Projects and procurement
UK Timber Regulation and FSC: A Guide for Kitchen Buyers
Key points
- The UK Timber Regulation (UKTR) prohibits placing illegally harvested timber on the GB market, including timber in furniture.
- Businesses that first place timber products on the market must exercise due diligence.
- Due diligence means gathering information, assessing risk and mitigating it.
- FSC certification and supplier documents make due diligence much simpler.
Wooden kitchen furniture is within the scope of the UK Timber Regulation (UKTR), the GB successor to the EU Timber Regulation. If your business imports cabinets and is the first to place them on the GB market, you are an "operator" with legal duties. If you buy from a UK importer, they carry those duties, but you may still be asked to keep records of who you bought from.
What the regulation requires
- No illegal timber. It is an offence to place illegally harvested timber, or products made from it, on the GB market.
- Due diligence. Operators must have a system to minimise the risk of illegal timber, and keep it under review.
- Records. Keep due diligence records for at least five years.
The three steps of due diligence
1. Information
For each product: a description, the species of timber (common and scientific names), the country of harvest, the quantity, the supplier and documents showing the timber complies with the laws of the country of harvest.
2. Risk assessment
Consider the risk that the timber is illegal, based on the species, the country (and region) of harvest, the complexity of the supply chain and the certification available.
3. Risk mitigation
Where risk is not negligible, reduce it: more documents, third-party verification, certified material or a different source.
How certification helps
Certification schemes such as FSC and PEFC provide independently audited chain-of-custody evidence. They do not replace due diligence, but they are strong evidence in your risk assessment. FSC-certified materials are available on Sanyang orders.
What to ask your supplier for
- A signed timber information statement for each product: species, country of harvest, supplier and quantity
- FSC or PEFC certificates and chain-of-custody claims on invoices, where certified material is ordered
- Legality documents such as harvesting permits or concession licences, where available
- A description of the supplier's own sourcing controls
We provide supply-chain documents to support your UKTR due diligence with every order. This article is general guidance, not legal advice: check current requirements with the Office for Product Safety and Standards or your adviser. See quality and certifications.
About the author. Written by Sanyang's design and technical team, drawing on more than 25 years of manufacturing kitchen and bathroom cabinetry and more than 500 containers a month shipped to the United States. About Sanyang.
