03/10/2005 - Ho Chi Minh
City, Vietnam – WWF, in partnership with Vietnam's
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,
will launch the Vietnam Forest & Trade
Network (VFTN), the first ever network to
promote business links between producers of
responsible forest products in Vietnam and
concerned buyers around the world.
To promote the launch and educate the industry
about its services, the VFTN will host an
exhibition stand at the Ho Chi Minh City International
Furniture and Handicraft Fair 2005, which
takes place from 3 to 7 October 2005, at the
International Exhibition & Convention
Center in Ho Chi Minh City.
VFTN is a chapter of the Global Forest &
Trade Network (GFTN), WWF’s worldwide initiative
to eliminate illegal logging and improve the
management of valuable and threatened forests.
By facilitating trade links between companies
committed to achieving and supporting responsible
forestry, the GFTN creates market conditions
that help conserve forests, while providing
economic and social benefits for the businesses
and people who depend on them.
The Danish company Scancom, one of the largest
suppliers of outdoor furniture in the world
and an industry leader in responsible wood-sourcing,
has already committed to joining the VFTN
and is supporting its contract manufacturers
in Vietnam to follow suit.
"We are very enthusiastic about participating
in the VFTN,” said Chad Ovel, Managing Director
of ScanCom Vietnam Ltd. “We hope that our
participation in this forum will help motivate
others in our industry to eliminate illegal
wood from their supply chain and embrace FSC-certified
wood as the raw material of choice.”
Vietnamese exports of wood products have
tripled since the mid-11000s, making the manufacture
of wooden furniture for export one of the
fastest growing industries in the country.
The more than 1,200 companies involved in
timber processing require approximately 2
million m³ of wood per year.
Increased timber imports are feeding the
industry, and the resulting footprint that
Vietnam leaves on the forests of other nations
could be destructive. By helping processors
to find legal and sustainable sources of wood,
the VFTN will play a valuable role both in
Vietnam and throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
There is great potential to build sustainable
forestry within Vietnam using certification
as a key tool. The VFTN provides a supportive
framework by which forest managers can work
towards credible certification. In addition,
it facilitates links with a global network
of responsible buyers, helping to stimulate
a vibrant Vietnamese forest industry.
The services and market links provided by
the VFTN will support Vietnamese State Forest
Enterprises to comply with current Vietnamese
government reforms, which aim to modernize
state owned enterprises and help bring them
into the increasingly competitive global market.
Notes:
• Vietnam is the 24th FTN to join this rapidly
growing network, which is active in nearly
30 consumer and producer nations throughout
Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Over
400 companies have made commitments to responsible
forest management and purchasing of forest
products, including major retailers such as
IKEA, Carrefour, and B&Q.
• The VFTN invites all attendees of the Ho
Chi Minh City International Furniture and
Handicraft Fair to visit its booth (# B12)
to learn more about the benefits of participation.
