Timber
Timber
Responsible sourcing of raw timber products contributes to the success of sustainable forestry.
As part of the ongoing development of our CSR strategy, Wolseley continues to recognise the importance of sustainable timber sourcing and the elimination of illegally logged timber from the supply chain and has well established policies in this area. Wolseley is committed to the responsible purchasing of forest products from forests certified as well managed. This commitment is set out in a Global Timber Policy and will be realised through a stepwise approach that utilises the best available techniques and information.
Wolseley aims to source timber products from forests or forest product suppliers that comply with all relevant legislation in the country of origin relating to trade in forest products and trade from protected areas, parks or similar areas. We also aim to source such products from forest areas or regions that are not subject to censure under the United Nations resolutions including number 2001/1343.
Wolseley engages with its suppliers and seeks information as to the source of all forest products in order to evaluate this information against its policies. Working with and encouraging suppliers who support credible certification, Wolseley is committed to best practice and to reviewing and reporting progress in this area.
The Group continues to work with local forest management organisations and certification agencies to increase the amount of certified timber it purchases and just over 80 per cent of the 8,464,000 cubic metres of timber purchased in the year was from certified sources. Unless the appropriate permits are in place, none of the Group’s businesses purchase any species of timber included in any of the Appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which identify threatened species of trees. All of the Group’s businesses have engaged with their suppliers of Indonesian plywood to ensure that any illegal logging is excluded from the supply chain.
For the fourth consecutive year, Stock purchased 90 per cent of its timber from suppliers certified by recognised sustainable forestry agencies, such as the American Forest Products Association and the Canadian Standards Association. Less than 0.05 per cent of the 5,467,000 cubic metres of timber purchased by Stock during the year consisted of Lauan plywood.
Wolseley UK continues to work with the UK Timber Trade Federation to assess suppliers of timber products to ensure the legal and sustainable status of timber supplied, particularly if it is sourced from Asia Pacific, South America or West Africa. During the year, 65 per cent of Wolseley UK’s 357,000 cubic metres of timber purchased consisted of softwood and 30 per cent consisted of products such as plywood. Build Center is now the UK’s leading distributor of Forest Stewardship Council (‘FSC’) approved plywood.
PB & M SA (‘PBM’) works with its suppliers to ensure that timber is sourced from sustainable forests which have been certified by recognised forestry associations promoting sustainable forestry management. During the year, 76 per cent of the 925,000 cubic metres of timber purchased by PBM was sourced from Russia, Finland, Germany and France and less than 1 per cent consisted of plywood sourced from Indonesia under permit.
This year, in recognition of its forestry and wood production management, PBM became the first trading company in France to be awarded a ‘Two Leaf’ rating from Le Commerce du Bois, the French timber trade federation, which has developed a code of practice that sets standards for timber sourcing, purchasing and distribution throughout France.
DT, which is a member of the Danish timber trade federation, purchased most of its softwood from local forests, with small amounts coming from Chile, China and the Baltic States. Less than 1 per cent of the 1,453,000 cubic metres of timber purchased by DT during the year comprised hardwood sourced from local wholesalers, Indonesia and Ivory Coast.
Heatmerchants in Ireland purchased 247,000 cubic metres of timber in the year, of which 18,000 cubic metres consisted of hardwood, all of which was sourced from certified forests or suppliers free of UN censure.