Working Together
Working With Others To Safeguard Forests
It is important that we work with other organisations to ensure an integrated approach. We are members of the Timber Trade Federation, and subscribe to the industry's main initiatives: Forests Forever and Wood for Good.
Timber Trade Federation (Ttf)
This organisation encourages responsible forest management and timber purchasing, working with a wide cross section of stakeholders including the private sector, inter-governmental processes and NGOs.
Wood For Good
This high profile campaign aims to make wood the leading solution wherever possible for construction and internal use. All members are committed to sustainable forest management, and to provide information, education, trade marketing and other initiatives.
Forests Forever
Forests Forever is the environmental 'voice' of the timber industry and aims to promote use of timber and encourage environmentally responsible trading practices. It advises governments and members on how to source timber and timber products responsibly, and has developed a Responsible Purchasing Policy from legal and well-managed forests.
The Forests Forever Campaign assesses companies applying for registration based on their level of commitment to an industry recognised policy and then grade them from levels A to E on compliance with the policy - where ‘A’ signifies a high level of activity in working towards policy objectives and ‘E’ signifies a level where major progress is yet to be achieved. Howarth pursues the following practices during the production of its windows and doors products:
Raw Timber
Howarth is dedicated to preserving the environment and only use Redwood Nordic Pine for windows from well managed sources.
Production
The factory at New Holland uses the best available methods to achieve low wastage. After raw imber has been processed, the manufactured components are then inspected to ensure that only the ones that are useable are put through for treatment and any others are first repaired before being treated.
Heating And Hot Water System
Some of the components that are rejected from the production process are used instead for eating and supplying the factory with hot water.
Recycling Waste Timber
Any remaining off-cuts or rejected components are processed through a ‘hogger’ which turns wastage into shavings for animal habitation or for use in the manufacture of various wood products.
Protim Double Vacuum Treatment
Howarth Windows is the first company to use a computerised monitoring system, which keeps the amount of preservative used to an absolute minimum. Since implementing a ‘Worknet Controller System’, Howarth has been able to reduce by 30% the amount of solvent used in the ‘low uptake’ process.
Howarth Environmental Policy
Howarth Windows & Doors subscribes to the environmental policy as approved by the Forests forever Campaign and the Timber Trade Federation.This states that member companies observe and uphold where possible the following resolutions:- to support national and international efforts to achieve the fastest practicable progress towards environmentally and socially sound forest management worldwide, in line with the statement of Forest Principles adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment & Development (UNCED) 1992.
- to encourage and assist suppliers of wood products to adopt the appropriate environmental policies and standards within their own national context and relevant to their position within the wood claim.
- to encourage the use of wood as an environmentally beneficial material and to constantly seek ways to reduce wood waste and to utilise residues. to promote preferential purchase from suppliers who can provide verifiable evidence that their timber products are from forest resources managed to the environmental standards set by the national governments of the supplying nations.
- to support the introduction of effective systems to substantiate that the relevant National Regulatory Authorities are working towards internationally acceptable standards of forest management.
- to use labels or certificates which include claims of sustainable forest management only when supported by the respective government accredited authority.