Timber Sourcing Policy

Independent Hardware Group (IHG), as Australia’s leading independent hardware retailer, recognizes its role in helping Australians to build a better world through the responsible sourcing of timber. IHG purchases a significant amount of timber and by committing to responsible timber sourcing we can have a real and positive impact. Responsible sourcing of timber promotes the protection of the forestry industry, environmentally and culturally significant forests, and the rights of workers. 

Our commitment is to move toward a procurement strategy where timber and wood products sourced by IHG for its members originate from legal, responsibly sourced and sustainable natural forest operations or plantations which don’t contribute to deforestation by conversion or clearing and also provide direct benefit to local communities.

IHG defines responsibly sourced as timber or wood products harvested from well-managed forests that are continuously replenished and have no negative impact on the surrounding environment or to native flora and fauna. IHG recognizes responsible sources which are either certified or controlled. Certified sources include those which have received third-party certification from regulatory bodies including the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and all the certifications recognized under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Controlled sources are those which do not have certification but have evidence from the supplier proving compliance with IHG’s Responsible Timber Sourcing Policy. 

The majority of IHG sourced timber and wood products are currently third-party certified by FSC, PEFC or verified legal. Our goal is for 100% of IHG sourced imports of timber and wood products to be FSC, PEFC or verified legal by the end of FY23. IHG Trading Agreements also reference the requirement that timber and wood products be compliant with country of origin Laws and Illegal Logging Laws.

We believe that our customers and members have a right to know that the timber we supply is responsibly sourced. To deliver on this commitment IHG will: 

• Give preference to the purchase of wood and wood products originating from third-party certified forests.
• Eliminate the purchase of wood and wood products of endangered species.
• Practice and promote the efficient and responsible use of wood and wood products.
• Expect its vendors and their suppliers of wood and wood products to maintain compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to their operations and the products they manufacture.
• Expect harvest practices to uphold indigenous and local community rights and customs.
• Exclude timber sources where the source forest is known to be or suspected to be of high conservation value.
• Exclude timber sources where the material was known to be or suspected to be illegally harvested/ traded or involve any form of modern slavery as per our IHG Purchase Agreements.
• Exclude conflict timber, which describes timber traded in direct association with armed conflict to either perpetuate conflict or take advantage of conflict for personal gain. 
• Expect vendors to prove non conflict status of timber especially products sourced via China.
• Cease to deal with vendors who knowingly or unknowingly supply conflict wood products to Australia. 

IHG will work closely with its suppliers to ensure compliance with our Responsible Timber Sourcing Policy. We will confirm legal, social, moral, and environmental compliance through an annual timber supplier review by verifying the source and chain-of-custody of the timber products we purchase. We will monitor and review supplier performance, should non-compliance be found remediation actions will be taken and if the non-compliance cannot be resolved trading with the affected supplier will cease. We are dedicated to ensuring the well-being of our planet, people and communities and will hold ourselves and our suppliers to a high standard to meet this goal.