Join the China Wood Industry Supply Chain Due Diligence Pilot Program

Against a backdrop of rising requirements placed by overseas purchasers on timber supply‑chain traceability, legality and sustainability, the China Timber & Wood Products Distribution Association (CTWPDA), in partnership with the Tropical Timber Trade Facilitation Mechanism (TTT), has jointly developed the China Timber Supply‑Chain Due‑Diligence Management Specification.

The Association is now recruiting pilot‑phase enterprises engaged in Africa‑sourced timber import business. Full‑cycle free technical guidance, audit planning and digital tool‑kits will be provided for pilot participants. Companies joining the programme will gain priority‑recommended supplier status for overseas markets. Practical implementation experience will feed into the optimisation of specification content and market‑adaptation, building a green‑compliant timber supply‑chain.

Introduction to China Timber Supply‑Chain Due‑Diligence Management Specification

This Specification aims to support member enterprises of CTWPDA in systematically upgrading their timber procurement compliance capability. It focuses particularly on strengthening capacity to carry out responsible procurement from high‑risk source countries, helping firms respond to tightening traceability‑ and legality‑related requirements imposed by international and domestic markets, and consolidating long‑term market‑access qualifications.

Within the governance framework defined by this Specification, enterprises may deploy supporting standardised tool‑kits (including traceability templates, due‑diligence investigation checklists and digital record‑keeping forms), to substantially mitigate supply‑chain compliance and reputational risks.

The China Timber Supply‑Chain Due‑Diligence Management Specification delivers clear, actionable procedures for enterprises, enabling full‑process legality verification covering raw‑material sourcing to end‑product delivery.

Key Benefits for Pilot‑Phase Enterprises

• Enhanced Market‑Access Competence: Meet mandatory or voluntary legality‑and‑traceability requirements for timber imports imposed by major destination markets including Australia, the United States and the EU in good time. Gain advance preparation for upcoming regulatory updates.

• Strengthened Compliance & Reputational Risk Management: Implement a tiered verification mechanism for timber sourced from high‑risk countries. Validate the completeness, authenticity and verifiability of legal‑source documentation, effectively shutting down channels for illegal timber imports and trading.

• Centralised, Streamlined Management System: CTWPDA delivers coordinated implementation guidance, custom‑built tool templates, capacity‑building training and audit‑coordination services, boosting resource allocation efficiency and process synergy.

• Optimised Cost‑Efficiency: The collective‑action pilot model enables shared core‑resource access, differentiated sampling inspection for overseas suppliers and bulk‑document pre‑audit workflows, cutting the compliance cost burden for individual enterprises.

• International Mutual‑Recognition Framework: The technical roadmap of this Specification fully aligns with ISO 32800 Sustainable procurement — Due‑diligence framework. Pilot‑enterprises passing certification will be listed on CTWPDA’s official platform and included in the directory of recognised international partners, qualifying them for priority‑supplier recommendations.

• Scalable Regulatory‑Alignment Capacity: This Specification can operate as a standalone compliance framework. It also constitutes a key pre‑requisite for enterprises to meet EU Deforestation‑Free Products Regulation (EU DFR) requirements, and provides an expandable foundational framework for adapting to other regional sustainability‑focused regulations, such as the UK UKTR and Japan‑J‑REIT.

First‑Round Pilot Timeline

May‑October 2026

Pilot‑Scope

This pilot is open‑to‑all enterprises engaged in any segment of the African hardwood‑import value‑chain (import, circulation, processing and export). Its objective is to systematically test the Specification’s practical applicability and operability across real‑world business scenarios, and finalise the official version of the Specification based on verified, on‑the‑ground feedback.

Core Value Propositions

Secure Priority‑Market Advantages: As official pilot participants, enterprises gain preferential access to markets in key destinations including the US, Australia and the EU where timber legality‑and‑traceability requirements apply. New‑green‑market‑space outreach (high‑end hotel groups, large‑scale supermarket chains, government‑procurement platforms, etc.) will also be facilitated. (For full details, refer to Part II of the Specification.)
Build a Stable, Sustainable China‑Africa Supply‑Chain: The matching mechanism established via CTWPDA will directly connect pilot‑enterprises with pre‑audited, certified Chinese‑African suppliers, substantially improving supply‑chain stability and long‑term risk‑resilience.
Deep‑Dive Participation in Standard‑Setting: Your operational‑experience, workflow‑feedback and improvement‑suggestions will be formally incorporated into iterative revisions of the Specification. Your organisation will become one of its co‑developers.
End‑to‑End Exclusive Support Services:• Customised capacity‑building and one‑on‑one technical mentoring• Standard‑ready tool‑kits• Full‑lifecycle technical services: CTWPDA, in partnership with international collaborators, will assemble a dedicated support team to deliver full‑process technical guidance covering document‑interpretation, system‑deployment, internal‑audit and third‑party‑certificate verification.
Boost Corporate Credibility & Industry Influence:• Be awarded the official CTWPDA‑issued second‑party verification certificate for enterprises participating in the China Timber Supply‑Chain Due‑Diligence Management Specification (COC) pilot‑programme, an authoritative proof of your compliance achievements.• Be featured in CTWPDA‑published official directory: China Timber Supply‑Chain Due‑Diligence Management Specification ‑ Pilot Enterprise Roster, with public promotion.• Receive complimentary branded‑communication materials co‑produced by CTWPDA and project partners (text‑based content, high‑resolution images, short promotional videos, etc.) to support corporate‑image building across websites, social‑media channels and industry exhibitions.• Strategic cooperation between CTWPDA and authoritative institutions including ATIBT (International Tropical Timber Technical Association) will include pilot‑enterprises within the global supplier‑referral network, raising your international industry recognition.

Confidentiality Commitment: All pilot‑participants will sign a Non‑Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Strict confidentiality shall be maintained for sensitive information exchanged during cooperation.

Pilot‑Implementation Road‑Map

The current pilot‑phase will test‑run supply‑chains originating in six Central‑African countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo), covering the complete timber‑value‑chain up to end‑markets in China. Activities will focus on capacity‑building and validation‑testing at key nodes. Enterprises are not required to specialise exclusively in hardwood‑timber. Only a small volume of African‑timber sourcing is needed for participation. Additional timber‑species will be included in future‑phase pilots.

Letter‑of‑Intent Sign‑Off: Confirm participation in writing (email, fax, Letter‑of‑Intent/Memorandum‑of‑Understanding, etc.)
Supply‑Chain Collaborative Onboarding: Access information on qualified, fully‑documented upstream suppliers; retain independent supplier‑selection rights.
Capacity‑Building: 2‑day intensive group‑training + 3‑day on‑site customised mentoring (including pre‑audit).
Standard‑Validation Audit: Led by CTWPDA, jointly delivered by Preferred by Nature and qualified third‑party certification‑bodies. 2‑day on‑site audit activities at pilot‑enterprise premises.
Results‑Analysis & Knowledge‑Sharing: After debriefing, produce promotional materials for pilot‑enterprises; disseminate outcomes to all members, European and American industry‑partner associations.
Official Standard Launch & Roll‑Out: Stakeholder feedback collected from pilots will be integrated into the formal Specification system.
Pilot‑Closing Ceremony & Awards: Host a large‑scale event in partnership with collaborating organisations, hold official certification ceremonies for pilot‑enterprises, publish the verified‑pilot‑entity roster and issue official qualification certificates.

Pilot‑Enterprise Eligibility Criteria

This pilot‑initiative welcomes supply‑chain entities with established compliance foundations and alignment‑with‑programme‑objectives. Applicants must satisfy all the eligibility‑requirements listed below:

• Written Commitment: Submit formal written confirmation to join the pilot‑programme.

• Import‑Source Requirements: Timber products must be sourced from the six Central‑African nations listed (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo). No minimum‑proportion threshold applies.

• Supply‑Chain‑Management Capacity: Demonstrate baseline capability to conduct supply‑chain due‑diligence, or show clear intent to build and roll‑out corresponding management‑systems.

• Clean‑Compliance Record: No ongoing‑investigation initiated by environmental, customs, market‑supervision or other competent‑authorities; no convictions within the past three‑year‑period for illegal‑timber‑harvesting, smuggling, false customs‑declaration or other related criminal offences.

For full pilot‑programme documentation, consultation‑support or formal expression‑of‑interest submissions, please contact the project‑coordination‑officers below: