RPP Toolkit – for Operators

An Operator is the first placer of timber or timber products on the EU market, e.g. import into the EU for processing or sale; harvesting timber within the EU; or sale of standing timber within the EU.

Operators are obliged to exercise due diligence that concludes negligible risk of illegally harvested timber entering their supply chain.

There are five main steps required to complete your Due Diligence as part of the TTF RPP. Download the resources in this page to help you complete each step.

Please note: all tools constantly reviewed and updated, please contact us should you have any questions or comments.

Step 1: Gathering Information

How the timber product travelled from the forests to you?

How certification claims changed through the supply chain?

How to gather information from suppliers?

SUPPLY CHAIN MAPS

Supplier Questionnaire

Step 2: Risk Assessment

What potential risks are there at country, species and supply chain level?

Are there any recent NGO reports on incidences of illegal logging in my suppliers country?

What to check about FSC/PEFC and other 3rd party verified products?

Download this list of questions to assist with your enquiry during Risk Assessment.

QUESTION PROMPTS

Step 3: Risk Mitigation

What should I check during a supplier or factory visit?

What should be done to address these risks?

Check the Step 2 Question Prompts

FIELD VISIT CHECKLIST

Step 4: Reporting & Presenting

How to demonstrate to your auditor your due diligence findings, actions and results?

Remember to map your supply chain first and explain with reference to the corresponding evidences that you have gathered/checked during your due diligence. Check a few mapping examples above.

Note: Operators need to properly articulate the process and rationale behind their due diligence process. Lack of or inadequacy of risk assessment is a major area of non-compliance leading to sanctions. All published sanctions in the UK can be found HERE.

The LATEST: A UK furniture importer pleaded guilty in Dec 2019 to two charges of failure to implement due diligence and failure to comply with a Notice of Remedial Action. Products involved: Brazilian Pine bed frame + American Oak cabinet via Vietnam.

REPORT TEMPLATE - WORD

REPORT TEMPLATE - EXCEL