Groupe Blattner Elwyn

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

2. Sustainability policy or commitment applies to direct and third-party suppliers?

3. High-level position of responsibility for sustainability?

4. Sustainability report published within last two years?

5. Member of multiple industry schemes or other external initiatives to improve forest management or transparency?

6. Activities with government, NGOs or academic institutions to improve the sustainability of forest products?

SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) lists NGO and independent partners, including Forest Resources Management (FRM), a consultancy involved in the preparation and monitoring of its development plans carried out as part of the responsible management of its concessions and preparation for forest certification. It also lists Swisspeace as a partner involved in conflict resolution.

7. Lists countries and operations?

The company states that it has forest concessions and production facilities in the DRC.

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

1371340 - Figure is undated.

9. Total area of forest plantation (ha)?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

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

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

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

12. Conservation set-aside and/or HCV area (ha)?

13. Area of Intact Forest Landscape (ha)?

14. Number of Forest Management Units (FMUs)?

15. Maps of forest management units (FMUs)?

The company provides static (image) maps of FMUs. Geo-referenced maps (e.g. shapefile or KML) could not be identified.

16. Forest management plans available for all FMUs?

17. Monitoring of forest management plan implementation?

18. Number of company owned pulp and paper mills?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

19. Maps or addresses of company owned pulp and paper mills?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

20. Number of company owned sawmills?

1 - SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) states that it has one sawmill.

21. Maps or addresses of company owned sawmills?

22. Commitment to zero conversion of natural forest?

23. Zero conversion commitment applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

24. Commitment to minimise the impact of logging roads?

25. Commitment to protect forest areas from illegal activities?

26. Evidence of monitoring deforestation?

27. Amount of deforestation recorded?

28. Commitment to biodiversity conservation?

29. Commitment to set aside areas for conservation?

SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) states that it is preparing a forest management plan and that it will use zoning for conservation.

30. Examples of habitat management and/or habitat restoration of set-aside areas?

31. Implementing a landscape-level approach to biodiversity conservation?

32. Commitment to protect species of conservation concern, referencing international or national system of species classification?

SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) states it is identifying fauna living in concession areas as part of its management plans. However, a system of species classification is not clearly stated.

33. Commitment to sustainably manage the use of non-timber forest products (NTFPs)?

34. Commitment not to use genetically modified organisms?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

35. Commitment to only use alien species where impacts can be controlled?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

36. Examples of species conservation activities?

SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) only states that it is carrying out an inventory of fauna as part of preparing management plans.

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

38. HCV commitment applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

39. Commitment to only use licensed High Conservation Value (HCV) assessors accredited by the HCV Resource Network's Assessor Licensing Scheme (ALS)?

40. High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments available?

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

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

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

43. High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments available?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

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

SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) states that it is preparing (retrospective) socio-economic and social impact studies, but no clear commitment could be identified.

45. Social and environmental impact assessments (SEIAs) available?

46. Commitment to best management practices for soils and/or peat?

47. Commitment to reduced impact logging?

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

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

49. Commitment on peatland planting applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

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

51. Evidence of best management practices for soils and/or peat?

52. Commitment to zero burning?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

53. Commitment to zero burning applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

54. Evidence of management and monitoring fires?

55. Details/number of hotspots/fires in FMUs controlled by the company?

56. Time-bound commitment to reduce GHG emissions intensity?

57. Progress towards reducing GHG emission intensity?

58. Report GHG emissions from land use change?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not produce wood/wood fibre from plantations. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

59. Methodology used to calculate GHG emissions?

60. Time-bound commitment to improve water quality?

61. Progress towards commitment on water quality?

62. Protection of natural waterways through buffer zones?

63. Evidence of treatment of pulp and paper mill effluent?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

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

65. Time-bound commitment to improve water use?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

66. Progress towards commitment on water use?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

67. Commitment to eliminate chlorine and chlorine compounds for bleaching?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not own pulp or paper mills. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

68. Evidence of minimising or recycling solid waste produced during sawmilling processes?

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

70. No use of World Health Organisation (WHO) Class 1A and 1B pesticides?

71. No use of chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention?

72. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach?

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

74. Commitment to human rights, referencing the UN Declaration of Human Rights or UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights?

75. Commitment to human rights applies to outgrower scheme and independent suppliers?

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

77. Commitment to respect legal and customary property rights?

SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) commits to identify use rights and property rights of communities during the development of management plans. A broader commitment to respect legal and customary property rights across all operations could not be identified.

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

79. FPIC commitment applies to independent suppliers?

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

81. Details of process for addressing land conflicts available?

Only limited details of the process were provided by SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations). The company states that since June 2013 it is working with Danzer and Swisspeace on a conflict management improvement project with the aim of integrating them into their internal standards from November 2013, but it is not clear whether this is now in place.

82. Commitment to mitigate impacts on food security?

SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) states that it will evaluate the 'needs' of local communities during the development of management plans. A full commitment to mitigate impacts on food security could not be identified.

83. Commitment to provide essential community services and facilities?

Groupe Blattner Elwyn provides examples of facilities and services that have been provided to communities, but has not made a clear commitment. The company states that it has three organisations which allow it to reach rural communities in terms of health, education and basic infrastructures: Rural Congolese Health (SRC), Rural Congolese Development (DRC), and Rural Education for All (ERT).

84. Commitment to respect all workers' rights?

85. Reference to Fundamental ILO Conventions?

86. Total number of employees?

87. Percentage or number of temporary employees?

88. Percentage or number of women employees?

89. Commitment to pay minimum wage?

90. Commitment to address occupational health and safety, referencing the ILO Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Forestry Work?

SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) does not reference the ILO Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Forestry Work, but refers to some occupational health and safety measures.

91. Time lost due to work-based injuries?

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

93. Provision of personal protective equipment and related training?

SIFORCO (subsidiary controlling timber operations) states in separate sources that employees receive protective equipment for the chemical treatment of wood, and lists a tree felling training company as one of their partners. It is not clear whether all employees are receiving equipment/training.

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

One of SIFORCO's concessions was wholly and a second concession partially certified TLTV (LP and VLC) until 2016.

95. Percentage wood/wood fibre supply verified as being in legal compliance by a third party?

96. Time-bound plan for achieving 100% FSC FM certification of FMUs?

97. Commitment to source only wood/wood fibre that meets FSC Controlled Wood requirements?

98. Percentage area (ha) FSC FM certified?

99. Percentage of wood/wood fibre supply from outgrower scheme and/or independent suppliers that is FSC FM certified?

100. Percentage area (ha) PEFC certified?

This indicator is disabled as the company's reporting broadly suggests that it does not operate in a county with a PEFC-endorsed SFM standard. Please note that ZSL has been unable to confirm this.

101. Programme to support outgrower scheme smallholders?

102. Percentage of outgrower scheme smallholders involved in programme?

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

104. Suspension or exclusion criteria for suppliers?

105. Percentage of suppliers assessed and/or engaged on compliance with company requirements?

106. Commitment to ethical conduct and prohibition of corruption?

107. Whistleblowing procedure?

108. Own grievance or complaints system?

109. Grievance or complaints system is accessible to internal and external stakeholders?

110. Details of grievances disclosed?