A promotional campaign will focus on the brand ‘Fair & Precious’. The new tropical timber branding initiative is being launched by the ATIBT (International Tropical Timber Technical Association) focused on encouraging ‘qualitative and participatory’ consumption that is ‘respectful of mankind and the environment’.
This will be available for use by companies which “affirm their adherence to strict environmental standards and allocate significant budgets to ensure compliance as verified by audits conducted by independent bodies”.
These will be ATIBT’s core African tropical timber producer members, and their customers among timber processors, traders and distributors in Europe and around the world. It’s hoped that businesses that will use and promote the brand will include public and private sector tropical timber procurers, retailers and end-users large and small.
Along with the importance of sustainable procurement and the environment, a strong focus of the campaign will also be on social and corporate responsibility. “Fair & Precious companies will participate in solidarity based economic and social growth that is conducive to the well-being of people living in timber production areas, providing them services such as education, health care and housing,” states the ATIBT.
“The brand will be administered from France, where ATIBT is based, but it is intended to be a global promotional initiative,” said ATIBT Marketing Programme Coordinator Christine Le Paire.
“Besides companies in African countries and France, our members include Dutch, German, Spanish, Italian, English, and American companies.”
