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Future Homes Goal: to enable sustainability in all our product and service categories
Kingfisher is helping customers reduce the eco footprint of their homes by providing innovative and affordable eco products and services.
77%
Volume of timber sourced from proven well-managed or recycled sources
50%
Volume of timber from FSC-certified sources
3
million hectares of independently certified forestry1
Sustainable timber sourcing
Our businesses sell a high volume of timber and products made from or containing wood. Therefore the choices we take regarding which wood products to stock can help protect the world's forest resources while reducing our impact on climate change. B&Q UK was one of the pioneers of sustainable timber sourcing, helping to set up the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in the early 1990s. Kingfisher is committed to building on this heritage by driving forward sustainable timber sourcing across the Group. Our long-term policy aim is to ensure all our timber is sourced from proven, well-managed forests or recycled sources. We recognise the key role that forests play as a carbon sink and therefore our work on timber is part of our overall strategy on climate change.
In 2009/10, 77% of the reported timber volume sold was from proven well-managed or recycled sources – up from 72% in 2008/09. This means that we have exceeded our target to achieve 75% from proven well-managed or recycled sources by 2010/11 a year ahead of schedule. We are working with the independent sustainability experts Forum for the Future to develop new targets in 2010.
The total volume of reported timber from proven well-managed or recycled sources is 4.7 million m3 roundwood equivalent (RWE). This is comparable to an estimated certified forest area of over 3 million hectares. The remaining timber is either from forests that are not yet independently certified or is timber with partial traceability or without full chain of custody.
See timber data for explanatory notes to this chart.
As the most stringent globally applicable certification scheme, the FSC is our preferred choice. The volume of timber from FSC sources has progressively increased over the last three years – up from 45% in 2007/08 to 50% in 2009/10. The chart shows a breakdown of the timber by FSC and other certification / verification schemes.
See timber data for explanatory notes to this chart.
Our operating companies have action plans in place on sustainable timber sourcing, with most focusing on product-, species- and category-specific initiatives. A key focus is to discontinue product lines where suppliers are unable to provide sufficient evidence of the forest source. Five of our nine operating companies have received a Kingfisher internal audit on timber to check timber data and improve understanding of the Kingfisher timber policy requirements (as at the end of 2009/10).
During 2009, we introduced timber criteria into the Kingfisher quality management tool. This is a new online tool which is used to screen products to ensure they meet Kingfisher quality standards and is being progressively rolled out across the Group. The timber criteria embedded in this quality management tool will help ensure that only policy compliant timber will be approved.
Kingfisher's timber adviser continues to provide support to our operating companies to help them set targets, implement action plans, engage with partners and run workshops / training sessions for buyers on sustainable timber sourcing. In October 2009, Kingfisher's timber adviser participated in a roadshow in Brazil on timber sourcing, which was part of a series of events funded by the UK government Department for International Development. The delegation included representatives from The Forest Trust (TFT), the UK Timber Trade Federation and other UK timber companies / retailers. The roadshow included visits to forests and factories as well as meetings and seminars with partners and government officials.
Key initiatives within our operating companies during 2009 include the following:
In early 2010, we formed the Timber Retail Coalition with major international retailers to support EU regulation to stamp out the import of illegal timber. Marks & Spencer, Carrefour and IKEA (all members of the European Retail Round Table) make up the other original members of the Coalition.
Kingfisher has also signed up to the Prince's Rainforests Project which aims to halt tropical deforestation. See video message from Kingfisher Chief Executive, Ian Cheshire, in support of the project. Also view video interview with B&Q UK's Chief Executive, Euan Sutherland.
Kingfisher has participated in the Forest Footprint Disclosure (FFD) Project, a new initiative backed by 35 financial institutions to help investors identify the impact companies have on forests and how they can reduce their impact. Kingfisher has been a long-standing supporter of greater transparency on timber sourcing (see government relations) and was one of the first companies to participate in this initiative. The Kingfisher Timber Adviser gave technical input to the drafting of the FFD report and understanding of certification issues.
The data presented in the charts on this page and the explanatory notes relating to this data have been reviewed by Ernst & Young LLP. May 2010.
For more details see the Ernst & Young Assurance Statement
© Kingfisher plc 2010
Company number 01664812. Registered in England
3 Sheldon Square, Paddington, London, W2 6PX
