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ANNUAL REVIEW FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL® (FSC®) UK

OUR FORESTS WORK 2018/2019

ANNUAL REVIEW FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL® UNITED KINGDOM

OUR FORESTS WORK 2018/2019

02 About FSC®

03 We stand for forests

04 Welcome

05 Meet the team

06 FSC in numbers

07 FSC certification

08 Highlights

10 The rise and fall of British timber

12 Woodland Trust at 20

14 Small woods project

16 Case study: Llais y Goedwig

18 Print and packaging

20 Case study: Tidmas Townsend

21 Case study: Tetra Pak

22 FSC in the City

24 Stakeholders for Sustainable Development

26 Together we are FSC

28 Finance

29 UK Members

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) UK is a charity dedicated to promoting responsible forestry.

Website: www.fsc-uk.org Address: The Billiard Room, Town Hall,Email: [email protected] Great Oak Street, Llanidloes,Telephone: 01686 413916 Powys, SY18 6BN

Ephesea UK is a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 1130203) and a non-profit making company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (No. 06792524)VAT No. 118 9283 90

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Contents

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WE STAND FOR FORESTS

FSC works to take care of the world’s forests for future generations – to help ensure we have Forests For All Forever.

We support this through a global forest certification system that awards forest management and chain of custody certificates. In practice, this means that when a product or packaging bears the FSC logo, customers are assured that it has been made with material from responsible sources.

The FSC forest management standards are developed through broad stakeholder engagement and set requirements

for responsible forest management. Responsible forest management, as promoted by FSC, maintains and enhances biodiversity and ecological processes. It aims to protect the rights of workers, communities, and Indigenous Peoples while respecting the economic viability of forest management operations. By offering credible, simple ways for more people to make ethical choices, we are helping societies recognise the value of forests for a sustainable future.

For 25 years, FSC’s work in developing, defining and implementing rigorous certification standards has earned us the highest global reputation in forest management. We set standards for environmentally, socially and economically responsible forest management. We are a credible and trusted international, non-governmental organisation with a powerful track record in driving responsible management of the world’s forests.

ABOUT FSC®

OUR VISION OUR MISSION

The world’s forests meet the social, ecological, and economic rights and needs of the present generation without compromising those of future generations.

Forests For All Forever – FSC shall promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

HOW WE DO ITFSC provides an internationally recognised global certification scheme that helps ensure socially, economically, and environmentally responsible management of the world’s forests. We operate as a multi-stakeholder organisation and have been doing so since 1994. FSC UK is a registered charity working to promote FSC in the UK.

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Annual review 2018 -19

WELCOME

W elcome to our Annual Review. As well as looking at FSC UK’s work to deliver our mission, this year’s review aims

to showcase the achievements of others. The success of FSC in the UK is primarily down to the hard work of others and it is important that we acknowledge the commitment that organisations and individuals make to FSC and recognise their accomplishments – whether it is marking 20 years of FSC forest management certification (see pages 12-13) or the production of 400 billion FSC labelled cartons (page 21).

In addition to featuring articles on those engaged with the FSC system, through certification and membership, we also look at how FSC’s work relates to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and our membership of the UK Stakeholders for Sustainable Development (UKSSD). FSC recognises that we will advance our impact by working more closely with complementary and aligned organisations. The challenge we face if we are to ensure Forests For All Forever is not one we can tackle alone.

The plastics zeitgeist has focused our minds on packaging (see pages 18-19). As many retailers and brands commit to moving away from single-use plastics, interest in responsibly sourced alternatives is at an all-time high. Consumers are very concerned about the impact of packaging and are demanding more information on the environmental credentials on pack. We may well see a proliferation of FSC labels in store as businesses react.

Looking forward, our core work will continue to focus on supporting those in the supply chain, from the forest to the end user; doing what we can to make FSC more accessible

to all, whilst maintaining the integrity of the system. Innovative proposals to make FSC more viable for smallholders (see details of our UK project on pages 14-15) will assist with the former, whilst advances in wood identification technology, the implementation of the controlled wood strategy and FSC’s supply chain integrity work will help FSC to maintain its position as the most credible forest certification scheme.

One of FSC’s strengths is its three-chambered governance structure and we are delighted to have new members in the Social Chamber in the UK, including Llais y Goedwig (see pages 16-17).

With the ongoing support of FSC UK’s trustees, members, certificate holders, promotional licence holders and other stakeholders, we are confident that we can take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves and strive to deliver on our strategic priorities. I hope that this review provides an interesting overview of how Together We Are FSC.

Rosie TeasdaleExecutive Director, FSC UK

Beth GratrixFinance & Administration Officer

Jon Kirkpatrick

Rosie TeasdaleExecutive Director

Isabel GriffithsAdministrative Assistant

Colin BradfordChair

Hubert Kwisthout

Beth BennettBusiness Development Manager

Rachel HemberyBusiness Advisor

Mark BarthelVice-Chair

Constance L. McDermott

Tallulah ChapmanCommunications Manager

Sue LoweTrademark Enforcement Officer

Allen MawbyTreasurer

Meriel Robson

Owen DaviesForest Standards Manager

Daniel Vince-ArcherCommunications Assistant

Mike Bekin John Tewson

The staff

The trustees

MEET THE TEAM

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FSC CERTIFICATION

Forest management certification Our forest management certification is awarded to organisations that manage their forest operations in socially, environmentally and economically responsible ways. As part of the certification process, an organisation’s current management undergoes an in-depth review to check for any areas of non-conformity with FSC’s standards. A certificate holder’s compliance is checked by independent, FSC accredited certification bodies conducting regular audits.

The management of both natural and plantation forests falls under forest management certification. We also offer streamlined certification procedures for small or low-intensity managed forests for small-scale producers.

Chain of custody certificationChain of custody certification applies to manufacturers, processors and traders of FSC-certified forest products. It ensures that FSC materials and products have been checked at every stage of processing, so customers purchasing products sold with FSC claims can be confident that they are genuinely FSC certified. Any company involved in the processing or transformation of FSC-certified products (e.g. manufacturing, repackaging, pack-splitting, relabelling, cutting to size or adding other forest-based components to the product) must be FSC certified in order to apply an FSC label to their products and/or sell them with an FSC claim.

Promotional trademark licenceOrganisations that do not need chain of custody certification may be eligible for an FSC promotional trademark licence to authorise them to use the registered trademarks.

FOREST MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION TRADEMARK LICENCECHAIN OF CUSTODY CERTIFICATION

ASSURANCE SERVICES INTERNATIONAL

CERTIFICATION BODY CERTIFICATION BODY CERTIFICATION BODY CERTIFICATION BODY FSC

Principles for responsible forest management

Our 10 Principles include complying with relevant laws, respecting the rights of workers and Indigenous Peoples, improving community relations, protecting workers’ health and safety, minimising negative environmental impacts, maintaining high conservation values, and implementing ecologically and socially appropriate forest management and restoration techniques.

Each Principle is supported by several criteria that provide a way of determining whether the principle has been met in practice.

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FSC IN NUMBERS

FSC-certified forests worldwide:

199,827,330 hectares

FSC-certified forests in the UK:

1,637,196 hectares

FSC Chain of Custody worldwide:

37,536certificates

FSC Chain of Custody in the UK:

2,257 certificates

FSC Trademark Licences

worldwide:

946

FSC Trademark Licences in

the UK:

104

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Figures correct as of 6 May 2019

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HIGHLIGHTS

April 2018

December 2018

July 2018

February 2019

October 2018

• Revised FSC UK National Forest Stewardship Standard becomes effective

• MoU signed with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA)

• Llais y Goedwig become members of FSC

• FSC UK joins UK Stakeholders for Sustainable Development (UKSSD)

• Revised UK Controlled Wood Risk Assessment published

• Presentation: Sheet Plant Association Annual Conference

• Presentation: Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) networking event

• Exhibition: Packaging Innovations and launch of FSC Packaging brochure

• UK NGO meeting with FSC International Director General

• Regional stakeholder meetings held in Maidenhead and Newport

• Woodland Trust celebrate 20 years of FSC forest management certification

• Presentation: Tetra Pak Parliamentary Reception

• Exhibition: edie Responsible Retail Conference

• Presentation: FSC UK, Soil Association and Ecotricity Packaging and Organic Industry Forum

• Exhibition: Print Show and launch of FSC in Print brochure

• First meeting of Small Woods project Standard Development Group

• Annual Members’ Meeting at Canary Wharf

March 2019

September 2018

January 2019

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between 2008 and 2017 (Forestry Commission, 2018, Table 2.28).

Despite assertions to the contrary within the timber sector, the FSC-certified area in the UK continues to expand slowly and, at 1,635,543ha in February 2019, is now at its highest level in a decade (see publicly available data at https://ic.fsc.org/en/facts-and-figures).

Recent growth has been in private forest management group schemes; in February, the combined area of 16 group schemes, with a total of nearly a thousand members, was over 454,000ha (based on publicly available data at https://info.fsc.org/). Anecdotally, more forest owners are waiting to join group schemes when they are ready to start timber harvesting.

So in about ten years’ time there will be a peak in home-grown softwood availability, followed by a sharp decline. A peak in hardwood availability will come about fifteen years later. Even if we start frantically planting new productive forests right now, they will not mature in time to smooth out these peaks and troughs, while bringing more existing woods into management is only likely to affect hardwood availability.

For a time, then, we will become even more dependent on imports than we currently are – bearing in mind that we are already the second largest net importer of forest products in the world (Forestry Commission, 2018, Figure 9.6).

At FSC UK, we believe that FSC certification will be more important than ever, to ensure both that standards are maintained in UK forests and that timber imports do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation.

The UK remains one of the least forested countries in Europe. We need to decide right now whether we want more and better managed forests. Whatever the future holds, FSC will be there to ensure that our woods are managed in ways which are environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable, to achieve our vision of Forests For All Forever.

ReferencesConfor (2017). Planting the Future: How trees can deliver for our economy, environment and society. Confor, Edinburgh. Available online at http://www.confor.org.uk/media/246544/plantingthefutureemail.pdf.

Forestry Commission (2018). Forestry Statistics 2018. First release. Available online at https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/forestry-statistics/forestry-statistics-2018/.

RFS (2019). Bringing Woodland into Management: The missed opportunities in England and Wales. Royal Forestry Society, Banbury. Available online at https://rfs.org.uk/media/552717/woodland-management-missed-opportunities-in-england-and-wales.pdf.

Whiteman, A. (1991). The Supply and Demand for Wood in the United Kingdom. Forestry Commission Occasional Paper 29. Forestry Commission, Edinburgh. Available online at https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/research/archive-the-supply-and-demand-for-wood-in-the-united-kingdom/.

THE RISE AND FALL OF BRITISH TIMBER

T he UK forestry and forest product sectors have had much to say in recent years about an impending dip in home-

grown softwood availability, with combined availability from the private and public forest estates in Great Britain (GB) expected to peak around 2027-31 and then decline (Forestry Commission, 2018, Table 2.4a).

Some have attributed at least part of this dip to FSC certification requirements for species diversification, but an earlier UK-level forecast based on like-for-like restocking predicted a slightly earlier peak (in 2022-26) and dip before FSC even existed (Whiteman, 1991, Table 5).

In reality, trends in timber availability are largely the result of changes in new planting rates over the years, and the consequent age structure of UK forests. Many in the sector continue to call

for increased planting of productive woodland (e.g. Confor, 2017).

Current GB softwood availability forecasts assume that private sector managers will maximise production, but hardwood forecasts take into account evidence of current management (Forestry Commission, 2018), and timber availability could be higher if more woods were managed. While there is rightly a deal of emphasis on new planting, a recent Royal Forestry Society report covering England and Wales points out that the benefits of new planting will only be realised slowly, and much could be gained by bringing more existing woodland into management (RFS, 2019).

Through all this, the proportion of FSC-certified timber going to sawmills has remained relatively constant, varying from 66% to 77%

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This article first appeared in Timber Construction magazine.

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WOODLAND TRUST AT

T he Woodland Trust (FSC-C009406) was founded in 1972 by the late Kenneth Watkins, a charismatic philanthropist,

farmer and producer of agricultural machinery. Mr Watkins was alarmed at the loss of native woods and their clearance for commercial purposes so he decided to do something about this. Rumour has it that he could be spotted touring the Devon lanes in his yellow Ferrari looking to buy (save) native woodlands under threat from destruction. Within the first five years he’d managed to acquire 22 woods and decided it was time to hire his first employee.

Only 46 years later and the Woodland Trust is near enough a household name and the British people recognise it as the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It employs about 500 dedicated staff and enjoys the support of almost 250,000 members. Its UK-wide estate too has grown hugely in that short time and it now owns and cares for over 1,000 sites covering over 26,000 hectares. The Woodland Trust’s vision today is simply expressed as “a UK rich in native woods and trees, for people and wildlife” – so values that are still very much true to Mr Watkins’ original aims.

When the concept of forest certification emerged in the 1990s, the Woodland Trust was actively engaged from the start; both in representing the environmental concerns at the original standard development group (the current UK Woodland Assurance Standard) but also by practising what it preached to others – by having its estate FSC-certified. It was one of the first large landowners in the UK to be certified and achieved certification in 1998 – and has successfully maintained this, uninterrupted, ever since. Last summer the Trust in conjunction with the Soil Association, its certification body and FSC UK celebrated this significant 20 year milestone at the Royal Welsh Show.

Gordon Pfetscher, the Trust’s Head of Estate has the unenviable responsibility of ensuring their varied and fragmented estate across four countries, managed by a team of around 50 site managers, remains FSC-certified. Gordon confirms that “the annual audits are challenging, rarely predictable, occasionally frustrating, sometimes enjoyable but always interesting!” He adds “with 344 woods

inspected by auditors over the last 20 years around a third of our estate has been sampled to date. We’ve learnt many lessons over the last two decades and being FSC-certified has undoubtedly helped us in many ways. FSC certification has helped us sell our products, (currently around 20,000 tonnes of timber per year), given us credibility amongst our (often critical) forestry peers but most importantly provides on-going and independently verified assurance to our membership that our growing estate is well managed to the highest standards”.

The Trust has implemented procedures in that time to help streamline its operations, increase transparency, ensure greater consistency and raise standards. For example, an internal audit process was developed early on and a trained team of fellow estate colleagues who know exactly what to look for provide this service. In general, staff view audits as a positive experience (afterwards!) because site managers, who are virtually all home-workers, leading a relatively isolated work-life, actually appreciate colleagues coming to challenge them on their work. Gordon is happy to admit, “20 years later of course the Woodland Trust estate is still not perfect by any means, but

we are learning every year and still improving wherever we can”.

The Woodland Trust also does its bit to demand FSC-certified products. A

lot of timber is used for estate furniture and infrastructure, like welcoming signs, benches, fencing and gates. The Trust’s timber procurement policy for the estate pushes for FSC-certified home-grown material if it’s not possible to recycle or use produce from their own estate. Gordon admits that an on-going challenge is sourcing sufficient material to meet annual demand, particularly FSC-certified hardwood.

He adds “off the estate too, we keep pushing the FSC message amongst our suppliers and partners at every opportunity. Partnership working, in conjunction with large businesses, is very important for mutual benefit and we employ a rigorous risk assessment process, part of which means our partners passing an FSC certification test before we even contemplate being associated with them”.

As far as the future is concerned Gordon says, “Something I’m very much looking forward to is contributing to the development of a radically simplified forest certification standard facilitated by FSC UK, which hopefully will benefit the true small and low risk woodlands. And then of course the next audit is never far away…”

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SMALL WOODS PROJECT

F SC UK remains committed to improving access to certification for owners of smaller woods. Our Small Woods Project, to

develop a radically adapted standard tailored to very low risk woodlands, is proceeding slowly, but is giving us an excellent opportunity to build relationships with key representative bodies.

AimsWe want to develop and test a standard tailored specifically to small woodlands in the UK, a standard which addresses genuine risks to environmental and social values but also focusses on key issues where FSC certification can deliver positive change above and beyond regulatory requirements. Our hope is that such a standard would achieve real, positive changes in forest management more efficiently.

The resulting standard will hopefully be very much shorter than existing standards, and therefore less daunting for those who have to apply it, but also quicker and cheaper to audit.

All of this is based on the assumption that the management of smaller woodlands present slower risks to environmental and social values, and that we can adopt a proportionately less onerous approach to standard requirements and auditing to achieve the same outcomes.

We aim to break away from the normal approach to FSC standard development, which is based on international Principles, Criteria, and generic indicators. Using the FSC Principles as a loose framework, we will ask stakeholders to start from the bottom up by identifying what they see as the real issues and risks in small woodland management, then developing a small number of indicators to address those specific issues, wherever possible using easily assessed proxies for good management.

In parallel, we also want to think about changes to auditing requirements which could make certification more cost effective and carry out a desk study of potential impacts.

The standard is being developed by a Standard Development Group (SDG) of six people, with two representing social interests, two representing environmental interests, and two representing economic interests. The group comprises representatives from Coed Cymru, Small Woods Association, RSPB, Woodland Trust, Community Woodlands Association and Llais y Goedwig.

Progress to dateThe SDG has now held two face-to-face meetings. These have included fascinating discussions about the motivations of small and community woodlands for considering FSC certification. In some cases these are definitely economic – either through conventional markets for timber or non-timber forest products or through emerging markets for payments for ecosystem services – but in other cases they are very personal – for assurance of the quality of current management or indeed of future management after the present owners have passed away.

With such a diversity of motivations, it has been difficult to decide which woodlands to include in the scope of the standard – whether based on size, woodland type, ownership, objectives of management or intensity of management. After much discussion, it was agreed to keep things simple, with a size threshold (woods up to 25 hectares) and a threshold for timber harvesting rates (timber production less than 5,000m³ per five year certificate period). Both of these thresholds will be kept under review, and in particular a number of scenarios will be explored for the timber harvesting threshold to see whether SDG members are comfortable with all of the potential outcomes. But for now they will guide the SDG in assessing risks

and opportunities and developing standard requirements.

As for the assessment of risks, we have been fortunate to see the recent publication of FSC’s new procedure and guideline on risk-based approaches to developing National Forest Stewardship Standards. While our unusual approach to standard development doesn’t lend itself to following the procedure exactly, the guideline is certainly useful, and the SDG has agreed to use some of the guiding questions and the approach to profiling the national context in assessing risks.

So the next stage of the project is to gather information to build a national profile – taking into account forest and forestry conditions, socio-economic context, FSC culture, and the standard development process – and to answer the following questions:

• What are the challenges for forest management in the UK?

• What are the biggest opportunities for FSC to make a difference?

• Where are the gaps between common forestry practice and FSC requirements?

• Which areas of our standard cause more concerns among stakeholders?

• Where may unnecessary effort be reduced?

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LLAIS Y GOEDWIG JOIN THE SOCIAL CHAMBER OF FSC

F SC is a democratic organisation that is governed by its members. FSC brings together, amongst others, environmental

and social NGOs, timber traders, forestry and Indigenous Peoples’ organisations, retailers, manufacturers and interested individuals. As of 31 March 2019, FSC had 1087 members in 89 countries.

Members apply to join one of three chambers: environmental, social or economic, which are further sub-divided into northern and southern sub-chambers. Voting is weighted to ensure that each chamber and sub-chamber gets an equal say. This guarantees that influence is shared equitably between different interest groups and levels of economic power.

Our members contribute directly to upholding a system which ensures that the harvest of forest products is balanced with maintaining the biodiversity, productivity and ecological stability of forests, and that local people get a fair share of the benefits.

Llais y Goedwig (Voice of the Woodlands) is the Welsh network of community woodlands. They are a grass-roots organisation formed by community woodland groups to support members in practical, development and advocacy terms.

Community woodland groups come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but all are based on the desire of communities across Wales

to have a say in how their local woodlands are managed. The groups are formed and run by people with the passion and drive to take on the management of those woods on a practical level so that they benefit the people and wildlife in the communities surrounding them.

Community woodlands in Wales also come in all shapes and sizes; from small wooded areas in the centre of a town to hundreds of hectares in rural settings, and are managed variously to: improve access, create safe places for recreation, educate and train, promote biodiversity and foster local enterprise. Their membership currently stands at over 90 active groups with a further 700 supporters.

Increasingly Llaid y Goedwig’s members are looking to maximise the benefits that managing all aspects of their woodlands can bring to communities, including timber sales, marketing and income generation from non-timber resources.

Llais y Goedwig were keen to become members of FSC as it will help them to support members more effectively, giving them a voice in shaping future responsible management of our woodlands, helping to strengthen their network and allowing them to contribute their knowledge and experience to others in the social chamber while learning from theirs. They look forward to conversations with other community forest and woodland groups across the FSC network.

FSC membership will help them achieve one of their fundamental aims – the recognition of ‘social forestry’ as an integral and important part of the forestry sector in Wales and internationally.

The woodlands of Wales (and the rest of the world) need communities and communities need woodlands!


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PRINT AND PACKAGING

A s public awareness around the environmental impact of plastics reaches new heights, businesses, organisations

and the government have announced ways in which they have committed to change and innovate, in order to counter the tidal wave of waste.

In addition to reduction and reuse initiatives, the movement away from plastics is likely to mean a step towards customer-favoured renewable and recyclable materials: paper and cardboard.

When questioned, UK consumers show a clear preference for paper and cardboard packaging. In 7 out of 11 categories, consumers stated that they preferred paper/cardboard over glass, metal and plastic packaging (Two Sides).

As this renaissance takes hold, it is important that organisations making the transition to paper and card consider its environmental impact.

Switching from plastic to cardboard packaging can be a positive move. However, if this packaging is not responsibly sourced it can still have a detrimental impact on the environment.

Packaging made from forest-fibre has the potential to be both renewable and recyclable/ biodegradable, but only when it is responsibly sourced and sensitively processed. FSC-certified packaging can help to demonstrate a commitment to responsible sourcing through the use of FSC-certified materials and the application of the FSC labels.

Packaging can carry the FSC label if it is produced using FSC-certified materials under a

valid FSC chain of custody certificate. Including the FSC label on packaging is a great way to capitalise on one of its key functions: promotion.

FSC certificate and licence holders have access to the FSC Marketing Toolkit (marketingtoolkit.fsc.org), which features the FSC Forests for All Forever brandmarks and associated assets. The use of these assets, which add further information and a more emotive angle to the promotion of FSC, can increase the influence of the FSC label. This is particularly important in packaging and other applications where sustainability can be a key differentiator. Brands that use FSC-labelled packaging can be granted authorisation to promote it using the iconic FSC trademarks with an FSC trademark licence, thus facilitating online, offline and in-store promotions.

Brochures available from FSC UK:

The Billiard RoomTown Hall

Great Oak StreetLlanidloes

Powys SY18 6BN

01686 413916

www.fsc-uk.org

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FSC® INThe Billiard Room

Town Hall Great Oak Street

LlanidloesPowys

SY18 6BN01686 413916

www.fsc-uk.org

PRINT

““Trees have always been important to us at Taylors of Harrogate, that’s why we are very proud that our Yorkshire Tea boxes carry the trademark of the Forest Stewardship Council, promoting responsible forest management and wood harvesting in a way that assures the forest’s biodiversity, productivity and ecological processes are preserved.”

Kathryn Patchett, Sustainable Development Coordinator, Taylors of Harrogate

““Our goal is to lead the way in sustainability. Demonstrating the FSC certification of DS Smith’s entire paper and packaging supply chain creates sustainable value by balancing the needs of our business, our environment and our people. As a result, we operate ever more responsibly and delight our customers through our sustainable performance.”

Stefano Speck, Audit and Certification Manager, DS Smith

““The use of the FSC trademarks on our packaging affirms our strong commitment to sourcing with integrity and enables us to promote awareness of sustainable forestry and responsibly sourced forest-based products.”

James Bell, Sustainable Sourcing Manager, Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd.

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BOXING CLEVER WITH TIDMAS TOWNSEND

T idmas Townsend Ltd (FSC-C007915) is a family-run corrugated box manufacturer and packaging supplies specialist based in

East Sussex. Celebrating over 90 years trading, the company has been supplying the south of England with both retail and industrial packaging solutions, serving sole traders and cottage industries, right up to multinational companies.

2011 saw the buyout of a local competitor that in turn led the company further into the industrial sector and ultimately to the corrugated converting sector. It’s from here that Tidmas Townsend has experienced significant growth, with the introduction of machinery to convert a wide range of Fefco box styles including die cut and printed solutions. The company also works with a number of partners to provide bespoke protective packaging solutions in foam, EPS, LDPE and corrugate.

With an average output of over 250 tonnes of corrugated cardboard per year, Tidmas Townsend has always taken great consideration over the environmental impact of its products.

As well as the implementation of complete recycling systems to handle all waste paper and corrugate, Tidmas Townsend has always made every effort to source its wide range of paper-based products from FSC-certified sources.

With an increased manufacturing output year on year, the company has taken the next natural step to become the additional link in the supply chain and attained FSC certification for itself. Tidmas Townsend gained its chain of custody certification for all its bespoke corrugated products, including all Fefco box styles as well as any cut, creased and sheet board orders.

Tidmas Townsend found the process of gaining certification relatively straightforward, as Managing Director Marc Townsend explains:

“Through using a trusted Certified Accreditation Body that was recommended by one of our customers, we were guided through the entire process. This involved reviewing parts of our supply chain to ensure the necessary materials were being supplied and confirmation of this was being shown on all invoices and delivery notes. Once we had put any necessary changes in place through our supply chain, it was then time to update procedures in house, taking the steps required to be able to offer our goods as FSC and pass this acknowledgment on to our customers”.

Tidmas Townsend advises any business that is involved in the sale of paper-based products to look at certification. Not only can you take a step towards making your business more environmentally conscious, but you can improve brand awareness, customer relations and explore new avenues in business.

CARTON LABELLING MILESTONE FOR TETRA PAK

In 2018 Tetra Pak® (FSC-C014047) reached a significant milestone, with the total number of FSC-labelled packages delivered globally

passing the 400 billion mark.

Exponential growthThe number of FSC-labelled packages delivered by Tetra Pak has in fact grown exponentially since the first such package was produced in 2007 and launched in the UK. By 2009, the annual total had climbed to 1.5 billion, reaching 18 billion in 2011 and 54 billion by 2015. By 2016, Tetra Pak had delivered a total of 200 billion FSC-labelled packages since production began and in just two years that number has doubled.

A history of innovationThe first Tetra Pak package to be labelled as made from FSC-certified paperboard was delivered in 2007 and used to sell tomatoes in the UK. This was a first for the industry, and Tetra Pak has continued to break new ground ever since, as well as working to find renewable alternatives to the other materials that are used to produce Tetra Pak’s packages. On average, more than three-quarters of a Tetra Pak carton package is made up of renewable materials.

In 2014, Tetra Pak achieved FSC chain of custody certification, which means that Tetra Pak is able to supply FSC-labelled packages from all its sites worldwide.

In 2018, over 80% of packages sold by Tetra Pak UK carried an FSC label to demonstrate that the packages are made of paperboard from responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources.

Meeting growing demandThe FSC logo enables consumers to make a conscious choice when it comes to choosing packaged goods. Increasingly, consumers are looking to companies to make a public commitment to protecting the environment and to communicate that in a transparent way.

Tetra Pak’s own environmental research shows that 70% of consumers say they have purchased an environmental product, even if it costs more, while 39% say that they always or often look for environmental information on beverage packaging. Delivering FSC-certified paperboard therefore has the potential to deliver competitive advantage as well as environmental benefits. It is for these reasons that Tetra Pak is committed to work with its customers and FSC to achieve its business and environmental goals.

Gavin Landeg, Head of Environment for Tetra Pak in North West Europe commented:

“For Tetra Pak, FSC is the gold standard for ensuring that the paperboard that we use in our packages is from responsibly managed and other controlled sources. It is therefore a key component of delivering our sustainability strategy to protect food, people and our future.”

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FSC-applicant projects (under construction/review) include:One Bank Street (FSC-P001654)One Bank Street is a 27-storey office building currently under construction at the western end of the Canary Wharf Estate. Built within a cofferdam within the South Dock, the building will provide over 700,000ft2 of prime office space in a range of floor plate sizes, including several large floors for trading operations.

On the outside, Canary Wharf is built from steel, stone and glass…But if you look closer, you will see that some of the world’s biggest projects require a massive amount of timber…

F or Canary Wharf Group, building 14 million square feet of office space and retail malls on such a small footprint,

as well as simultaneously creating the infrastructure of roads and associated utilities, public transport connections, pedestrian circulation and parks, has provided both a challenge and an opportunity.

To date, they have responsibly sourced 18,000m³ of timber and completed five FSC-certified projects, including Crossrail Place (FSC-P001714), the new home for Canary Wharf Station. They currently have seven applicant projects in progress, using timber and wood products sourced in accordance with the FSC project certification standard.

“We are passionate about designing, building and managing our buildings in an environmentally sustainable way and strive to achieve the highest standards at our projects. The Group has received multiple awards for our sustainability efforts at sites ranging from the Crossrail station at Canary Wharf to 20 Fenchurch Street (‘the Walkie Talkie’) in the heart of the City of London.”Sir George Iacobescu CBE, Chairman and CEO of Canary Wharf Group

FSC IN THE CITY: it “means that you can prove it’s responsibly sourced”A new short film commissioned by FSC UK showcases how FSC Project Certification helps Canary Wharf Group prove that the timber they use is responsibly sourced, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Newfoundland (FSC-P001716)The Newfoundland project is a 60-storey residential development at the western end of the Canary Wharf Estate. The Jubilee Line runs directly beneath the site. Newfoundland represents the first stage of new residential development at Canary Wharf and has been designed by renowned Mayfair-based architects, Horden Cherry Lee.

Southbank Place (FSC-P001718)Joint venture developers Canary Wharf Group and Qatari Diar are working to re-vitalise the area around the landmark Shell Centre Tower with high quality architecture and much improved public spaces. The Tower will be complemented by seven new buildings. Approximately 800,000ft2 of office space (including the Shell Centre Tower), along with around 80,000ft2 of new retail units, restaurants and cafés, will be accompanied by 790 new homes, including affordable housing.

FSC-certified projects include:20 Fenchurch Street (FSC-P001553, 2013)Joint developers Canary Wharf Group and Land Securities set out to ensure the 38-storey tower, known as ‘the Walkie Talkie’, was one of the most sustainable buildings of its type in London, and deployed a number of innovative measures throughout the design, construction and operational phases. The commercial skyscraper was awarded full FSC Project Certification for the shell, core and full fit-out of the Sky Garden and restaurants, common areas, the pocket park, annex building and levels 14, 15, 16, 17, 35, 36, 37. The building also achieved a BREEAM 2011 Excellent rating.

Crossrail (FSC-P001714, 2015)Built within a vast cofferdam, surrounded by the water of the West India Quay dock, is the new 250m long Canary Wharf Crossrail station. 100,000ft² of shops and leisure space can be found above the station. A 310m long roof-top garden runs along the top of structure, with a timber lattice roof allowing in light and rain. This city oasis is planted with a selection of species originating from historic British trading destinations.

All images: © Canary Wharf Group

Take

a look at the film

at www.fsc-uk.org

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SUPPORTING THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN THE UK

In 2018 FSC UK joined UK Stakeholders for Sustainable Development (UKSSD), a cross-sector network of organisations who work together to drive action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the UK.

The article below first appeared as a UKSSD blog post.

Forests: A breath of fresh air?Air is a non-negotiable requirement for most living things. And as the global population nears 8 billion and the planet becomes increasingly industrialised, the quality of our air is a major concern. Air pollution is not only harmful to health, but also to the environment in general, causing issues like acid rain, haze and climate change.

“In an especially destructive feedback loop, air pollution not only contributes to climate change but is also exacerbated by it,” Natural Resources Defence Council

In 2019 toxic smog in Bangkok, Thailand, forced more than 400 schools to close to protect children from its harmful effects. And although London’s air may appear clear to the naked eye, the city has suffered from illegal levels of air pollution since 2010.

But there is a solutionWe are already equipped with a machine capable of converting CO2 back into breathable oxygen, locking away carbon for years or even thousands of years and filtering contaminants from the air. What’s more, while it does all of this it also helps to conserve water, soil and biodiversity. But it’s not some sleek, lab-made invention, rather it’s the humble, and traditionally rather gnarly, tree.

Trees also have the neat habit of forming forests and woodlands, some of which can stretch over millions of miles, and bring with them even greater benefits than those offered by lone trees. It’s even been discovered that

they talk to each other; connected by biological pathways which enable them to communicate, share nutrients and behave almost as a single organism.

“We, leaders, today in Paris on November 30th 2015, recognize the essential role forests play in the long-term health of our planet, in contributing to sustainable development, and in meeting our shared goal of avoiding dangerous climate change,” Parties to the UNFCCC, 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference

Healthy, functioning forests are key not just in terms of ensuring clean air but also in combating climate breakdown while supporting sustainable development. But unless these precious ecosystems are responsibly managed, our engagement with and exploitation of forests can end up doing more harm than good.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a framework for global change. They highlight the areas we all need to focus on to ensure a brighter future for us as human beings as well as for the rest of the planet. Our work at the Forest Stewardship Council addresses the majority of the 17 SDGs, covering ecological and social issues in forests around the globe. This makes FSC a solution for anyone who wants to do their part to protect the world’s forests and achieve the SDGs.

In 2019 we launched Together We Are FSC, a campaign to support anyone working within the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to better understand how FSC helps their business achieve the SDGs and safeguard our planet for future generations.

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In 2019 FSC launched a new campaign, Together We Are FSC. This campaign was created by drawing inspiration from the vision

of ‘One FSC’: everyone associated with our system, from forest owners and workers to producers, NGOs or consumers, each plays its part in FSC.

Snapshots from the lives and work of a variety of people, from forest owners in Finland to a hotel owner in Mexico, depict our global community’s united effort to ensure Forests For All Forever. No matter where you get your wood or paper from, when the product is FSC-certified you are supporting our global mission.

When choosing FSC you’re supporting our strategic work in the world’s most vulnerable regions. And you contribute to making sustainable forestry a global priority. Because together we are FSC.

Sustainable Development GoalsThe UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a framework for global change. They highlight the areas we all need to focus on to ensure a brighter future for us as human beings as well as for the rest of the planet.

FSC addresses the majority of the 17 SDGs, covering ecological and social issues in forests around the globe.

Target GroupThe ‘Together We Are FSC’ campaign is meant as a structured way for anyone working within the field of corporate social responsibility

(CSR) and FSC to better understand how FSC helps their business achieve the SDGs.

The campaign also helps anyone who is passionate about meaningful change understand why FSC is important on a global level and the impact of choosing FSC. This is relevant for all FSC-engaged NGO’s, organisations and businesses.

The campaign assets can easily be downloaded from the FSC Marketing Toolkit (https://marketingtoolkit.fsc.org/) and implemented on social media platforms, webpages and CSR-reports.

Is this all because of FSC?Aside from direct influence, such as those provided by third party FSC-audits, and concrete examples like FSC auditors urging the community to buy an ambulance, it can be difficult to distinguish what is solely a consequences of FSC certification, and what has come about as a result of influence of the forest owners, stakeholders (such as communities), FSC and the government. Often, it can be a strong combination of all these factors.

FSC certification often plays the important control role through the yearly third-party audit. In many cases FSC is the only mechanism to proactively check up on social and ecological issues, even when rules apply. FSC is also a tool with a built-in security system because FSC can terminate the FSC certificate if standards are not met at any time.

How to engageView the campaign at https://marketingtoolkit.fsc.org/togetherwearefsc. FSC certificate and licence holders can also share the campaign in any way that fits their purpose. Help us spread the message by highlighting your engagement with FSC using the campaign assets.

Sisters Ninna and Jenny manage a FSC-certified forest in Sweden

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Eudoxie works at an FSC-certified sawmill in Gabon

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UK MEMBERS

Anna Jenkins (individual)

Born Free Foundation

Fauna and Flora International

Florin Ioras (individual)

Greenpeace UK Ltd

Hannah Scrase (individual)

Jon Kirkpatrick (individual)

Mark Barthel (individual)

Meriel Robson (individual)

Sian Jones (individual)

Soil Association

The Woodland Trust

WWF UK

Zoological Society of London

Ben Vickers (individual)

Constance Lynn McDermott (individual)

Fair Rubber e.v.

Hubert Kwisthout (individual)

Llais y Goedwig

Marcus Colchester (individual)

The National Trust

Blueline Office Furniture

BM TRADA

Boots the Chemist

Bound Oak Ltd

Chartwell PM Ltd

Confederation of Forest Industries (CONFOR)

The Forest Company

Home and Leisure International Ltd

HSBC Holdings plc

Hubertus van Hesbergen (individual)

Kingfisher plc

Kronospan Ltd

Lend Lease Europe

Mike Bekin (individual)

Mondi plc

Soil Association Certification Ltd

Timber Trade Federation

Correct as of 31 March 2019

Economic Chamber

Social Chamber

Environmental Chamber

FINANCE

IncomeOver the financial year under review there was a surplus of income over expenditure. We began the year with an opening balance from the previous period of £734,483 and have ended with a carry forward of £786,079. It should be noted that this carry forward figure includes the reserves fund of over £246K.

Membership revenue continues to increase. However, most income is received under the Principal Cooperation, Service and Licence Agreement (the Activity Compensation Fee) with FSC Global Development. This is currently calculated on a formula which is primarily based on the Annual Accreditation Fee (AAF) charged to certified companies in the UK.

FSC UK would like to thank all those who have supported our work over the last financial year.

ExpenditureExpenditure was higher this year compared with last (£419,102 compared with £357,960) due to increased investment in delivery of our strategic priorities, particularly the work to drive demand for FSC certification and FSC-certified products.

Reserves PolicyThe reserve fund has been established to meet the working capital requirements of the charity and, if necessary, cover the cost of closing the charity. At the end of the reporting period over £246K was held in reserve. The Steering Group is confident that, at the equivalent to 6 months’ expenditure, the charity would be able to continue at worthwhile activity levels in the event of a temporary significant drop in funding. The estimated cost of closing the charity should not exceed 50% of reserves.

Expenditure

• Forestry • Licence Holder Support

• Driving Demand • Credibility

Income

• Activity Compensation Fee

• Membership • Trademark Licensing

• Donations • Consultancy/Training

• Reimbursed/Interest

FSC® UKThe Billiard Room

Town Hall Great Oak Street

LlanidloesPowys

SY18 6BN01686 413916

www.fsc-uk.org

our forests our work forests 2018/2019 work€¦ · launch of fsc in print brochure first meeting...

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