10 steps to sustainable sourcing:

Longden's timber purchasing policy

1. Responsibility
We will recognise our responsibility to all our customers, suppliers and staff to base our commercial activities on well-managed forests.

2. Legality & Sustainability
We will remain committed to sourcing all timber from legal sources and will seek evidence of compliance from suppliers that avoid timber from:

• Illegally harvested wood
• Wood harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights
• Wood harvested in forests where high conservation values are threatened by management activities
• Wood harvested in forests being converted to plantations or non-forest use
• Wood from forests in which genetically modified trees are planted

3. Endangered Species
We will not source any timber species prohibited under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

4. Traceability and Supplier Monitoring
We will continue to seek from our suppliers:

• Evidence of their commitment to continuous improvement in environmental performance
• Clear, practical information on the sources of wood products
• Evidence of good forest management practice at the origin of wood products

5. Timber Certification
We will only accept or use labels or certificates which include claims of environmental soundness or sustainability if these are supported by publicly available standards drawn up in a fully participatory, transparent and objective manner and backed by independent inspection.

6. Avoid Boycotts
Although we will not encourage boycotts or bans on specific species of timber, we will not source any species if its supply is found to be in breach of principles 2 or 3 above.

7. Avoid Misleading Claims
We will, at all times, strive to avoid misleading and unsubstantiated environmental claims in relation to wood product supplies.

8. Preparing Staff
We will ensure that all employees associated with timber purchasing are encouraged to act in accordance with this Policy and are given appropriate education and training to do so, if required.

9. Management
We have appointed a Senior Executive who is responsible for the implementation of this Policy and will ensure that relevant environmental issues are discussed regularly and addressed at the highest level of management.

10. Continuous Improvement
We will continue to define our own programmes, objectives and targets to achieve continuous improvement in environmental performance.