Sustainable Forestry Policy

Independent Stave Company is committed to ensuring its products are sourced responsibly and sustainably, while encouraging employees to support and promote sustainable forestry practices. To fulfill this commitment, the company complies with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI®) Fiber Sourcing and Chain of Custody Standard, all applicable corporate policies, and, where applicable, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC®) Chain of Custody Standard. These third-party certifications and corporate policies demonstrate the company's commitment to responsibly sourcing fiber and avoiding:

    1. Forest activities that are not compliant with applicable state, provincial, federal, or international laws.
    2. Forest activities that contribute to regional declines in habitat conservation or species protection, including impacts to biodiversity, special sites, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, Key Biodiversity Areas, and threatened or endangered species.
    3. Sources originating from areas experiencing forest conversion or forest area decline.
    4. Forest activities that do not uphold the principles of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998).
    5. Forest activities that do not uphold the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).
    6. Fiber sourced from areas lacking effective social laws and protections.
    7. Illegal logging, including the trade of species listed under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
    8. Conflict timber.
    9. Genetically modified trees resulting from forest biotechnology.

Independent Stave Company is committed to complying with social laws and regulations, including those related to civil rights, equal employment opportunity, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment practices, workers' compensation, Indigenous Peoples' rights, workers' and communities' right to know, prevailing wages, workers' rights to organize, and occupational health and safety.

Independent Stave Company recognizes that the principles established by the International Labour Organization through its 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work provide guidance for protecting the fundamental rights of workers while allowing nations to implement those principles in a manner consistent with their own legal frameworks.

Consistent with these principles and applicable national laws, regulations, rights, and administrative or judicial procedures, Independent Stave Company respects:

    • Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.
    • The elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor.
    • The effective abolition of child labor.
    • The elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation.

The company also recognizes and respects the rights of Indigenous Peoples and is committed to upholding the spirit of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).

Independent Stave Company requires all wood suppliers to comply with the water quality Best Management Practices applicable in the states or regions where they operate. In addition, at least one individual on each harvest site must be recognized as a qualified logger through the appropriate SFI State Implementation Committee program. In regions outside the United States, training that meets PEFC Chain of Custody Standard requirements will also be recognized. If no qualified logger is present on a harvest site, the supplier must submit a plan to Independent Stave Company detailing how qualified logger status will be achieved within six months.

To protect logger safety and forest health, Independent Stave Company discourages logging activities during severe weather conditions or significant precipitation events that may result in severe erosion.

Suppliers are also expected to support Independent Stave Company's efforts to meet SFI Fiber Sourcing and Chain of Custody standards and to uphold the commitments outlined in this policy.

This policy has been communicated to all affected suppliers and is available to customers and other interested parties upon request.

WIISC 10-1-001 Sustainable Forestry Policy Rev 2.0 Effective Date: 9/1/2026