24.04.2026
On 21 April 2026, within the framework of the Tropical Timber Trade Facility (TTT) project, professional associations from the European, African and Chinese forest sectors met remotely to continue work on the revision and updating of codes of conduct with a particular focus on the tropical timber
This second session confirms a central direction of the project: building a shared methodology while enabling each association to shape its own code of conduct according to its realities, members, and level of development. The aim is therefore not to produce a single unified document, but to support a common approach that is implemented in differentiated ways, allowing for gradual and context-specific ownership.
One of the key outcomes of the workshop concerns the self-assessment phase, now confirmed as the structuring starting point of the approach. This is based on a common matrix structured around nine themes covering the main sustainability dimensions of the timber sector, including legality, traceability, governance, as well as environmental and social aspects. The tool has been designed to accommodate a wide range of organisational profiles, from producers to importers, while providing a shared analytical framework. It enables each association to assess its current practices and identify realistic levels of progression.
On this basis, discussions highlighted a central issue: the need to prioritise commitments. Not all themes can be addressed simultaneously or with the same level of intensity. The work therefore focuses on defining clear priorities adapted to each association’s context and members’ capacities, in order to ensure that commitments embedded in codes of conduct remain both feasible and effective.
Another important point concerned the dissemination and ownership of codes of conduct. Discussions reaffirmed that a code only has a real impact if it is understood, shared, and used by members. Its internal and external communication is therefore a critical step in the process, often complex, but essential to ensure long-term effectiveness.
At the end of the workshop, organisations now have a clarified sequence of work: conducting a self-assessment based on the common matrix, defining priority themes, and progressively formulating commitments as part of the code of conduct revision process.
The next workshop, scheduled for September 2026, will focus on presenting the first results of the self-assessment phase and further developing the commitments formulated by participating associations.
Through this process, the ATIBT pursues a simple yet structuring ambition: to support the development of codes of conduct that are not merely reference documents, but genuine tools for continuous improvement and dialogue within the tropical timber sector.
