Wal-Mart Presses Vendors in China to Meet Higher Standards
From Washington Post: Shenzhen, China - Benny Fung, the head of Hong Kong-based soap and cosmetics maker Lutex, seems to have an eye for detail. The meeting room at his factory here in southern China is lined with neatly packed gift baskets. His jacket has a thin purple velvet accent around the lapel to match his purple tie.
Vietnam: Aquiculture, Forestry and Agriculture Exports Rise by 25 Percent
From VoV.com: Aquiculture, forestry and agriculture exports in February totalled over US$1.4 billion, increasing Vietnam’s year-to-date turnover to US$2.8 billion, up 25 percent against the same period last year. Agriculture exports gained nearly US$1.5 billion, rising by 11 percent compared to the same period last year, while aquiculture and forestry exports reaped US$628 million and US$617 million, showing increases of 41 percent and 60 percent, respectively.
The Three Keys to a Successful Sustainability Program
From Greenbiz.com: As Time Magazine recently reported, organizations of all kinds have begun making a gradual and powerful move toward sustainability as they recognize increasing convergences between economic and environmental interests. One increasingly-popular accelerator used by high-profile companies like Walmart is to engage employees in helping to achieve sustainability goals.
Ban on Illegal Timber in EU - Pros and Cons
From NEPCon: During the 15th Illegal Logging Update held at the Chatham House, the idea of banning illegal timber trade under the EU Due Diligence regulation was discussed. Backed by several European governments, the European Parliament has proposed an outright ban applicable to all traders in the marketplace.
Tropical Timber Imports to the U.S. Plunge
From Mongabay.com: U.S. tropical lumber imports plunged by nearly half between 2009 and 2008, reports the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO). The slowdown is thought to be largely attributable to the decline in the U.S. housing market and the tepid economy.
Australia: A Final Report to Inform a Regulation Impact Statement for the Proposed New Policy on Illegally Logged Timber
From CIE: The Centre for International Economics (the CIE) today released its final report to inform the government's Regulation Impact Statement for the proposed new policy on illegally-logged timber. After considering a range of options, the report concludes that, because of Australia's limited share in the international timber trade, Australia should consider only non-regulatory policy options to combat illegal logging.
Malaysia: Wood Export Guidelines from Japan Needed
From Daily Express: Kota Kinabalu - The Sabah Timber Industry Association (STIA) wants its major timber importer, Japan, to provide it with guidelines on wood exports to the country. Its President, Datuk James Hwong said the guidelines would enable the association and its members to move forward in tandem with the global industry.
The Forest Footprint Disclosure Report 2009
From Greenbiz.com: This first annual survey of international firms' awareness of and willingness to disclose their impacts on forests finds low overall awareness, with some firms leading the pack. Read more to learn about some of the key findings of this year's report.
International Brands Lead the Way in Disclosing Their Global Forest Footprint
From Forest Footprint Disclosure: A Report published today by the investor-backed initiative the Forest Footprint Disclosure (FFD) project reveals the names of those businesses that have responded to its first call to disclose details of their ‘Forest Footprint’. This term indicates the extent to which procurement policies for Forest Risk Commodities (FRCs) such as palm oil, soy, timber, beef, leather and biofuels are linked to deforestation. The Report identifies two high profile British High Street names as ‘Best Performers’ in their sectors – Marks & Spencer (General Retail) and Sainsbury’s (Food and Drug Retail).
Defra Confident New Procurement Rules Will Maintain Timber Supplies
From Timber Trade Journal: Defra has said it does not expect the addition of “social criteria” to the UK government public timber procurement policy to have a negative impact on its ability to buy timber. But it has also admitted it has not examined all the forest certification schemes to check compliance with the new criteria and said it was up to the schemes and producers to meet the new requirements.