Cameroon United Forests

1. Sustainable forestry policy or commitment for all its operations?

The company has environmental and social policies covering multiple dimensions of sustainability across the whole of its operations.

2. Sustainable forestry policy or commitment applies to all suppliers?

3. High-level position of responsibility for sustainability?

4. One or more members within the board of the company have responsibility for sustainability?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it is either privately owned or does not have a Board of Directors.

5. Percentage or number of women in senior management team?

6. Percentage or number of women board members?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it is either privately owned or does not have a Board of Directors.

7. Member of multiple industry schemes or other external initiatives to reduce negative environmental or social outcomes associated with timber and pulp production?

[Externally verified] The company is a member of GFBC.

8. Collaboration with stakeholders to reduce negative environmental or social outcomes associated with timber and pulp production?

9. Sustainability report published within last two years?

10. Reports through standardised reporting systems?

11. Climate risks assessment available?

12. Natural capital assessment available?

13. Lists countries and operations?

The company operates only in Cameroon (forest concessions and processing facilities).

14. Lists countries sourcing from?

15. Total area of natural forest designated for wood/wood fibre production (ha)?

224044 - The company reports on its website of having 7 FMUs covering 352,534 hectares, however this source is not dated. OTP reports the company has 6 FMUs covering 224, 043.74 hectares. Contradictory figures are reported.

16. Total area of forest plantation (ha)?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it only produces wood/wood fibre from natural forests.

17. Area of plantation/natural forest within outgrower schemes (ha)?

18. Unplanted (areas designated for future development as plantation forest) (ha)?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it only produces wood/wood fibre from natural forests.

19. Conservation set-aside area, including HCV area (ha)?

20. Area of Intact Forest Landscape (ha)?

21. Number of Forest Management Units (FMUs)?

7 - The company states it operates seven FMUs - five of its own and two in partnership with other companies. GFBC reports the two companies in question are Fanga and CAMTRANS. However, OTP reports the company directly operates 6 FMUs. Due to the contradiction in sources only partial points can be awarded.

22. Maps of forest management units (FMUs)?

The company has a static map on its website but it is over five years old and therefore does not qualify for points. Maps from OTP show that the company directly operates 5 FMUs and CAMTRANS (its partner) operates 1, however, no data is available for the FMU (09 006) which GFBC reports the company operates in partnership with Fanga. Partial points have been awarded as not all of the company's FMUs are mapped.

23. Forest management plans available for all FMUs?

The forest management plans for only six FMUs are available on the Open Timber Portal.

24. Monitoring of forest management plan implementation available?

The monitoring information is available for only few forest management plans uploaded on the Open Timber Portal. However, the information available does not detail performance against FMP objectives and indicators.

25. Company has provided valid legal documents to Open Timber Portal on use right (at the time of SPOTT assessments)?

[Externally verified] An average score was calculated from the company and CAMTRANS documents on OTP. The company and CAMTRANS operate an FMU in partnership. However, no documents are provided to the OTP by CAMTRANS on user rights. Please note: Company scores on Open Timber Portal are updated daily. Visit the OTP website to review the company's current performance by clicking on the source link.

26. Company has provided valid legal documents to Open Timber Portal on forest management (at the time of SPOTT assessments)?

[Externally verified] An average score was calculated from the company and CAMTRANS documents on OTP. The company and CAMTRANS operate an FMU in partnership. Please note: Company scores on Open Timber Portal are updated daily. Visit the OTP website to review the company's current performance by clicking on the source link.

27. Company has provided valid legal documents to Open Timber Portal on timber harvesting (at the time of SPOTT assessments)?

An average score was calculated from the company and CAMTRANS documents on OTP. The company and CAMTRANS operate an FMU in partnership. Neither company have uploaded timber harvesting documents to OTP. Please note: Company scores on Open Timber Portal are updated daily. Visit the OTP website to review the company's current performance here: http://www.opentimberportal.org/operators.

28. Names and locations of all third-party supplying FMUs?

The company states it has relationships with over 120 companies in local and international markets but does not state the nature of these relationships.

29. Number of company owned sawmills?

1 - The company owns one sawmill.

30. Names and locations of company owned sawmills?

The sawmill is located in Ebolowa, however no coordinates are available so full points cannot be awarded.

31. Number of company-owned pulp and paper mills?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

32. Names and locations of company-owned pulp and paper mills?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

33. Reports total volumes (or percentages) sourced by company-owned sawmills that come from company's own operations and third-parties?

The company states that it produces an average of 18,000 m3 of logs per month, 60% of which are processed in its sawmill, however it does not state what percentage or volume this represents of the sawmill's average monthly processing. The evidence source is also undated, therefore no points can be awarded.

34. Reports total volumes (or percentages) sourced by company-owned pulp and paper mills that come from company's own operations and third-parties?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

35. Number of third party supplying mills?

36. Names and locations of all third party supplying mills?

37. Reports total volume (or percentages) sourced from third-party supplying mills that come from the supplying mills' own operations and third parties?

38. Procedures to trace raw materials to country of harvest?

The company has OLB CoC certification for its sawmill which covers traceability for the certified portion of all sourcing. Six of the company's FMUs have OLB logging enterprise certification, however this does not represent all of the FMU's operated by the company.

39. Percentage of supply traceable to country of harvest?

40. Procedures to trace raw materials to FMU level?

The company has OLB CoC certification for its sawmill which covers traceability for the certified portion of all sourcing. Six of the company's FMUs have OLB logging enterprise certification, however this does not represent all of the FMU's operated by the company.

41. Percentage of supply traceable to FMU level?

42. Time-bound plan for achieving 100% third-party legality verification of FMUs or achieved?

The company commits to certify all activities under the OLB legality verification, however, the commitment is not time-bound.

43. Percentage area (ha) verified as being in legal compliance by a third party?

The company has OLB certificates for six FMUs totaling 287,321ha. However, the total area of land under the company's ownership cannot be determined because of undated information on its website. Therefore, a percentage cannot be accurately calculated and no points can be awarded.

44. Time-bound plan to source only wood/wood fibre that is in legal compliance verified by a third party?

The company aims to implement a purchasing policy that accounts for legal compliance, however the statement is not time-bound nor does it aim to be verified by a third party.

45. Percentage of all wood/wood fibre supply traded/processed verified as being in legal compliance by a third party?

46. Percentage area (ha) FSC FM certified?

47. Time-bound plan for achieving 100% FSC FM certification of FMUs or achieved 100% FSC-certification of FMUs?

48. Percentage of wood/wood fibre supply (tonnes) from all suppliers that comes from FSC FM certified areas?

49. Commitment to source only wood/wood fibre that meets FSC Controlled Wood and/or PEFC Controlled Sources requirements?

50. Percentage area (ha) PEFC certified (excluding FSC certified area)?

51. Commitment to zero conversion of natural ecosystems?

52. Commitment to zero conversion of natural ecosystems applies to all suppliers?

53. Commitment to zero deforestation?

54. Commitment to zero deforestation applies to all suppliers?

55. Criteria and cut-off date for defining deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion?

56. Evidence of monitoring deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion?

57. Evidence of monitoring deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion in supplier operations?

58. Amount of deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion recorded in own operations since cut-off date?

59. Amount of deforestation and/or ecosystem conversion recorded in supplier operations since cut-off date?

60. Commitment to restoration of deforestation/conversion?

61. Commitment to restoration of deforestation/conversion applies to all suppliers?

62. Implementing a landscape or jurisdictional level approach?

63. Biodiversity policy?

64. Biodiversity policy applies to all suppliers?

65. Identified species of conservation concern, referencing international or national system of species classification?

The company states that it commits to protect vulnerable species through the use of the HCV approach, but no species are identified and no mention is made of a system for species classification.

66. Examples of species and/or habitat conservation management?

67. Commitment to no hunting or only sustainable hunting of species?

68. Commitment to no hunting or only sustainable hunting of species applies to all suppliers?

69. Commitment to protect forest areas from illegal activities?

70. Commitment to protect forest areas from illegal activities applies to all suppliers?

71. Evidence of protecting forest areas from illegal activities?

72. Commitment to no use of genetically modified organisms?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it only produces wood/wood fibre from natural forests.

73. Commitment to no use of genetically modified organisms applies to all suppliers?

74. Commitment to conduct High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments?

The company commits to protect areas of high conservation value but does not make a commitment to conduct HCV assessments.

75. Commitment to conduct High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments applies to all suppliers?

76. High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments available?

77. High Conservation Value (HCV) management and monitoring plans available?

78. Commitment to the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it only produces wood/wood fibre from natural forests.

79. Commitment to the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach applies to all suppliers?

80. High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments available?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it only produces wood/wood fibre from natural forests.

81. Peer review of all High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments undertaken since April 2015 by the HCSA Quality Assurance Process?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it only produces wood/wood fibre from natural forests.

82. Commitment to conduct social and environmental impact assessments (SEIAs)?

83. Commitment to conduct social and environmental impact assessments (SEIAs) applies to all suppliers?

84. Social and environmental impact assessments (SEIAs) available, and associated management and monitoring plans?

85. Company has provided valid legal documents to Open Timber Portal on impact assessments (at the time of SPOTT assessments)?

[Externally verified] An average score was calculated from the company and CAMTRANS documents on OTP. The company and CAMTRANS operate an FMU in partnership. CAMTRANS have not uploaded impact assessments to OTP.

86. Commitment to no planting on peat of any depth?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it only produces wood/wood fibre from natural forests.

87. Commitment to no planting on peat of any depth applies to all suppliers?

88. Landbank or planted area on peat (ha)?

89. Implementation of commitment to no planting on peat of any depth?

90. Commitment to best management practices for soils and peat?

91. Commitment to best management practices for soils and peat applies to all suppliers?

92. Evidence of best management practices for soils and peat?

93. Commitment to reduced impact logging?

The company reports through its environmental charter to reduce the negative impacts of its activities on the environment, particularly when opening roads, managing waste and polluting products, and promoting the practice of Low Impact Operation.

94. Commitment to reduced impact logging applies to all suppliers?

95. Evidence of implementing reduced impact logging practices?

96. Commitment to zero burning?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it only produces wood/wood fibre from natural forests.

97. Commitment to zero burning applies to all suppliers?

98. Evidence of fire monitoring and management?

99. Details/number of hotspots/fires in company FMUs?

100. Details/number of hotspots/fires in suppliers operations?

101. Time-bound commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity?

102. GHG emissions intensity?

103. GHG emissions from land use change?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it only produces wood/wood fibre from natural forests.

104. Progress towards commitment to reduce GHG emissions intensity?

105. Methodology used to calculate GHG emissions?

106. Time-bound commitment to improve water use intensity?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

107. Water use intensity?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

108. Progress towards commitment on water use intensity?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

109. Time-bound commitment to improve water quality (BOD or COD)?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

110. Progress towards commitment on water quality (BOD or COD)?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

111. Treatment of pulp and paper mill effluent?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

112. Evidence of sawmill run-off containment and wastewater treatment?

113. Proportion of processing facilities with closed-loop water treatment system?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

114. Commitment to protect natural waterways through buffer zones?

115. Implementation of commitment to protect natural waterways through buffer zones?

116. Commitment to minimise the use of chemicals, including pesticides and chemical fertilisers?

117. Commitment to minimise the use of chemicals, including pesticides and chemical fertilisers, applies to all suppliers?

118. Evidence of eliminating chlorine and chlorine compounds for bleaching?

This indicator is disabled as the company reports that it does not own pulp or paper mills.

119. Commitment to no use of World Health Organisation (WHO) Class 1A and 1B pesticides?

120. Commitment to no use of World Health Organisation (WHO) Class 1A and 1B pesticides applies to all suppliers?

121. Commitment to no use of chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention?

122. Commitment to no use of chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention applies to all suppliers?

123. Chemical usage per ha or list of chemicals used?

124. Implementation of commitment to reduce chemical usage?

125. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach?

126. Waste management system in place to avoid negative impacts?

127. Commitment to human rights?

128. Commitment to human rights applies to all suppliers?

129. Progress on human rights commitment ?

130. Commitment to respect indigenous and local communities' rights?

131. Commitment to indigenous and local communities' rights applies to all suppliers?

132. Commitment to respect legal and customary land tenure rights?

133. Commitment to legal and customary land rights applies to all suppliers?

134. Commitment to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC)?

135. Commitment to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) applies to all suppliers?

136. Details of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) process available?

137. Examples of local stakeholder engagement to prevent conflicts?

138. Details of process for addressing land conflicts available?

The company reports mechanism on conflict resolution in its management plan for FMU 09029A. However, limited details are provided on the process and it is unclear if it covers land conflicts.

139. Supports the inclusion of women across forestry operations, including addressing barriers faced?

140. Company has provided valid legal documents to Open Timber Portal on population rights (at the time of SPOTT assessments)?

An average score was calculated from the company and CAMTRANS documents on OTP. The company and CAMTRANS operate an FMU in partnership. Neither company have provided documents on population rights to OTP. Please note: Company scores on Open Timber Portal are updated daily. Visit the OTP website to review the company's current performance here: http://www.opentimberportal.org/operators.

141. Commitment to enable sustainable use of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) by local communities?

142. Commitment to provide essential community services and facilities ?

The company makes a commitment to provide essential services for their employees but not to local communities.

143. Progress on commitment to provide essential community services and facilities?

144. Commitment to provide business/work opportunities for local communities?

The company states that it favors the hiring of people from the operations area, however, a clear commitment to provide business/work opportunities for local communities is not reported by the company.

145. Company has provided valid legal documents to Open Timber Portal on labour regulations (at the time of SPOTT assessments)?

An average score was calculated from the company and CAMTRANS documents on OTP. The company and CAMTRANS operate an FMU in partnership. CAMTRANS has not provided valid legal documents to OTP on labour regulations and the documents provided by CUF are now expired. Please note: Company scores on Open Timber Portal are updated daily. Visit the OTP website to review the company's current performance here: http://www.opentimberportal.org/operators.

146. Commitment to Fundamental ILO Conventions or Free and Fair Labour Principles?

147. Commitment to Fundamental ILO Conventions or Free and Fair Labour Principles applies to all suppliers?

148. Progress on commitment to respect all workers' rights?

149. Commitment to eliminate gender related discrimination with regards to employment?

150. Commitment to eliminate gender related discrimination with regards to employment applies to all suppliers?

151. Progress on commitment to eliminate gender related discrimination with regards to employment?

152. Percentage or number of temporary employees?

153. Percentage or number of women employees?

154. Commitment to pay a living wage?

155. Commitment to pay a living wage applies to all suplliers?

156. Progress on commitment to pay a living wage?

157. Reporting of salary by gender?

158. Commitment to address occupational health and safety?

The company makes a commitment to address occupational health and safety but does not make a reference to the ILO Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Forestry Work.

159. Commitment to address occupational health and safety applies to all suppliers?

160. Provision of personal protective equipment and related training?

The company provides PPE to all workers and a committee is in place to enforce these standards. Job specific training is given to employees, however no examples of the training provided could be found.

161. Time lost due to work-based injuries?

162. Number of fatalities as a result of work-based accidents?

163. Commitment to support smallholders?

164. Programme to support outgrower scheme and/or independent smallholders?

165. Number or percentage of outgrower scheme and/or independent smallholders involved in programme?

166. Process used to prioritise, assess and/or engage suppliers on compliance with company's policy and/or legal requirements?

The company's environmental charter refers to measures to ensure that subcontractors and partners respect the company's environmental values, to the implementation of a procurement policy with high standards (including wood of legal and known origin). This document also refers to outreach efforts to ensure that stakeholders are aware of environmental management. However, the method used to engage stakeholders to ensure compliance is not reported.

167. Number or percentage of suppliers assessed and/or engaged on compliance with company's policy and/or legal requirements?

168. Suspension or exclusion criteria for suppliers?

169. Timebound action plans (including Key Performance Indicators) for suppliers to be in compliance with timber and pulp sourcing commitments?

170. Proportion of direct and indirect supply that comes from FMUs which are compliant with timber and pulp sourcing policies?

171. Commitment to ethical conduct and prohibition of corruption?

172. Commitment to ethical conduct and prohibition of corruption applies to all suppliers?

173. Progress on commitment to ethical conduct and prohibition of corruption?

174. Company has provided valid legal documents to Open Timber Portal on legal registration (at the time of SPOTT assessments)?

[Externally verified] An average score was calculated from the company and CAMTRANS documents on OTP. The company and CAMTRANS operate an FMU in partnership. Please note: Company scores on Open Timber Portal are updated daily. Visit the OTP website to review the company's current performance by clicking on the source link.

175. Disclosure of the company’s management approach to tax and payments to governments?

176. Company has provided valid legal documents to Open Timber Portal on taxes, fees and royalties (at the time of SPOTT assessments)?

An average score was calculated from the company and CAMTRANS documents on OTP. The company and CAMTRANS operate an FMU in partnership. Neither company have provided valid legal documents to OTP on taxes, fees and royalties. Please note: Company scores on Open Timber Portal are updated daily. Visit the OTP website to review the company's current performance here: http://www.opentimberportal.org/operators.

177. Whistleblowing procedure?

178. Own grievance or complaints system open to all stakeholders?

179. Details of complaints and grievances disclosed?