FSC and PEFC Timber

Buildbase was the first national builders merchant to supply Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified timber in most of its branches in 2004. FSC-certified plywood is now also available from Buildbase branches. The company also supports the PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification).

At Buildbase, Jacksons, Hendricks Lovell and L&G Forest Products, FSC ‘chain of custody’ covers the origins of all redwood and whitewood planed square-edged timber and mouldings.

Detailed documentation tracks certified timber from the forest to the logging company, sawmill, factory, distributor and merchant.

Grafton’s policy is to ensure that its natural timber products continue to be FSC/PEFC accredited.

The entire operation is independently audited and completely transparent to guarantee that the timber is legally harvested and comes from a sustainable source.

Responsible Purchasing Policy
Buildbase, Jacksons, Hendricks Lovell and L&G Forest Products have all adopted the Timber Trade Federation’s ‘responsible purchasing policy’. This demonstrates that the business is committed to sourcing timber and timber products from legal and well-managed forests. It also supports the UK/EU global objective to stop illegal logging.

“The council takes seriously its responsibility to promote environmental sustainability. Awarding contracts to companies who also take their corporate responsibilities seriously is one way in which we can promote a greener city.”

Environmental

ISO 14001 Environmental Champions
All Grafton merchanting GB brands are ISO 14001 certificated. Every trading branch has a Branch Environmental Champion who is responsible for monitoring, and managing policies and procedures contained in the branch Environmental Manual. All information on the ISO 14001 system is on the company intranet site and available at every branch.

Sustainable Product Solutions
Grafton Merchanting GB recognises the increasing importance of supplying renewable energies and sustainable products for construction needs now and in the future. In response, we have introduced comprehensive product ranges designed to provide sustainable building solutions to the construction industry for compliance with future building regulations. These ranges include the provision of Solar Thermal and Solar PV, Air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, Biomass heating, rainwater harvesting and heat recovery ventilation systems.

Environmental Policy
Grafton Merchanting GB Environmental Policy sets out how we will manage our environmental impact and improve environmental performance. The policy sets out our main priorities to address environmental issues and demonstrates our intention for continuous improvement within areas such as:

• Transport management
• Carbon reduction (CO2)
• Energy consumption reduction
• Reducing, reusing and recycling waste
• All Grafton merchanting GB brands are ISO 14001 certificated.

Environmental Focus Group
The Grafton Merchanting GB Environmental Focus Group meets every four months to review and discuss all environmental policies.

Waste

As a leading national supplier of building materials and associated products it is paramount that Grafton strives to reduce waste going to landfill while increasing levels of recycling.

Working closely with our national waste management partners, Greenstar, we have increased the amount of waste we recycle by 4% since June 2009. We currently recycle 61% of our waste. Each of our 400 sites has a Branch Environmental Champion who works closely with the Branch Manager and our HSQ&E department to ensure we maximise our efforts on this issue.

This will optimise group waste disposal methods while reducing its carbon footprint, both key objectives within Grafton.
    

Carbon Reduction Commitment

As part of its commitment to environmental issues, Grafton Merchanting GB is registered as a stakeholder in the government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment and is working towards ISO 14064 Carbon Trust Standard.

Our pro-active HSQ&E department and the Grafton Merchanting Environmental Focus Group are constantly striving to reduce our carbon footprint and improve our performance in other environmental areas.

Our direct carbon footprint for 2008 was 34,909 tonnes. In 2009 it was 31,513 tonnes. We have set a target to reduce our footprint by 3% per annum and currently produce 37 tonnes per £1m sales.

The energy consumption in our buildings accounts for 35% of our carbon footprint. By the end of 2010 we will have automatic metres in all of our premises, which will help us manage our energy usage more accurately.

Packaging

Our GMGB purchasing team always look to minimise our packaging whenever we can, as long as it doesn’t compromise safety and quality; we reuse as much of it as we can, but it is inevitable that some will end up at our customers. We regularly monitor the amount of packaging waste we produce each year through our links with Biffpak and a recognised compliance scheme.

Social

Staff Development
Grafton Merchanting GB values the major contribution that its employees make to the success of the business. The good customer service, for which Grafton is renowned, relies on the expertise and knowledge of its staff. The organisation operates an active training and development programme which includes industry qualifications and specialist training. Product champions are available at the majority of branches.

Equality & Diversity
Grafton Merchanting GB believes that everyone should be treated fairly and strives to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. This requires that all people are afforded equal opportunities in employment irrespective of their age, gender, marital status, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, colour or disability. Employment covers all aspects of an individual’s working life, i.e. recruitment, training and development, management of change, performance management grievance, terminations, promotions and transfers.

Community
Grafton businesses are pleased to support the communities in which they trade and recognise their responsibility as members of that local community. Chosen charities include Macmillan Cancer Support which has received some £400,000 through fundraising by Buildbase branches. On a smaller scale, the brands donate materials to local projects that benefit the communities where branches are based and aim to develop close relationships with local groups.

Economic

Procurement
Of all the major merchanting groups Grafton has made it a priority to establish close working partnerships with its suppliers, most of whom are leaders in their product sectors. This alliance with manufacturers and suppliers ensures that Grafton has robust supply chains that are well-documented and easily traceable.

All Grafton suppliers adhere to national or international industry guidelines which govern safety and all aspects of manufacturing. They are also subject to Grafton’s own sustainable development policy. This ensures that sustainable development is a consideration at every stage of the procurement process.

The huge selection of products supplied by Grafton’s merchanting operations, like Buildbase, Plumbase and Jackson Building Centres, range from the basic core building materials to products and materials that are innovative and offer the latest technology available. This is especially appropriate for the public sector which often demands specialist products for particular applications e.g. purpose-designed sanitaryware and fittings for public buildings and products that require little maintenance and, most importantly, are easy to keep clean. Product information and installation advice can also be provided.

Ethical Trading
Our ethical purchasing objective is to ensure that people in the supply chain are treated with respect and have employment rights. This includes the right to freely choose employment, freedom of association, payment of a living wage, working hours that comply with national laws, equal opportunities, a recognised employment relationship, freedom from intimidation and a safe and healthy working environment.

ISO 9001 Quality Assurance
All Grafton Merchanting GB national partnering services and the majority of Jackson Building Centres are ISO 9001 accredited. Grafton Merchanting GB is also working towards accreditation with British Standards in it’s specialist merchanting businesses which it hopes to achieve in early 2010.