Sainsbury's has been named in the top band of UK companies for sourcing timber and timber products responsibly.
The WWF scorecard ranks companies from 'zero trees', which means that a company has not yet shown any progress on sustainable timber, up to ' three trees', which is where Sainsbury's has been ranked, along with 21 other UK companies.
Amongst the total 128 companies assessed, the supermarket chain was noted for having a commitment and policies in place to source sustainable timber and timber products, and for having made significant progress.
The products made using sustainably sourced timber include Sainsbury's own-brand toilet roll, facial tissues and charcoal.
Sainsbury's said that 93 per cent of the wood used to make its own-brand products in 2014/15 (excluding nappies) was from FSC, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), or recycled sources. Meanwhile, the retailer recycled over 80 tonnes of Christmas cards from its store collection points, resulting in a donation of over £12,000 to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
As part of its 20x20 Sustainability Plan, Sainsbury's has committed that by 2020, its private-label products will not contribute to global deforestation and that the top raw materials in its own-brand products – which include paper and timber – will be sourced sustainably to an independent standard.
Commenting on the news, Stuart Lendrum, head of sustainable and ethical sourcing at Sainsbury's, said, "It's fantastic to be recognised for the work we do to source timber sustainably. It should give customers the reassurance to shop with confidence."
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