Suppliers Charter

 

Saint-Gobain Building Distribution in the UK and Ireland Responsible Purchasing Timber Policy (2015)

Timber and timber products form a very significant part of the activity of the Building Distribution Sector of Saint-Gobain. We therefore consider it imperative that we take an informed approach to ensure responsible procurement and sales.

We purchase timber materials from around the world. Our policy is to purchase from well managed forest sources positively participating in the protection of biodiversity of forest lands and the habitats of forest reliant peoples. However, we do recognise that some areas of the world represent greater environmental risk than others with respect to the timber trade.

Procurement:
Saint-Gobain Building Distribution in the UK & Ireland is committed to sourcing all timber and timber products from legal sources. We will require clear evidence of good forest management practice at the original source, and give preference to those suppliers who can provide such evidence. Where customer demand dictates that we procure timber from areas of greater risk, our approach is to only work with suppliers who can demonstrate to us an improving program of sustainability in their timber related activities and can provide evidence that product has been legally sourced.

Saint-Gobain Building Distribution in the UK & Ireland acknowledges the importance of auditable independent certification throughout the supply chain process and has introduced relevant schemes where appropriate to the business. We are firmly committed to a stepped approach, through the risk assessment of products by Species, Country, and Supplier, to the sourcing of timber from legal and certified sources. This includes the elimination of wood originating from non-certified High Conservation Value Forests, including those species recognized as endangered, using references including the IUCN Red list, and from inappropriately cleared or converted forests.

Sales:

We actively market to our customers “Legal and Sustainable” timber products through external and internal communication, training and the use of Chain of Custody certification. We will work in partnership with our suppliers to facilitate the provision of clear information about the sources of our wood products and will make this available to our customers when required.

We are members of the WWF’S Global Forest and Trade Network in the UK which we joined in 1998, find out more about our performance at: www.saint-gobain.co.uk/
In summary we have defined three areas of action directly inspired by the Group’s Principles of Conduct & Action.

RESPECT FOR OTHERS  Ensuring that we buy and sell timber harvested in countries or concessions that comply with international

conventions.

CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Using timber harvested in responsibly managed concessions in order to preserve natural resources. We are committed to:

giving priority to recycled products first in our purchasing and sales policies, then either PEFC / FSC certified products or timber from responsible managed forests.

Contributing to biodiversity preservation

We are committed to:
adapting our sales and purchasing policy depending on the level of species vulnerability.

 

RESPECT FOR THE LAW

Ensuring the legality of the timber we import, use and sell
In particular in compliance with the European Timber Regulation (EUTR) under the FLEGT action plan in Europe and with the Lacey Act in the US.
We are committed to:

•  maintaining a traceability system for all the timber products we buy and sell,
•  maintaining a due diligence system to evaluate and control risks linked to the timber trade.