RONA Inc., the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, renovation and gardening products, was rewarded for its wood products procurement policy at the Boreal Awards ceremony held by the Canadian Boreal Initiative in Ottawa yesterday. RONA was one of six winners selected by a committee of the Boreal Leadership Council, which is made up of leading conservation groups, Aboriginal organizations, and businesses committed to taking action to preserve the boreal forest.
RONA was recognized for its leadership in developing and implementing an ambitious procurement policy for the wood products sold in its stores.
“RONA is well aware of the role we can play in preserving nature and protecting the longevity of our natural resources, and we believe we can help Canadian consumers adopt responsible consumption habits as well,” said RONA executive vice president of merchandising Normand Dumont. “Selecting wood products is one way RONA can exercise such leadership and demonstrate its commitment to protecting the environment.”
The Boreal Awards
The Boreal Awards are handed out by the Boreal Leadership Council to recognize leadership, innovation, cooperation, diligence and excellence among organizations working to protect the boreal region and advance the balanced vision of the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework, a plan endorsed by all members of the Boreal Leadership Council.
RONA is pleased that its efforts have been recognized by this award and extends its congratulations to the other winners and finalists.
Wood product procurement policy
The Wood Products Procurement Policy meets RONA’s objective to provide certified forest products to its customers. In implementing this new policy, RONA has made a commitment to doing business with suppliers that share its vision in terms of sustainability and have adopted responsible forest management practices.
To develop a unified, global approach, RONA conducted many consultations with stakeholders, including the forest industry, environmental organizations and scientific experts. Following these consultations and RONA’s own evaluation, the company adopted an inclusive approach which recognizes all three certifications – the Forest Products marking Program (CSA), the (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). RONA has also decided to give preference to the FSC certification as this standard better meets RONA’s requirements in terms of relationships with indigenous communities and the conservation of biodiversity.
RONA’s policy also states that it will conduct business with suppliers who do not contribute to deforestation and proactively address issues related to their activities. RONA also values suppliers who integrate the Life Cycle Assessment approach to develop and make products.
The consultations conducted by RONA have allowed the company to set measurable objectives, including the following:
– To source 100% of commodity lumber (spruce, pine, fir) for sale at RONA’s corporate and franchise stores from certified forests by the end of 2010
– To source 100% of commodity plywood panel products for sale at RONA’s corporate and franchise stores from certified forests by the end of 2009
– To ensure that 25% of commodity lumber for sale at RONA’s corporate and franchise stores is FSC certified by the end of 2012
RONA will implement a rigorous assessment program and report on an annual basis on the progress it has made in reaching the specific targets set in the Wood Products Procurement Policy.
ABOUT RONA
RONA Inc. is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, renovation and gardening products. RONA operates a network of nearly 700 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores of various sizes and formats. With close to 30,000 employees working under its family of banners in every region of Canada and more than 15 million square feet of retail space, the RONA store network generates over $6 billion in annual retail sales. For more information, please visit www.rona.ca.