Wood purchasing policy

Wood is at the basis of most construction projects in our homes. Yet, it is often seen as a mere commodity. After all, a plank is a plank, isn’t it? RONA doesn't think so.

Because all wood is not grown, harvested and transformed in the same way, we have adopted a procurement policy that focuses on certified products, guaranteeing they're not contributing to deforestation.

Our commitment

Being at the forefront of the industry means setting ourselves up to the highest standards possible. This is why we have taken on the following ambitious goals:

  • By the end of 2010, 100% of the softwood lumber – spruce, pine and fir for structural framing – for sale in our corporate and franchise stores will be from certified forests.
  • By the end of 2011, 90% of the softwood lumber sold in RONA’s affiliate dealers will be from certified forests.
  • By the end of 2012, 25% of the softwood lumber offered in the RONA corporate and franchise stores will be from FSC certified forests (depending on availability and competitive pricing).

Beyond numbers, we also strive to work with suppliers that share our dedication to sustainable development and responsible forest management practices. And to be certain that we live up to the expectations of our many stakeholders, we have established a strict evaluation process and will issue a report every year detailing our progress.

Many certifications, one goal

Buying certified wood gives you the assurance that you are supporting responsible forest management. But since all certifications are not made equal, RONA has chosen to source wood that has been certified either by the Forest Stewardship Council, the Forest Products Marking Program or the Sustainable Forest Initiative.

FSC

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

Recognized as the world’s leading wood certification body, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies both the forest itself and the suppliers of wood products coming from those forests. The FSC certification also goes further than most other schemes in protecting biodiversity and ecosystems as well as making it mandatory for companies to deal fairly with indigenous communities living in or near the forest. It is no wonder then that RONA has decided to place a preference on the FSC certification in its wood procurement policy.

PEFC

Forest Product Marking Program

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has developed two national standards for the certification of forest management practices – these standards take into account the many social, environmental and economic complexities of managing Canadian forests. These standards have also been endorsed by the global Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC) program as meeting international requirements. Wood products from forests certified under the CSA standards follow the PEFC rules for tracking wood sources, and can carry the PEFC label.

FSC

Sustainable Forestry Initiative ® (SFI inc.)

The Sustainable Forest Initiative is a multi-stakeholder organization that certifies the sustainable management of forests, mainly in North America. Just like the other two certifications, SFI refers to the sourcing process and is carried out throughout the transformation process of the original material.

Real leadership recognized

Promoting certified wood products is our way of making a renewable resource truly renewable. We are confident that implementing an ambitious wood procurement policy is the right thing to do when it comes to protecting Canada’s forests. And when leading environmental organizations like Greenpeace applaud RONA’s leadership, we can proudly say that we are on the right track to maintaining the health of our forests for future generations.