An international timber certification body has removed sustainability claims from its website after environmental campaigners launched a greenwashing complaint with the UK’s advertising watchdog.
Green group Friends of the Earth raised concerns with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) earlier this year after its research into environmental and human rights risks in the supply chains of certified Malaysian timber being sold by British retailers and builders’ merchants.
The report, co-authored by Malaysian think tank RimbaWatch in March, found flawed and ineffective sustainability certification schemes were failing to prevent deforestation, habitat destruction and indigenous rights violations in Peninsula Malaysia.
Revise
The organisations looked into products marketed as sustainable under the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS).
The scheme is endorsed by the world’s biggest timber certification body, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), which aims to give consumers and businesses confidence that they are purchasing responsibly sourced timber products.
But according to Friends of the Earth and RimbaWatch’s findings, MTCS-certified timber could still be associated with deforestation, habitat destruction and violations of indigenous people’s rights.
Before launching a complaint with ASA, Friends of the Earth said it reviewed sustainability claims made publicly by PEFC’s British arm and concluded the body could not back up guarantees that timber it has endorsed is free from harm to people and the environment.
The ASA confirmed it had raised the complaint with PEFC, which then agreed to revise its public claims.
Precision
The PEFC UK page on the website previously said the certification “proves that the timber-based products you buy and sell originate from sustainably managed forests, recycled material and other PEFC controlled sources”.
It added: “This means they are good for the environment, people, and the economy.”
It now just reads: “PEFC certification shows that forest and tree-based material has come from PEFC-certified forests or suppliers that have been assessed against applicable PEFC standards.”
The organisation also removed a line that said PEFC standards “respect the rights and traditions of indigenous people”.
John Kirkby, executive director of PEFC UK, said the organisation had updated its website following general guidance from the ASA “to ensure greater clarity and precision in how certification is communicated to consumers”.
Resolved
He added: “PEFC certification provides independent assessment against established forest management and sourcing requirements, including environmental and social safeguards.
“The changes to our website do not constitute acceptance of the allegations made by Friends of the Earth.”