Sustainability

The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) License Code: FSC-C009375

As part of the programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification scheme (PEFC) licence number PEFC/16-37-1067.

As a Responsible Timber Purchaser under the UK Timber Regulation (UKTR) as well as its predecessor the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR).

Click here to download our Accreditation certificates and our Environment Policy.

To be fully sustainable veneer has to be responsibly sourced and at Mundy Veneer we do not buy veneer from producers that show no willingness to look at any form of forest control. We follow a rigorous due diligence process in accordance with the UK Timber Regulations (UKTR) which came into force in January 2021 and prior to that the European Union Regulations (EUTR) which came into effect in March 2013.

Meeting the UKTR, FSC and PEFC requirements we follow Chain of Custody tracking systems to monitor the veneer from source so our customers can be assured that the veneer they buy comes from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of the present and future generations.

Certified and non-certified wood

We currently hold a wide range of FSC and PEFC certified veneers in stock and we are working continually to increase the variety of species and grades of certified natural veneer that we can offer. However, a lack of certification does not automatically imply a lack of sustainability.

Many of the veneers we stock are North American species where respected forestry controls are in place even though only a small percentage of the veneer is officially accredited. National forest and government sources in these regions show that responsible management of forest resources has led to an increase of standing timber stock in forests: wood veneer (unlike most other materials) is a regularly renewable resource.

In the case of American hardwoods, for example, the forests are themselves living proof of sustainability. The US Federal government has seventy years of national forest inventory data to provide ample evidence that the resource is thriving.

To take just one leading statistic: over the last half-century, the volume of hardwoods standing in the US forests has increased by over 90% while the area of American hardwood forests has increased by 18%. Veneers in this category include Ash, Birch, Beech, Cherry, Tulipwood, Poplar, Oak etc. The International Conservation Union (IUCN) have stated that these species are in no way endangered. If you have any concerns or questions please call us on 01823 666175.

Where FSC and PEFC accredited veneers or veneers from managed and sustainable sources are needed we would encourage you to contact a member of our Sales Team to discuss various species that could work for your project whilst achieving the environmental accreditation you require.

Wood veneer (unlike most other materials) is a regularly renewable resource. As a totally natural product it is also recyclable, biodegradable, energy efficient and non-toxic. The natural growth cycle is a key element in reducing CO₂ from within the atmosphere, thereby helping to mitigate the "greenhouse" effect and the subsequent ozone depletion.

Why use wood?

Apart from providing us with beautiful veneers, trees have numerous environmental and economic benefits, including:

- 1 tree absorbs around 1 tonne of carbon during its lifetime making it one of the cheapest, most cost effective means of reducing carbon.
- Trees help us adapt to climate change, through reducing the 'urban heat island' effect and helping us to mitigate against flooding.
- 1 tree produces enough oxygen each year to support 2 people.
- Trees provide a wonderfully rich habitat for all sorts of wildlife, greatly improving biodiversity.
- Trees improve health and wellbeing by purifying contaminated water and removing harmful pollutants from air.

We respect that veneer is a precious natural resource

🌳 1m³ of wood produces 900m² of veneer.

🪵 1m³ of wood produces 40m² of solid timber.

"The best friend on earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on the earth." - Frank Lloyd Wright

See our Black Palm and Bamboo pages for alternative sustainable veneers. These options are in fact grasses and therefore are renowned for their rapid regrowth, hence making them a very environmentally sustainable choice.

We practice what we believe in. Since 2006 we have been planting trees to ensure wood is part of our grandchildren's and their grandchildren's lives.

'Under the Mundy Planting Project, we plant 4 trees for every log sold'.

Amongst the species planted are:

Apple, Ash, Beech, Cherry, Hawthorn, Hazel, Holm Oak, Maple, Oak, Rowan, Scots Pine, Sweet Chestnut.