Skip to main content

Conference: Real impact through timber purchasing policies

10 november 2015

The 2016 European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC) Conference is your opportunity to discuss challenges, share knowledge and best practice with colleagues from across Europe on successfully implementing and satisfying timber purchasing policies. It is also the event to network with buyers and suppliers of sustainably sourced timber.

Timber purchasing policies and strategies support forest conservation worldwide and the STTC Conference explores their achievements so far and future potential with key stakeholders from public and private sectors. The full-day event also offers learning and networking opportunities, with interactive plenaries and breakout sessions.

Learn about

  • How choosing sustainably sourced tropical timber contributes to forest conservation
  • The impact of timber purchasing policies on both markets and forests
  • How best to design, implement and satisfy timber purchasing policies in practice
  • What the STTC (www.europeansttc.com) can offer public and private sectors
  • EU policy developments for procurement and FLEGT (incl. EUTR)
  • Financial mechanisms favouring sustainably sourced timber
  • Good practice examples, such as how the Netherlands achieved 74% market share for sustainably sourced timber

E20160623 Mare College Leiden
Sustainably sourced louro gamela, Mare College, Leiden, the Netherlands (source: Natrufied Architecture)

Background
Forests are crucial for mankind, nature and the environment. For their long-term welfare and worth, it is crucial to maintain a balance between all forest services and values and to create and sustain a sound financial basis for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). Consumer market demand for sustainably sourced timber products is a key trigger for SFM. 


Research shows that government procurement policies can have a broader impact on consumer markets than simply through the direct effect of government purchases: in countries with comprehensive timber procurement policies the market share of certified timber increased. Procurement policies can be developed and implemented more rapidly than most other policy options (Brack, 2014). However, this doesn’t mean that it is easy, either for public or private sectors. So we urge you to attend the STTC Conference, to share experiences and best practice.

The Netherlands, which holds the EU presidency until June 2016, also makes the ideal Conference venue. With its smart policies helping achieve a 74% market share for sustainably sourced timber, it provides a timber procurement showcase.

Participants and speakers
The Conference gathers policy makers and procurement officers from national and local government, and representatives of timber trade federations, companies across the timber supply chain, NGOs, certification schemes and research institutes.

Confirmed speakers include experts from the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, City of Rotterdam, ICLEI, Precious Woods, Chatham House, Royal BAM group, various timber trade federations, Ecoinstitut, the European STTC, IDH and the European Timber Trade Federation– and more to be announced soon! The moderator is Peter Woodward of Quest Associates.

Location
The conference takes place at Wereldmuseum (World Museum): Willemskade 22-25, 3016 DM Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Information and registration
The conference is free of charge (including lunch, drinks and bites). Register now!
For more information, please contact Joyce Penninkhof Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken., +31 (0) 317 - 46 65 57.

We look forward to see you Thursday June 23 in Rotterdam!

Yours sincerely,

European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC)
Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment
City of Rotterdam
European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF)
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
Probos

E20160623 logosall