Timber and wood derived products

About our commitment to the procurement of timber and wood products positively supports responsible forest management.

Brighton & Hove City Council has a responsibility to ensure that the procurement of timber and wood products positively supports responsible forest management.

The council has joined the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) ‘What would you choose’ campaign and is committed to improving the sustainability of its wood and timber purchases. Gold Panda Logo 2013

The council has made the Gold pledge which means that we will only buy recycled, certified or sustainable and legal timber products across all our services, and we will set up a monitoring system to ensure the forest products we procure meet the requirements of our policy.

To ensure that the council delivers these commitments, we have created a Sustainable Timber Procurement Policy and the WWF will be auditing the council’s performance against the policy.

The following Minimum Buying Standards give clear and simple guidance on what products should be bought or supplied.

Minimum buying standards for timber and wood derived products

Product group

 Minimum standards

All Paper

All paper purchased must be Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF), totally Chlorine Free (TCF) will also be accepted.

Copying and graphic paper

All paper must be made from 100% recovered paper fibres.

Paper for printed publications

All paper, including paper used for externally printed publications, to be made from a minimum 75% recovered paper fibres.
Of the non-recycled content (25% or less), any virgin fibre used must only be timber and timber products originating either from independently verified legal and sustainable sources such as FSC or PEFC, or from a licensed Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) partner should be purchased. In addition, all printed material should include a statement of the recycled content of the paper it is printed on.

Paper based cleaning products e.g. kitchen and toilet tissue 

All paper must be made from 100% post consumer recycled paper fibres.

Paper-based stationery products e.g. notepads, diaries, post it notes

All paper, including paper used for externally printed publications, to be made from a minimum 75% recovered paper fibres.
Of the non-recycled content (25% or less), any virgin fibre used must only be timber and timber products originating either from independently verified legal and sustainable sources such as FSC or PEFC, or from a licensed Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) partner should be purchased. In addition, all printed material should include a statement of the recycled content of the paper it is printed on.

 Envelopes

All paper must be made from 100% post consumer recycled paper fibres

Furniture with timber content

Only timber and timber products made from independently verifiable legal and sustainable sources such as FSC or PEFC, or from a FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) licensed partner can be purchased. Recycled timber is also accepted.
Suppliers will be required to authenticate their claims, by producing a Chain of Custody Certificate or other such evidence

Timber

Only timber sourced from independently verifiable legal and sustainable sources or FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) licensed partner should be purchased. Recycled timber is also accepted.
Suppliers will be required to authenticate their claims, by producing a Chain of Custody Certificate or other such evidence