The call came from more than 20 Timber Trade Federation (TTF) members who, with other interested parties, met with ProForest – the consultancy running CPET – last week.

The meeting followed circulation of the CPET consultation on barriers to meeting the UK timber procurement policy.

The feeling among participants was that government departments still seem to centre purchasing on one main certification label and that there appears to be a lack of understanding about how the CPET system operates.

Concern was also voiced about other countries’ certification systems and the difficulty of monitoring chain of custody.

Members said the information gap was also evident within the supply chain, at main contractor and sub-contractor level, particularly on site.

&#8220The meeting was broadly behind the suggestion of using “CPET-approved” in addition to individual certification scheme logos. It would be a single, snappy brand, a sort of kitemark for environmental certification, which would help bring clarity and unity to the issue”

Andy Roby, TTF head of environment and corporate social responsibility

Andy Roby, the TTF’s head of environment and corporate social responsibility, said: “The meeting was broadly behind the suggestion of using “CPET-approved” in addition to individual certification scheme logos.

“It would be a single “snappy” brand, a sort of kitemark for environmental certification, which would help bring clarity and unity to the issue.

“And from there you could perhaps move to using the term “CPET-approved supplier” which would benefit members’ who have signed up to the TTF’s Responsible Purchasing Policy which is a mirror of government procurement policy.”

ProForest director Neil Judd said: “We will take the message back to Defra and discuss it with them”

Currently CPET accepts the FSC, CSA, SFI and PEFC schemes as proof of timber legality and sustainability and the MTCC scheme as proof of legality.