computers and a modern accounting system and in 2006 we had a flash flood which ruined most of the machinery. “I decided to concentrate on our core strengths which were making high quality, bespoke gates and fencing from locally sourced FSC timber and milling timber to order. We manufacture items that people can’t get elsewhere. We concentrate on customer care and we have expanded our market, selling out of Yorkshire, and now have customers in Scandinavia, France and Germany, and much of the UK. This year we have opened a trade counter, selling everything you need to install and maintain your fence or garden furniture and we have started producing timber framed buildings. We have a new range of products in the pipeline for 2016, so as well as retaining our traditional values, the business is always moving forward.” When she took the sawmill over, Emma became the first woman to work in the business – although the team now comprises equal numbers of both sexes. In 2009 Emma was proud to be awarded Entrepreneur of the Year in

the Yorkshire Rural Awards, and in 2013 became treasurer of the local Helmsley in Business group, which brings together more than 50 independent businesses in the town to promote each other and the local area. The group recently ran a campaign which saw Helmsley win the Great British High Street’s Best Market Town award. Emma continues: “Chris Storey, the sawmill manager, and his predecessor Steve Arnold, have taught me a lot about timber. Chris’ daughter also works with me – the third generation of the same family to have worked here. In fact several members of staff have been at the sawmill for over 25 years. “I am extremely honoured and thrilled to have been given this award – there aren’t really the words to explain how I am feeling! The sawmill is a huge part of my life and means so much to me. I am extremely lucky to have very loyal customers and a wonderful team, who deserve as much of the credit for this award as I do.” For more information about Duncombe Sawmill, please visit: www.duncombesawmill.co.uk

SAVE THE DATE! FSC FRIDAY 30 September th

> Click here for some inspiration

2016

FSC Certifiedâ&#x20AC;ŚPlastic? Communications Assistant Julien Price looks at the role FSC can play in plastic production Perhaps one of the least likely materials to be associated with forest output, plastic is finding new form on both a compositional and molecular level with around 1% of production deriving from renewable bio-based stock1. Despite this small percentage, it is nonetheless an emerging alternative that could see a growth in application as pressure to produce and use renewable materials increases. What is a bio-plastic? Bio plastics are based on renewable feedstocks which contain recently fixed carbon dioxide (CO2) through the process of photosynthesis. These stocks include corn, potatoes, rice, tapioca, palm fibre, wood cellulose, wheat fibre, bagasse2, and wood fibre. There are some key environmental advantages to their use over their fossil-based counterparts, including a unique potential to reduce emissions and even be carbon-neutral. Because plants absorb atmospheric CO2 as they grow, using their material as the basis for plastic products not only constitutes a provisional removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, but holds further carbon advantage if the material is then recycled.9

With an increasing number of bio-plastics now available on the market, attention must be drawn to the sourcing of their bio-stock base and whether it has been responsibly produced. Indeed, forestderived stock may be â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;renewableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, but if taken from forests that are irresponsibly managed, the sustainability credentials are immediately reduced or lost. The good news is that there are already companies sourcing FSC certified material as the basis for their timber-derived plastics:

FSC Certified wood-based plastic composites Wood-based composite plastics combine wood fibre with fossil-derived plastic to produce a material that - when using recycled materials - hold key advantages over conventional, 100% virgin fossil based plastic, including a reduced carbon footprint, lower melting threshold and better weather stability. A great example of a UK company using FSC certified recycled wood fibre in their composite plastic products is Timco Wood UK Ltd, who combine the fibre with reclaimed plastic - the result of which is a high quality, durable and low carbon timber decking product. Timco wood are featured as our Product Focus in this edition, see p16.

FSC Certified wood-based plastic composites Another timber-derived material that could see a marked increase in application is cellulose, considered one of the most abundant renewable polymers in the world and already used in a plethora of pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, fabric and plastic products. Demand for cellulose is such that in personal-care products alone, its use is rising in the range of 4-5% each year.13 Tembec Industries Ltd, an FSC certified speciality cellulose manufacturer in Canada, is showing how cellulose can be sourced and produced responsibly. If the use of cellulose is to rise, its responsible production and sourcing will become increasingly important in meeting environmental objectives.

“Cellulose is a resource that’s renewable, recyclable, and carbon neutral if trees are replanted. If we steward our forests well, it’s a sustainable option for the planet,” - John Dwyer, research associate at The Morton Arboretum4,5

Bio-plastics, the next frontier So what is hindering the widespread application of cellulose and other bio-based plastics in industry? Some drawbacks include concerns over: • The responsible sourcing of the bio-stock base.2 • Its recyclability singularly, and in combination with petroleum based plastics.2 There are also concerns over its poor mechanical properties. Mostly, if the bio-plastic is flexible then it is not tough and if it is tough enough, it has no high-impact strength3 hence why 68% of total production finds its application in the packaging industry.12 Reinforced bio-plastic - There is promising news however - the team of Yukihiro Kiuchi at the Smart Energy Research Laboratories of NEC Corporation in Japan have successfully developed a reinforced cellulose plastic which uses polymer-fusion technology to produce a plastic of equal impact-strength, flexibility and economic viability to that of 100% petroleum derived equivalent. To achieve this, the ‘ecopolymer’ combines cellulose with cardanol (a by-product of cashew nut processing) with a modest 5% proportion of synthetic polymers polyethylene or polypropylene.

Liquid Wood - Another development has also begun in Stuttgart, Germany. Tecnaro GmbH (a subsidiary of Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT) in Pfinztal), have developed a ‘Liquid Wood’ called Arboform® (‘Arbor’ being the Latin for ‘tree’) that, whilst having all the mouldable properties of plastic, feels, can look like, and is made of - wood. The 100% biodegradable thermoplastic is made of lignin, the structural part of a plant’s cell wall and a waste product of paper manufacturing.7 This technology is in its early stage, but we could see its wider integration into the market as demand increases.

“Injection moulding of ARBOFORM® enables root-wood appearance and acoustical properties comparable to hard wood with less moisture absorption.” - Tecnaro GmbH 12

Biodegradable plastic myths debunked! Myth 1: Biodegradable plastics all come from bio-based renewable sources. Incorrect â&#x20AC;&#x201C; biodegradable plastics can derive from both fossil-based and renewable sources (such as cellulose). 2

Myth 2: Biodegradable plastics degrade easily in most conditions. Incorrect - biodegradable plastics require long-term exposure to incubated temperatures around 50oC (122F) for them to degrade effectively, thus making effective disposal key (such as industrial composting).11

The wider picture Today, 98% of plastics derive from raw fossil resources with less than 1% of the total consumption of plastics based on renewable materials. Plastic production rose from 15 to 311 million tonnes between 1960 and 2014 and this is expected to triple by 2050, where it would then account for 20% of global annual oil consumption8, three times what it is today1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an alarming figure considering only 14% of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plastic gets commercially recycled, a further 14% incinerated for energy recovery, 40% put in landfill, and the remaining 32% leaked into the environment, polluting habitats, rivers and oceans.8

40% 32% 28%

of plastics end up in landfill

of plastics leak into the environment polluting habitats, rivers and oceans of waste plastic gets commercially recycled or incinerated for energy recovery

An alternative economy - The recently published New Plastic Economy Report by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation8, presents an alternative plastics economy that they say could counter this situation in a manner of ways, including plastics production sourcing at least 40% of its basis from bio-derived material. Fresh integration of new technology and systems advancements could see the rise of a more balanced plastics economy which - if it were to be truly sustainable - would source its renewable stock from well-managed, certified sources, thus increasing the role of FSC. Sources: 1. Plastics Europe; 2. Sustainable Plastics; 3. Material Views; 4. Chicago Tribune; 5. Morton Arboretum; 6. Tembec Industries Ltd; 7. Tecnaro GmbH; 8. Ellen MacArthur Foundation; 9. European Bio-plastics; 10. Solidsmack; 11. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP);12. Packaging Europe

Waste plastic pollutes our oceans and beaches 13

Speaker image used by permission from Tecnaro GmbH

A Postcard From...FSC Japan Approximately 70% of Japan’s total land is covered with forests, 40% plantation forests mostly established after World War 2. Due to the decrease of domestic timber price and the increase of foreign timber imports, Japanese forestry has become less competitive. An © FSC Japan increasing amount FSC Japan has four staff members. From the left, Yasunori Iwase of forests have been , Chisato Tomimura, Emika Kohno and Eishi Maezawa getting reduced care or just abandoned, which has been causing both forest degradation and an increasing likelihood of natural disaster. Government and ENGOs are convinced of the need to make use of plantation forests. The town of Minami-sanriku is one of the disaster areas struck by a tsunami after the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake in 2011. This town has been trying to restore its fishery and forestry by getting Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification and further, FSC certification - which it finally got in September 2016 . To promote local processing and adding further value, FSC Japan facilitated meetings with downstream companies (including a designer), and organised a series of training courses to develop craftsman skills. Although we now see more than 1,000 CoC Certificate Holders and number of outlets with FSC certified products in Japan, consumer awareness of the FSC label is still very low. We therefore developed and distributed a video to attract people visually to recognise the FSC label. Between September 11-25, 2015 , we launched a campaign called “FSC Forest Week” in collaboration with 23 organ isations including the biggest retailer in Japan. 14 events and exhibitions were held with good media coverage. This year, we are developing further collab oration plans with more organisations. In 2016, we certainly hope more consumers will recognise FSC, which will lead to further market development and contribute to ‘healthier’ domestic forests. jp.fsc.org

SometimeS we all need looking after. theSe tiSSueS help you look after our foreStS too. Our forests give us many things, including tissues to dry tears or sniffles. FSC速 helps take care of forests and the people and wildlife who call them home. So you can keep your life full of forest products while keeping our forests full of life. Choose FSC.

FSC速 F000100

Company: Timco Wood UK Ltd FSC Licence Number: C007915 Certified Since: 2014 Product: Composite Wood Decking Label: FSC 100%

Product Focus consumers to feel confident in our product and has allowed us to become an industry leader for composite construction materials in the UK. FSC certification of our products gives us a sense of pride and allows our customers to trust in their quality and responsible nature. Who Are Your Customers?

About Your FSC Products We have a range of composite wood products on offer for the construction industry including decking, cladding, fencing, balustrade and pergolas. We use a mixture of recycled HDPE plastics and FSC certified wood to create our products. Composite materials are relatively new to the construction industry, certainly within the UK - by having a recognised validation from FSC and the Rainforest Alliance, this grants us extra authority within the industry for a product which has yet to see widespread use. Why FSC? For us, FSC represents not only the benchmark in terms of international recognition for quality certification for wood products but it also represents the fact that we care. As we have a commitment to responsible manufacturing, it was important for us early on as a company to gain FSC certification - we care about sustainability and it was important that our customers saw this too. As mentioned, composite decking and other products are not so widely used in the UK, but having FSC certification allows

Our customers range from large scale developers such as Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Shea Construction and Balfour Beatty, though we also supply smaller contractors too to provide for the domestic market. Additionally, we supply overseas to areas such as Dubai and the Gulf Region for large construction projects there. Especially when larger companies are involved, FSC certification is something that is highly sought after so being able to provide that allows us to be involved in larger commercial projects. What does FSC do for your business? The FSC label gives our customers confidence in our products. FSC stands for quality, sustainability and a commitment to responsible manufacturing which are all traits that we believe in and stand by as a brand. FSC allies us to our core beliefs and has allowed us to grow quicker as a business as a result. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next? We have recently introduced Pergolas into our range of FSC certified composite products which will allow us to gain greater reach into markets like Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Gulf Region as a whole - a key target market for us. Additionally, we are increasing our involvement in some of the large East London development projects. www.timcowood.com 16

Competition

Competition: Guess the product Can you work out what FSC certified product is shown in the photo? Tweet your suggestions to @FSCUK using the hashtag #GuessFSC.

Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) UK is a charity dedicated to promoting responsible forestry. For more information about FSC UK: www.fsc-uk.org info@fsc-uk.org The Billiard Room, Town Hall, Great Oak Street Llanidloes Powys, SY18 6BN 01686 413916

Charity number: 1130203 FSC® F000231

FSC in numbers 2,374 Chain of Custody certificates in the UK 1,595,841 hectares of FSC certified forest in the UK 29,927 Chain of Custody certificates worldwide 187.172 million hectares of FSC certified forest worldwide Latest figures from FSC IC. Correct as of 10/02/2016. The full list of figures can be viewed here