Business Gathering on Sustainable Timber
In response to increasing concerns over illegal logging and timber sustainability issues expressed by wood product exporters in Bali, IFC PENSA’s Sustainable Wood team organized an exposé to present the evolving concerns and requirements within the international furniture trade and the threats and opportunities these present. Staged in collaboration with Bali Export Development Organization (BEDO) and the Kuta Small Business Association, the event introduced the use of sustainable Acacia timber as a way of avoiding the threat and seizing the opportunity. Forty one participants attended and participated, most of whom were already familiar with tropical timber use.
Following BEDO’s explanation of the growing awareness among European buyers on timber legality issues, the Sustainable Wood team presented the potential of Acacia as an alternative -demonstrably legal- timber covering both its technical attributes and sustainability issues. Tarita Furniture and Bali Biz Development --both local SME partners of the Sustainable Wood Program– completed the presentation by sharing their views and experiences in developing furniture made of Acacia and promoting it in international trade fairs, both in Asia and Europe.
Based on the feedback forms, most participants (65 percent) rated the exposé as either good or excellent; many have expressed an interest in exploring further the potential of using Acacia, largely because it can be sourced from sustainable plantations. The team looks forward to working with these potential new partners.
