Sustainability
For over 100 years, JSC has been at the forefront of the timber industry in New Zealand, pioneering new products, materials, and finishes that have set the standard for quality and innovation. From our humble beginnings in Dunedin in 1900, we have grown to become New Zealand's leading architectural and building solutions partner, building on a legacy of excellence that was started by our founder Jack Scott over a century ago.
Our commitments are as follows:
- We ensure our staff have the means to effectively implement the procedures and checks necessary to administer Chain of Custody certifications and to work with suppliers and customers with regard to Chain of Custody requirements.
- We purchase timber from suppliers who have established a clear, verifiable track record regarding environmental standards and conformance, including legality, sustainability, cultural awareness, and employee working and living standards.
- We are a foundation member of the New Zealand Imported Timber Trade Group (NZITTG) and will conform to the 2018 Charter of Understanding, including claims 3.3.1 and 3.3.2.
- We review suppliers and procedures periodically to ensure compliance with industry best practices and up-to-date standards.
- As a company, we stay informed with regard to developing criteria, new legislation, and events worldwide that provide our customers with the best responsibility-sourced timber products.
Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC)
South America, Indonesia, West Africa
FSC® is a global not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management worldwide. Its membership includes leading environmental groups like Greenpeace New Zealand and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature Australia (WWF). FSC is one of the most well-recognised certification schemes available to consumers. It provides a connection between the forest and the end-user; ensuring products that carry the FSC label, uphold the principles and oversight which bring social, economic, and environmental protections and benefits to the entire supply chain.
Our suppliers in West Africa, South America, Indonesia, and others are independently committed to responsible forestry and FSC certification.
FSC Licence Code - C003608
North America
JSC has played a significant role in the importation of environmentally responsibly managed North American Timbers into NZ for more than 75 years.
As founder members of the New Zealand Timber Importers’ Association (NZTIA-1968) and New Zealand Imported Timber Trade Group (NZITTG-1992), JSC is committed to the environmental charter adopted by NZTIA/NZITTG and is supplying timber products from producers who lead in environmental forest management practices.
The bulk of our imports from North America is Western Red Cedar from British Columbia. Our principal shippers are similarly committed to meeting the highest environmental standards through the application of forest regulations, science-based principles, collaborative approaches, sustainable forest practices and independent 3rd party certifiers.
The Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) has been adopted as the principal 3rd party North American environment standard. SFI is one of the world's most rigorous and widely applied standards of sustainable forestry. Programme participants have a strong record of innovative and careful stewardship of the forests they own and manage, integrating modern forest science and technology for wood fibre while protecting biodiversity and ecological, cultural and high-visual aspect/historical sites. The role of First Nations continues to strengthen the areas in the areas of resource management and reforestation.
SFI is consistent with principles and procedures outlined in various standards including CSA, GAAS, ANSI, PEFC and the Ker Haut Standard. In addition, several of our shippers are also Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) certified for certain key areas of the Chain of Custody program.
South Pacific Islands
Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea
Fiji has a long-established Ministry of Forests and respect for legal and sustainable forest management. Successive Conservators of Forests have maintained a stronghold on the issuing of resource consents and subsequent monitoring of volumes and species extracted from the bush. No formal 3rd party certification exists at this present time in Fiji but positive developments are occurring in this space at time of publishing (2023).
There is a well established Fiji National Code of Logging Practice which sets out the terms as to where and how logs can be felled and extracted to sustain the forest resource, and cause minimum impact on the environment. More recent requirements of enhanced roading infrastructure have further protected the water catchments and natural landscape of production forest blocks.
Since 1948 significant plantings of Swietenia (Mahogany) and Pinus Caribbea (Tropic Pine) have subsequently taken much of the pressure off the Fijian indigenous resource. However, even though the current Forest Surveillance Operations and Inspectorate of the Department continue to manage the forest companies with considerable success, without 3rd party legality or sustainability certification JSC cannot stock Fijian plantation or natural harvest timbers.
In the case of the Solomon Islands, there is a similarly well established Department of Forests that has a full platform of legislation and a well-designed management structure behind it.
There is a well-established Logging Code that provides for good forest practice when followed. An important aspect of Forest Management in the Solomons and PNG is that almost all land, including production forest, is owned by tribal communities. Therefore there is plenty of opportunity for the forests to be harvested with economic benefit returning directly to the landowners. Local tribal groups can actively negotiate and monitor the activity of logging companies around protected cultural and spiritual areas as well as traditional hunting and gardening reserves. Landowners also take advantage of an enhanced infrastructure of roads, bridges and social services provided under the terms of the Timber Rights Purchase Agreement required by the Forest Act.
It is important to note that the Solomon Islands Group, SITPEA is developing a 3rd party legality program under the NEPCon Legality Scheme and has special status in the NZITTG Charter.
Papua New Guinea, however, has no widespread culture of 3rd party certified forest environment management; therefore, JSC has suspended imports since 2008 and focused on the Solomon Islands.
It should now be clear that JSC requires best-practice responsible and sustainable forest management from all its suppliers. The higher the risk, the greater the need for due diligence and 3rd party certification. JSC is now rigorous in maintaining the highest legality and sustainability standards possible.