Contract Specification Clauses

At present the best way forward to specify wood responsibly is to work closely with reliable suppliers, to obtain timber from independently certified forests where possible, and to seek documentary evidence that supplies are from legal and well managed forests where certified timber is not available.

Forests Forever would therefore advise the use of a specification clause that places a condition on the supplier, rather than on the 'sustainability' or country of origin of a particular species.

Timber suppliers should have a formal environmental policy, and be able to provide evidence that they are implementing the terms of their policy. They should also be able to confirm that all timber has been derived from legal sources and, where possible, that it has been managed according to the laws and regulations governing forest management in the producer country.

If the timber company is making claims that timber derives from a 'legal', 'sustainable' or 'certified' source they should be able to demonstrate who has carried out the certification and to explain which forestry standards have been used. If you need advice on the status of the standards and certifying organisations Forests Forever will be able to help.

Draft specification clause

A specification clause places a condition on the supplier rather than on the sustainability or county of origin of a particular species. The following specification clause may be used as a guide:

1. This organisation supports the development of credible timber certification schemes, which are based on publicly available forestry standards drawn up in a fully participatory, transparent and objective manner and backed by independent auditing. Where possible, this organisation will prefer timber and wood products sourced from forest areas certified under these schemes.

2. Where independently certified timber is not available, this organisation will prefer timber and wood products from suppliers that have adopted a formal Environmental Purchasing Policy (e.g. Forests Forever Policy, WWF 95+ Group) for those products and that can provide evidence of commitment to that Policy.

Click here for further details of the Forests Forever Responsible Purchasing Policy.

Sources of further information

• Forests Forever can provide advice on the implementation of environmental timber purchasing policies; on forestry practices in major timber supplying countries; on species listed under CITES; and on the status and progress of specific timber certification schemes. We can also provide full details of the Forests Forever Responsible Purchasing Policy, including a list of signatories.
  
  
• The Timber Trade Federation has over 350 members providing timber and wood based products and can provide information on the species and products available from these companies. Addresses of organisations representing overseas timber suppliers can also be obtained from the TTF.

Both Forests Forever and the Timber Trade Federation can be contacted at:

The Building Centre,
26 Store Street,
London, WC1E 7BT.
Tel: 020 3205 0067
Fax: 020 7291 5379