Sustainability Essentials Amy Smith on Responsible Wood Sourcing 18 Oct 2012
Background SFC founded October 2006 • non-profit coalition of suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, designers • World Wildlife Fund, Rainforest Alliance, USGBC co-founder • establish standards, promote best practices, provide training • #1 green organization in home furnishings
Membership Large and rapidly growing membership • adding 1 new member a day • major players in all sectors
Activation FIND A GREEN MANUFACTURER FIND A GREEN RETAILER FIND A GREEN DESIGNER
GREEN leaders Industry first Certified Sustainability Training program • environmental issues • consumer understanding • product sourcing • sales training • interior design • showroom operations
Issues Sustainability umbrellas numerous concerns • conservation • global warming • indoor air quality • toxic pollutants • landfills • social equity • local economy People • extinction Profit Planet
Responsible Wood Sourcing for Furniture: How your purchasing decisions can help save the world’s most valuable and threatened forests Amy Smith, WWF-US GFTN-North America IWPA Convention March 29, 2012
This presentation is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended and should not be construed as legal advice. Persons seeking legal advice on compliance with the Lacey Act, or any other law, regulation, or requirement should consult with a qualified legal professional.
Our Mission Conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.
Our Work Is Global We have a presence in 100 countries. WWF Presentation to HP | 10
But Focused On Critical Regions We focus our efforts on protecting the world’s most important natural places. 1. Amazon Desert 10. Galapagos Reef 17. Southern Chile 2. Amur-Heilong 6. Coastal East Africa 11. Gulf of California 15. Namibia 18. Yangtze 3. Arctic 7. Congo Basin 12. Madagascar 16. Northern Great 4. Borneo & Sumatra 8. Coral Triangle 13. Mekong Plains 5. Chihuahuan 9. Eastern Himalayas 14. Mesoamerican WWF Presentation to HP | 11
We Focus Our Resources on Supporting the Following Areas Species Marine Forests Fresh Water Food & Agriculture Climate Communities & People WWF Presentation to HP | 12
WWF Presentation to HP | 13
The Challenge
The Human Ecological Footprint Continues to Grow Global Ecological Footprint by component, 1961-2008
WWF’s response
Some GFTN participants around the globe
GFTN “Step - wise Approach” Credibly Certified/ Recycled Progressing Toward Forest Certification Known Licensed Forest Source Known forest source “Unknown/ unwanted”
Forest Stewardship Council Certification • Global certification system initiated in 1993 • 385 million acres certified for Forest Management (150 million acres in North America) • 25,000 companies certified for Chain of Custody (5,000 in North America)
How Does FSC Certification Work? • Tracks products from forest to shelf • Responsibly produced forest products are identified with the FSC logo 1. Forest management 2. Chain of custody 3. Product labeling certification certification
Why FSC? • Compliance with relevant laws • Respect for indigenous peoples’ and workers’ rights • Limits on conversion of natural forests • Identification and protection of high conservation value areas • Protection of old growth • Maintenance of representative biodiversity • Soil and water resource protection
GFTN Tools and Trainings
GFTN Guide to Legal and Responsible Sourcing www.gftn.panda.org/sourcing
The Lacey Act Amendment and Illegal Logging The amended Lacey Act does three main things: 1) Prohibits trade in illegally sourced plants and plant products 2) Requires importers to declare country of origin, species, value and volume of all plants contained in their products 3) Establishes penalties for violations of the Act, including forfeiture of goods and vessels, fines and jail time 4) Means that companies must exercise due care
timber flow import Payment of fees and royalties Shipping export Legality of sale and export Processing Payment of fees and royalties • Log processors Legality of processing • Manufacturers using timber Transport • Transporters of Legality of possession and transport logs and timber products Harvest /Forest Payment of taxes and royalties • Forest managers Legality of harvest • Timber harvesting Legal right to harvest companies
National Legality Frameworks Plans for 2012-2013 Developed & Published • China (update) • CAR • Indonesia • China • Russia • Cameroon • Rep. of Congo • Brazil • Gabon • Ghana • Malaysia • India • Peru • Vietnam • Bolivia • Colombia
Lacey Act Online Training gftn.panda.org/resources/gftn_online_courses/
“Exporting in a Shifting Legal Landscape”
Benefits of Lesser-Known Species
Supplier Engagement
Managing Supplier Information
Other Useful Resources FSC Marketplace Marketplace.fsc.org APHIS and the Lacey Act aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/lacey_act/index.shtml Global Forest Registry globalforestregistry.org Forest Legality Alliance Risk Tool forestlegality.org/risk-tool Chatham House illegal-logging.info/approach.php?a_id=278 IUCN Red List iucnredlist.org
Solutions for Wood Buyers • Buy FSC certified wood • If not FSC certified, require traceability and legality • Ask questions, ask for evidence from suppliers (sample questionnaire at gftn.panda.org) • Avoid high-risk sources, urge improvements • Utilize GFTN online tools
Thank you Amy Smith Senior Program Officer GFTN-North America amy.smith@wwfus.org gftn.panda.org
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