Wednesday, 28 October 2015
UK Government confirms FSC continues to meet Public Procurement Criteria for Timber
© FSC I.C.The UK Government’s Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET) has found that the FSC certification scheme continues to meet the criteria for the United Kingdom’s Timber Procurement Policy (TPP). This means UK public sector buyers and suppliers can continue to use FSC certification to meet the necessary standards for both legality and sustainability when purchasing timber.
“We’re happy to see that the UK Government continues to recognise the important role of FSC certification in advancing sustainable sourcing of timber in the public sector,” says Rosie Teasdale, FSC UK Executive Director. “Our high scores in CPET’s latest assessment demonstrate the strength of the FSC system, and our compliance with the TPP will only help drive demand for FSC-certified material in the UK.”
Since 2004, CPET assesses FSC certification every four years for compliance with the UK Government’s legality and sustainability criteria. In 2014, the criteria were amended to align with the European Union Timber Regulations (EUTR). CPET’s most recent evaluation, which included public consultations with stakeholders, concluded FSC certification achieved 100% for the legal compliance and sustainability requirements of our forest standards (sections 1.1 and 1.2), with a total of 94% compliance across all criteria. By using FSC certification, public sector procurers and suppliers of timber can demonstrate their compliance with TPP requirements (Category A).
Details of the assessment can be found here.