The timber industry’s commitments towards its environmental performance are documented in the Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct is binding to members of the Timber Trade Federation and ensures that all members guarantee similar standards to their customers and work towards the same environmental targets. A part of the code is specifically dedicated to environmental performance, the Environmental Code of Practice.

Further to establishing a general environmental baseline with the code, the industry engages with individual companies and also trade and other organisations abroad. One of those efforts is the Timber Trade Action Plan. Through the managing Tropical Forest Trust, the Belgium, Dutch and UK Timber Trade Federation members directly support their suppliers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Gabon, Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville. The program provides the technical and financial support to implement sound timber tracking systems. Thereby the importer can trace back the source forest of a product and check on the compliance with environmental, legal and social standards.

The easiest and most straightforward way to ensure highest environmental standards is forest certification. Although consumer awareness and demand on those products is still weak, the UK timber industry aims at encouraging producers to join a certification process wherever possible. 

In this section:

TTF Code of Conduct
Why boycotts won't work