Environmental News

FSC and PEFC certified products will continue to meet the UK government's public procurement policy
 

As of the 1st April 2010 the UK government's public procurement policy will change to include social criteria as contract conditions as well as the recently introduced legal and sustainable conditions.  The aim is to remove illegal and unsustainable timber from the market "The new social criteria demonstrate the UK's commitment to use government purchasing power to help push illegal and unsustainable timber out of the market by improving labour standards, protecting the interests of developing nations and tackling climate change" (HilaryBenn).


Defra have indicated that FSC and PEFC will be making any changes required to their schemes in order to meet the new criteria and will therefore continue to meet the new policy.  Defra will assess schemes for compliance in March.
 
As all UK and Irish wood based panel manufacturers are either certified by FSC or PEFC or both, this will ensure the continued supply of home grown wood based panels for government contracts.
 
 

 

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