RESPONSIBLE PROCUREMENT PROGRAM FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the cost of the program?
Annual licensing fees to NWFA are based on the size of the company and underwrite the expense of developing, administering, and marketing the program. These range from $2000 to $7500 per year. The cost of annual audits also varies according to the size of the company and the complexity of its operations, but in most cases will range from $1500 to $5000.
What assures public confidence that the program is not just another “green-washing” scheme?
The program requires an independent audit of your wood procurement practices. Also, the program has the input of and is supported by a number of prominent organizations that are widely trusted when it comes to environmental certification and claims.
How does auditing under the RPP work?
The NWFA will help you prepare for the initial audit. You will establish procedures to demonstrate that your products can be classified into one of the following categories based on the origin of raw materials: Unknown/Unacceptable, Verified from US Renewing Forests, FSC Certified, and Other Acceptable. The audit is conducted by an independent and professional certification organization.
How does a company progress through the RPP framework?
In addition to advancing through the program tiers as described above, RPP participants commit to gradually phasing out products in the unknown/unacceptable category and to increasing their production of products that are classified as acceptable, including FSC-certified products provided that FSC-certified supply is available.
When it comes to the Verified from U.S. Renewing Forests label, who determines that the U.S. forests are renewing at a rate equal to or greater than what is being harvested?
Approximately every five years, the USDA Forest Service conducts a Forest Inventory Assessment (FIA) for forests all across the US hardwood region.
