CAMEROON DUE DILIGENCE TRIP DECEMBER 2017

As part of NHG Timber’s continuous efforts to procure sustainable and legal timber from all of its sourcing areas, Ben Goodwin and Stuart McBride undertook the company’s 3rd major Due Diligence trip of the year to West Africa in December 2017.

During the trip they held meetings with the Forestry Ministry in Douala, conducted documentation checks at one of our main supplier’s head office and then a field visit to carry out traceability checks within the concessions themselves.

The field visits are a very challenging, costly and time consuming part of the Due Diligence process, it takes a minimum of 2 days to drive to the sawmills on forest roads, 3 – 4 days at each concession and then the return journey to undertake. During all of which there is very limited access to the outside world, be it by phone or email.

NHG Timber recognises the importance of such trips and will continue to carry them out on an annual basis to do their best to meet the exacting standards set out by both the EUTR and FLEGT governing bodies.