Exceed Expectations, Embrace Responsibility, Build Relationships
This statement sets out Primrose Education’s commitment to responsible timber procurement. This policy is mandatory for all sites where Primrose Education acts as the main contractor. Relevant suppliers and subcontractors are also expected to adopt similar sustainable timber procurement policies.
Primrose Education is committed to the responsible procurement of forest products. Our long-term intention is to source all forest products that we procure directly, or indirectly through subcontractors, from known licensed and legal sources that have been verified to credible certification standards.
Primrose Education will never knowingly become involved in, collude with, or procure timber from illegal logging operations.
We work with our supply chain to ensure that, wherever possible, all forest products originate from FSC-certified sources.
Our Timber Procurement Policy requires that all timber and wood-derived products used on site (such as hoarding and scaffold boards) and as part of the construction process must have Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody certification. Where it is not possible to source FSC-certified products, materials must be sourced from independently verifiable legal and sustainable sources.
Primrose Education recognises the FSC as the leading global benchmark for responsible forest management, and it remains our preferred certification scheme. Where necessary, timber from other certified sources with a complete chain of custody may be accepted in exceptional circumstances. These may include certification schemes such as:
For certain product groups and countries of origin — including China, Central African countries, Indonesia, Russia, Brazil and Malaysia — only FSC-certified products will be accepted.
Suppliers must be able to provide evidence, upon request, that the wood or wood-based products they supply originate from **legal and sustainable sources**. For a source to be considered sustainable, legality requirements must also be met.
To assist procurement personnel and suppliers, Primrose Education recognises two main types of evidence demonstrating the legality and sustainability of timber products.
Independent certification of timber products through recognised forest certification schemes that meet the requirements of this policy and demonstrate a complete chain of custody for Primrose Education’s use.
FSC certification is the preferred and most robust scheme. Other recognised certification schemes that may be considered include:
Alternative documentation that confirms the timber source is both legal and sustainable. Examples may include:
These forms of evidence may be combined where necessary, for example where the forest source is certified but the chain of custody is not.
In situations where a specific product or timber species is required and FSC-certified materials are not available, limited exceptions may be permitted.
In these circumstances, Primrose Education will take reasonable steps to ensure that the source of the timber is legal and sustainable. Preference will always be given to suppliers who are actively working towards certification or improved forest management practices.
Exemptions will only be permitted where authorised by the client or the client’s representative. The following must be provided:
All projects are required to report on their timber usage on a **quarterly and six-monthly basis**. Site managers are responsible for ensuring that projects report all attributable spend on timber products that can reasonably be identified and monitored.
The directors of Primrose Education are responsible for the overall implementation of this policy. Contract managers and site managers are responsible for communicating and enforcing the policy across projects and supply chains.
Site managers are also responsible for collecting and reporting procurement data at site level.
This policy takes immediate effect and replaces all previous versions. It will be reviewed periodically and updated where necessary to ensure it remains effective and aligned with current best practices.
