Celebrations all round

Danzer's reassociation into the FSC is a cause for multiple celebration; for Danzer itself, for the international hardwood trading and using sectors, for the cause and profile of certified timber and, most importantly, for the forest and the people working in the company's timber concessions and processing plants.

Some questioned the justice of FSC disassociating Danzer last year in the first place. It was the result of a former subsidiary of the company in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) allegedly breaching conflict resolution obligations, part of the FSC's corporate social responsibility requirements.

But the certification scheme's decision to take away Danzer's right to supply FSC-certified timber from anywhere in the world as a result was thought to be disproportionate to the offence. One importer described it as "scorched earth punishment".

Others criticised the penalty as out of kilter as, while the CSR aspect of FSC certification may be important and laudable, it does not, they maintain, directly appertain to timber sustainability.

The consequence of disassociation, said the critics, also hit certification per se, as well as the Danzer business. It took a large amount of FSC material off the market, and that included hardwood from the massive certified concessions in Congo Brazzaville, operated by subsidiary IFO. This did little to boost poor levels of awareness that still exist that sustainable timber is even available from the tropics.

But that's all now history. Bar a reaudit of IFO's forest management certificate, Danzer is back in the FSC fold. It also used its 14-month disassociation to fine-tune its corporate code of conduct worldwide, addressing every aspect of its environmental and social obligations.

So a major resource of certified timber is restored to the global market, for the good of the entire Danzer business, the trade, the consumer, and certification overall. It is also now supplied by a company that has set an even higher standard for CSR.

In addition, said UK managing director Ken Walsh, it will enable Danzer to develop sales of new further processed products from facilities it is setting up in Africa, including sawn ekki from a new mill at IFO - and to see what an incredible timber this is, see the story on a new timber bridge in Belgium.

Further cause for celebration for the UK trade is also coming up on September 25 at the TTJ Awards. Congratulations in advance to all the shortlisters and winners, who, coincidentally this year, will receive fabulous trophies in West African sapele.