1. Management Structure
The company has appointed a Director to be responsible for the implementation of this Policy and will ensure that relevant environmental issues are discussed regularly at the highest level of management.
The company will ensure that all employees associated with timber purchasing are aware of the Policy and its commitments, and are given appropriate education and training to allow its full implementation.

2. Responsibility
The company recognises that it has a responsibility to the environment, customers, suppliers and staff to base its commercial activities on well-managed forests.

3. TDUK Code of Conduct
The company is committed to the Timber Trade Federation Code of Conduct and applies the Environmental Code of Practice to all wood procurement activities.

4. Legality
The company is committed to purchasing all timber from legal sources and will seek evidence of compliance from suppliers that they are operating in accordance with the laws of their country. The company unreservedly condemns illegal logging practices and will keep informed of international processes and changes in legislation.

5. Endangered Species
The company will not trade in timber species prohibited under Appendix 1 of the CITES legislation and will obtain the appropriate documents for trade in all other CITES-listed timber species.

6. Traceability and Supplier Monitoring
The company will perform a Risk Assessment on all Suppliers, as documented by the RPP. The assessment will seek to provide the clearest practicable information regarding the sources of raw materials used in the manufacture of wood products.
This information will form part of purchasing decisions and will be made available on request to independent verifiers.

7. Timber Certification
The company supports international efforts to improve forest management, for example, the development of credible timber certification schemes. This company recognises that the independent certification of forests and the process chain is the most useful tool for providing assurances that timber comes from legal and well-managed forests. The company will only accept or use labels or certificates that include environmental or sustainability claims – only if they are supported by publicly available standards drawn up in a fully participatory, transparent and objective manner, and are backed by independent inspection.

8. Avoid Boycotts
The company will not encourage boycotts or bans on specific species of timber. Notwithstanding this, the company will cease to purchase any timber and timber products whose supply is in breach of the Timber Trade Federation Code of Conduct and, in particular, the Environmental Code of Practice.

9. Continuous Improvement
The company is committed to working with relevant trade organisations, NGOs and governments to develop its purchasing policy. The company is committed to continuously raising the proportion of timber and timber products, in accordance with the stepwise approach, that originates from legal and sustainably managed forests.

10. Reporting and Audit
The company will report annually to the appointed auditors. The auditors will assess and verify the company’s progress and compliance with the Policy.
A copy of the company’s Responsible Purchasing Policy Company Commitments will be available to all stakeholders upon request.

11. Additional Commitment, etc.
A W Champion Ltd declare not to be directly involved in the following activities:
1.    Illegal logging or the trade in illegal wood or forest products.
2.    Violation of traditional and human rights in forestry operations.
3.    Destruction of high conservation values in forestry operations.
4.    Significant conversion of forests to plantations or non-forest use.
5.    Introduction of genetically modified organisms in forestry operations.
6.    Violation of any of the ILO Core Conventions, as defined in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 1998.

 

Signed and dated: 18/3/2023 

Managing Director
AW Champion

RPP & UKTR Environmental
AW Champion