In 2003, we took the decision to apply for FSC® Chain of Custody as our part of supporting renewable resources; this was followed in 2006 with PEFC and in 2017 we achieved Grown in Britain chain of custody.
GiB Chain of Custody Licence No: GiB-FP-SA-5061 Certificate No: SA-2017-61
In March 2011, the UK Government invited an independent panel to advise on the future direction of forestry and woodland policy in England. The panel reported to Government in July 2012 with a final report and it’s in Recommendation 18 where the origins of Grown in Britain can be found.
Recommendation 18 urged the Government, woodland owners and businesses to work together to unlock the benefits of British timber in their supply chains. In doing this, the panel saw an opportunity to improve supply and demand for British timber through the development of an industry-led, Government-backed ‘Wood Industry Action Plan’ that could drive lasting change in the sector.
Seizing on this idea, Dr Peter Bonfield OBE, Chief Executive of the Building Research Establishment (BRE), and Stuart Goodall, Chief Executive of Confor, refined the plan and created ‘Grown in Britain’ as a vehicle for increasing British timber production and supply. This model was presented to the Government in 2012, and Grown in Britain was referenced as a delivery agent for several aspects of the ‘Government Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement’, published on 31 January 2013.
Today, Grown in Britain is structured as an executive team under the management of a Chief Executive, and the leadership of two co-chairs. The board contains a range of industry leaders and it’s through their expertise and guidance that the work of Grown in Britain is expanded and sustained for the future.
WL West Timber have been involved in the Grown in Britain project from its inception, with the belief that there is good British timber to be sourced. It has made us review our purchasing policy and resulted in us purchasing more British timber.
FSC® Chain of Custody No: SA-COC-005781
Forest Stewardship Council® is an international, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests. It was founded in 1993 in response to public concern over deforestation, and demand for a scheme of trustworthy labelling of products to enable consumers to be aware of materials that have been derived from sustainable sources.
WL West qualified for Chain of Custody certification from the FSC in February 2003. This followed a year of development of work systems within the company, and was only awarded following an audit by the Soil Association on behalf of FSC. The company is audited on an annual basis to ensure that our certification and method of working maintains the standard required.
The chain of custody works by sourcing timber from forests and suppliers that already have forest certification. We have various local sources including the Forestry Commission and local estates. To ensure that the chain is unbroken and the end user can sell an item as FSC certified, all members of the chain must be certified. From grower to sawmiller to the cabinet maker.
We have to ensure that we keep records of where our stock was sourced from, how the timber was then converted through our business and then supplied to our customers. There must be a clear audit trail to ensure quality records. Our customers can identify their FSC timber by our certification number (SA-COC-005781) appearing against the item codes of their purchases on both delivery notes and invoices.
The scheme goes further than good management of timber, and also considers the impact of forestry on the environment. This includes the people that live in and benefit from the woods. The water courses that flow through forested areas, and the wildlife affected. It also considers the types of timber replanted and whether they are appropriate for the area.
WL West’s scope for certification is: the Purchasing, Sawmilling, Processing, Sales and Distribution of FSC Endorsed Hardwoods and Softwoods. This covers the company for: Hardwood and Softwood Sawn Boards, Square-Edged Boards, Fencing and Gate Products, Manufactured Products, Doors and Flooring. Raw material or products bought from certified sources.
To obtain a copy of our FSC Certificate and Scope document please press the ‘download button’.
More information on the FSC scheme can be found at: www.fsc-uk.org
FSC Trademark © 1996 Forest Stewardship Council A.C.
P.E.F.C Chain of Custody Number: SA-PEFC/COC-005781
In October 2006, we were successful is achieving PEFC certification.
The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, founded in 1999, which promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third party certification. The PEFC provides an assurance mechanism to purchasers of wood and paper products that they are promoting the sustainable management of forests.
PEFC is a global umbrella organisation for the assessment of and mutual recognition of national forest certification schemes developed in a multi-stakeholder process. These national schemes build upon the inter-governmental processes for the promotion of sustainable forest management, a series of on-going mechanisms supported by 149 governments in the world covering 85% of the world’s forest area.
This company commits to meeting the content of PEFC ST 2002:2020 standard
TDUK Responsible Purchasing Policy
We are long standing members of Timber Development UK (TDUK); part of the conditions of membership is to abide by their Responsible Purchasing Policy (RPP). The TDUK RPP (Responsible Purchasing Policy) is a risk management framework developed by TDUK for its members in line with the requirements of the EU/UK Timber Regulations that were introduced in 2013. It is a mandatory aspect of TDUK membership and subject to an independent third-party audit.
By abiding by these high standards, we can assure you that buying from us, a TDUK member, you are buying Timber You Can Trust.
The RPP framework has also been adapted for higher risk products and countries to allow for an auditing process to confirm compliance with other regulatory requirements, such as the Construction Products Regulation (CPR).
A copy of our certificate of compliance to the TDUK RPP can be downloaded on this page.