Procurement Rules African Timber

The responsibility of the Danzer Group to the environment is expressed in our extensive Environmental Management System. This includes strict procurement guidelines for wood which comes from Africa.

Activities combating illegal logging

In 1994 the Danzer Group started to implement an Environmental Management System which follows the ISO 14001 standard. Within this world-wide project the company has together with SGS Qualifor developed an African Procurement Policy. The implementation and role-out of the new rules and the respective procedures have been started at the beginning of 2005 and therefore a new function "Environmental System Co-ordinator Procurement and Production Africa" has been created within the Danzer Services Europe GmbH in Reutlingen.

The primary aim of this policy is to ensure that Danzers' supplies of African timber are proven to be legally sourced.

Internal adherence to the rules will be independently audited on an annual basis.

Support of the European Union Action Plan

This system was also designed to be fully in line with the FLEGT project of the European Union, the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Programme. The Danzer Group fully supports this programme. Only when world-wide illegally sourced timber is eliminated those forest concession operators, like ourselves, who invest substantial amounts in management plans and low impact logging training projects will be able to compete fairly in the World markets.

ISO 14001 Procurement Rules

In 1994 the Danzer Group started to implement an ISO 14001-based Environmental Management System worldwide. While North American companies are already undergoing ISO 14001 conformance audits and some are certified, the development process in Europe and Africa is ongoing.

The Group Procurement Rules for Africa form part of the ISO 14001 system. Within this we commit to gradually, credibly and independently demonstrate that the forests in our control and those from where we are also sourcing timber are managed legally and responsibly.

By gradually we mean to implement a process adapted to the situation of those of our suppliers willing to commit to our goals.

By credibly we mean to imlement a holistic, transparent, and documented process that takes the life cycle of our products into consideration and is based on  internationally recognized standards especially in regard to sustainable forestry.

By independently we confirm that the process and its outcomes will be audited and certified by qualified third parties.