The group anticipates the Keep it Legal guide, supported by retail giants including IKEA, will become the first point of reference for organisations at all levels of the supply chain seeking to establish current best practice for buying, processing and selling of legal timber products.
George White, WWF‘s Global Forest & Trade Network spokesperson, told TTJ that the publication was the first attempt to try and provide effective guidance on legality, especially for those buying timber from South-east Asia, Africa, Latin America and Russia.
“What was missing was some guidance on what the issues are and how you tackle them,” he said. “Forest Stewardship Council certification may be considered as a bit of a magic wand, but for some people in certain places this is a long way off.”
He described legality as a halfway house, with sustainability and certification the ultimate aim.
Keep It Legal, which will be issued to timber companies in the WWF’s UK Forest & Trade Network, offers a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating the risk of illegal wood. A range of practical solutions are included to make the process of legal sourcing easier to understand, while online country guides will offer advice on sourcing from specific countries.
“The guide is a vital part of the effort to make it harder for illegal wood to be passed off as legal, whilst also rewarding those suppliers who verify legality,” said Sofie Beckham, IKEA’s forestry co-ordinator.
