Need to know about the EUTR and how PEFC can help? PEFC UK alongside the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) and the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) will be available at Timber Expo 2013 (24-25 September) to promote and educate visitors on a wide range of issues surrounding the supply of legal and sustainable timber into the UK market.

Joining PEFC on Stand E1, SFI® and MTCC will be promoting the benefits of using certified timber and developing an inclusive forest products and timber procurement policy that specifies legal and sustainable timber. To date, more than 10,000 companies have obtained PEFC chain of custody certification, offering tens of thousands PEFC-certified products globally. The 2013 PEFC Chain of Custody standard with its integral PEFC Due Diligence System (PEFC DDS) is now fully aligned with the EUTR. (PEFC ST 2002: 2013 Chain of Custody of Forest based Products).

PEFC will be presenting a special Toolbox Talk on EUTR compliance and how PEFC Chain of Custody certification provides an efficient tool to demonstrate compliance with EUTR requirements along the supply chain. Toolbox Talks are free 'hands on' CPD seminars and workshops dedicated to timber technology that complement the main Timber Talks programme and will be held in a purpose built 30-seat presentation theatre.

Visitors will also be able to hear about the impending PEFC Project Certification for the Kingsgate House accommodation scheme in London, which is destined to be the first example in the UK where all the timber supplied and used on site is PEFC Chain of Custody certified. Alun Watkins, National Secretary of PEFC UK said: "These are exciting times for PEFC. We have been extremely busy with the process of changing our Chain of Custody Standard so that it meets the full requirements of the EUTR. The feedback on this has been hugely positive. It looks like 2013 will end on a massive high as we achieve our first UK scheme to be PEFC Project Certified. The work being done by Willmott Dixon in pursuing this is outstanding."


PEFC will also be promoting its Group Chain of Custody Certification. This is a simple and cost effective way to achieve PEFC-certified status by joining or forming a Group Chain of Custody Scheme, such as the successful one ran by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), and is designed for companies with 50 employees or fewer and a turnover of less than £6m. This is a cost effective and sensible option which enables smaller companies to participate in certification.

To help understand the vast and complex resource of tropical timber, the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) will be available to provide a wide range of information about Malaysia's sustainable forestry management methods under the MTCS and explain the extensive implications on tropical supply of the Malaysian Timber Legality Assurance System (MYTLAS). Sheam Satkuru-Granzella, Director of MTC, based in London, said: "Being the first national timber certification scheme in South East Asia to be PEFC-endorsed, MTCS is driven to further expand the independent certification of Malaysian forests. Despite several challenges, 10 FMUs are now PEFC-certified under the MTCS, covering 4.65 million ha or 32% of the total PRFs in Malaysia. The advent of MYTLAS, currently being implemented in Peninsular Malaysia, is Malaysia's response to the EU Timber Regulation by way of Due Diligence to be exercised by Malaysian exporters when exporting to Europe. Both efforts will ensure the uninterrupted flow of legal and/or sustainable timber products to the EU."

The SFI forest management standard is endorsed by PEFC and companies can certify to both the PEFC and SFI chain-of-custody standards. SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said: "Green building and third-party forest certification grew up together as progressive and effective responses to global concerns about sustainable development – and the bond has never been stronger. SFI is committed to the future of our forests and is proud to have the SFI Forest Management Standard endorsed by PEFC as a highly respected, third-party certification program across North America while also providing access to SFI products in markets around the world."

PEFC, MTCC and SFI will be on Stand E1 Birmingham NEC, 24 - 25 September 2013.

www.pefc.co.uk

(CD/JP)