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PR080202 FSC FM public report TRC v22 [03 06 09] - Bureau Veritas

PR080202 FSC FM public report TRC v22 [03 06 09] - Bureau Veritas

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<strong>FSC</strong> CERTIFICATION SYSTEM<br />

CERTIFICATION PUBLIC REPORT<br />

FOREST MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION<br />

Last audit date: from 10 th to 18 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

Last update date: 19 th May 20<strong>09</strong><br />

Forest Management Unit (UFA) n° 00 004<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> (Transformation REEF Cameroun)<br />

Forest location(s): Cameroun, Provinces du Centre et du Littoral<br />

Manager office address: BP. 3394 - Ndogbong<br />

Town : Douala - Countrys : Cameroun<br />

Contact Person: M. Jacques HULEUX (j.huleux@trcbois.com)<br />

BUREAU VERITAS CERTIFICATION<br />

60 avenue du Général de Gaulle - 92046 Paris - La Défense Cedex - FRANCE<br />

Tel: + 33 1 41 97 02 05 - Fax: + 33 1 41 97 02 04<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.com / fr<br />

Contact in Africa: Caroline Duhesme (caroline.duhesme@fr.bureauveritas.com)<br />

Contact in other countries: Héloïse d’Huart (heloise.dhuart@fr.bureauveritas.com)<br />

Initial audit date: from the 9 th to the 13 th June 20<strong>06</strong><br />

Last surveillance audit dates: from 10 th to 18 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

Certificate number: BV-<strong>FM</strong>/COC-448849 - certification date: 12 th February 2008<br />

Lead auditor and <strong>report</strong> writer: Alain Valette<br />

Document ref.: <strong>PR080202</strong> version 2.1


The present <strong>report</strong> is the English translation of the certification <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> written in French by <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification. Should there be<br />

any doubt as to text interpretation, the French version will prevail. Do not hesitate to contact us for any question you may have.


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CONTENT<br />

1 - Overview........................................................................................................................... 5<br />

1.1 - Main notable strengths of the forest applicant entity ..............................................................5<br />

1.2 - Main weak points of the forest applicant entity .......................................................................5<br />

1.3 - Recommendations and / or minor and major Corrective Actions Requests suggested in<br />

preparation for certification .....................................................................................................6<br />

2 - Legal, administrative and land use context ................................................................... 6<br />

3 - Description of the applicant forest entity....................................................................... 6<br />

3.1 - General Description ................................................................................................................6<br />

3.2 - Forest management system and plan description ..................................................................8<br />

3.3 - Production and harvesting ....................................................................................................10<br />

3.4 - Labour planning ....................................................................................................................10<br />

4 - Other activities............................................................................................................... 12<br />

4.1 - Description of the activities ...................................................................................................12<br />

4.2 - Potential Impact on forestry ..................................................................................................12<br />

5 - Base of evaluation ......................................................................................................... 12<br />

5.1 - Composition of the audit team ..............................................................................................12<br />

5.2 - Previous audits......................................................................................................................13<br />

5.3 - Forest management referential used for the initial audit ......................................................14<br />

5.4 - Stakeholders comments on referential .................................................................................15<br />

5.5 - Effective laws enforceable to the activities of the forest entity applicant ..............................15<br />

6 - Information collecting modalities ................................................................................. 16<br />

6.1 - Description of the audit program...........................................................................................16<br />

6.2 - Documents review.................................................................................................................16<br />

6.3 - Interview(s) of involved people met ......................................................................................16<br />

6.4 - On-site visit(s) .......................................................................................................................17<br />

6.5 - Stakeholders identification and consultation.........................................................................17<br />

6.6 - Identification, traceability and monitoring of products...........................................................20<br />

6.7 - Initial audit closing meeting...................................................................................................21<br />

7 - Audit team observations ............................................................................................... 21<br />

7.1 - Evaluation results with reference to the <strong>FSC</strong> referential / standard .....................................22<br />

7.2 - Systematic presentation of results ........................................................................................26<br />

7.3 - Elements subjects to controversy .........................................................................................26<br />

8 - Scope retained for the certification .............................................................................. 26<br />

8.1 - Geographical limitation at the level of the entity ...................................................................26<br />

8.2 - Limitation at the level of the forest products .........................................................................26<br />

9 - Proposals regarding the certification decision............................................................ 27<br />

9.1 - Explication on all rating, weighting systems or other systems used decisions taking ..........27<br />

9.2 - Clear description of all recommendations and conditions associated to the certification<br />

decision .................................................................................................................................27<br />

9.3 - Minor Corrective Action Requests ........................................................................................28<br />

9.4 - Major Corrective Action Requests ........................................................................................30<br />

9.5 - Proposal of conclusion on whether the candidate entity achieved or not the required level<br />

of conformance .....................................................................................................................35<br />

10 - Complementary audit n°1............................ .................................................................. 36<br />

10.1 - Base of evaluation ................................................................................................................36<br />

10.2 - Information collecting modalities...........................................................................................36<br />

10.3 - Audit team observations .......................................................................................................46<br />

10.4 - New Correctives Actions Requests resulting from the Complementary Audit......................59<br />

10.5 - Scope retained for the certification .......................................................................................67<br />

10.6 - Proposals regarding the certification decision ......................................................................67<br />

11 - Complementary audit n° 2........................... .................................................................. 69<br />

11.1 - Base of evaluation ................................................................................................................69<br />

11.2 - Information collecting modalities...........................................................................................69<br />

11.3 - Audit team observations .......................................................................................................76<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 3 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

11.4 - New Correctives Actions Requests resulting from the Complementary Audit......................84<br />

11.5 - Scope retained for the certification .......................................................................................85<br />

11.6 - Proposals regarding the certification decision ......................................................................85<br />

11.7 - Decision and associated conditions......................................................................................86<br />

12 - Surveillance Audit n° 1 ............................ ...................................................................... 87<br />

12.1 - Base of evaluation ................................................................................................................87<br />

12.2 - Data collection’s approach....................................................................................................87<br />

12.3 - Observations from the audit team.........................................................................................98<br />

12.4 - Proposal concerning the certification decision....................................................................100<br />

12.5 - Certification decision...........................................................................................................1<strong>09</strong><br />

13 - Appendices .................................................................................................................. 110<br />

13.1 - Pairs review following the initial audit and the two complementary audits .........................110<br />

13.2 - Answers to Stake-Holders ..................................................................................................111<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 4 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

1 - Overview<br />

1.1 - Main notable strengths of the forest applicant entity<br />

The <strong>TRC</strong> company committed itself in the <strong>FSC</strong> certification process, and set up<br />

numerous procedures aiming at:<br />

- rationalizing its production;<br />

- improving populations and workers’ social conditions<br />

- reducing impacts of the exploitation on the environment.<br />

It has showed, since the scoping, great adaptibility while adjusting these inhouse<br />

procedures to <strong>FSC</strong> requirements:<br />

- Considerable improvement in work conditions in terms of comfort and<br />

safety;<br />

- taking into account the environment (considerable improvement in the living<br />

conditions, waste retrieval);<br />

- Improvement in means of signalling, demarcations and riparians awareness.<br />

The woodlands have a complete management scheme, surveys are started or<br />

formalized by contract, and the company maintains constructive relations with<br />

the local and international NGO.<br />

Forestry is carried out with an average impact, the personnel is well trained and<br />

knows its responsibilities. The personnel is sometimes recruited on the treefelling<br />

site, and in-house promotion is possible.<br />

The certification step has been integrated down to the bottom of the company's<br />

scale, <strong>TRC</strong>'s policy is clear, and its procedures complete and globally well<br />

designed.<br />

1.2 - Main weak points of the forest applicant entity<br />

As a very general rule, certification procedures are not always applied and are<br />

rarely in total compliance with field practices.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> set up very recently procedures of populations’ consultation in order to<br />

have sufficient knowledge of social issues on the sites where it operates. That<br />

process has not fully come off and needs a development.<br />

The environmental and social impact surveys need to be started.<br />

Certain points of forestry legislation are not respected; in particular the company<br />

does not fully comply with decree 222 regulating forest management by<br />

Cameroonian law.<br />

Certain points of labour legislation and the ILO (International Labour Office)<br />

texts are not respected.<br />

One of the chemical products used by the company is listed among the<br />

prohibited products within the scope of <strong>FSC</strong> certification.<br />

The management implementation as it is presented in the document endorsed<br />

by the administration is not lasting:<br />

- The renewal rate presented in the official management document only<br />

reaches 100% thanks to a directed choice of a limited number of species<br />

which do not correspond at all to species harvested by the company.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 5 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- The renewal rates for species mainly harvested are not calculated in the<br />

management document.<br />

The UFA 00-004 geographical zone is known for intense poaching and<br />

frequency in unlawful timber felling.<br />

1.3 - Recommendations and / or minor and major Corrective Actions<br />

Requests suggested in preparation for certification<br />

Seventeen minor corrective actions requests and seventeen major corrective<br />

actions requests have been expressed, to enable <strong>TRC</strong> to fully meet the <strong>FSC</strong><br />

forest management referential adapted to Cameroon. They are explained at the<br />

end of the document.<br />

2 - Legal, administrative and land use context<br />

Cameroon has begun, since 1994, a profound reform of its legislative and regulation<br />

system as far as environment, forests, fauna and other natural resources management<br />

are concerned. The new laws (and their application texts) attempt to reconcile integrated<br />

and sustainable management of forestry, faunistic halieutic heritage and the need to get<br />

substantial incomes from their exploitation to ensure economic and social development.<br />

It consists in reinforcing the forest’s ecological role as well as its economic and social<br />

functions. These laws are meant to be more restrictive. The innovations made concern a<br />

greater involvement of the riparian populations while encouraging decentralized and<br />

participative management of forests, through the community forests principle for<br />

example.<br />

As such and as a forestry site company, <strong>TRC</strong> is submitted to these new “environmental’<br />

aspects, as well as to social and tax aspects. We identified in a non exhaustive manner<br />

legislative texts which a forestry site company must respect (see paragraph 5.5).<br />

3 - Description of the applicant forest entity<br />

3.1 - General Description<br />

Identification of the forest entity:<br />

- Owner:<br />

In Cameroonian law, permanent forest estate is divided in one hundred or so<br />

Forestry Site Units ("UFA"), the exploitation and management of which are<br />

allocated on the basis of calls for tenders set by the the MINFOF (Ministry of<br />

forest and wild Fauna).<br />

These UFAs are divided in annual cutting areas, put forward by the successful<br />

bidder of the UFA, the surface area of which must legally be about 2,500<br />

hectares.<br />

The non permanent Forest Estate is exploited by felling sales that can be<br />

organized by 2,500 ha unit lot, sold by call for tenders.<br />

There are community forests too, the management of which is entrusted to local<br />

authorities.<br />

In any case, the Re<strong>public</strong> of Cameroon remains owner of the forest soil.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 6 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- Manager:<br />

The <strong>TRC</strong> Transformation Reef Cameroun company<br />

Transformation Reef Cameroun<br />

Incorporated company with a capital of 110,000,000 CFA Francs<br />

BP. 3394 - Ndogbong<br />

Douala -CAMEROON<br />

Phone: + 237 340 42 88 / Fax: + 237 340 39 92<br />

RC: 1156 DLA / N°. Taxpayer: M0299000<strong>09</strong>462A<br />

As a structure ruled by Cameroonian law and a family company created in 1989<br />

and belonging to REEF HOUT B.V. (The Netherlands) company, <strong>TRC</strong> first<br />

specialized in the processing of Bongossi long poles bought or exploited in<br />

felling sales. The development of the company and the evolution of the<br />

Cameroonian forest context encouraged <strong>TRC</strong> to manage its supplies. <strong>TRC</strong> has<br />

therefore been for two years signatory to a Provisional Convention of<br />

Exploitation (see appendix) applying to a 125,490 ha territory in the Permanent<br />

Forest Estate referred to as concession nb 1,029 and the boundaries of which<br />

are set by that of UFA 00 004.<br />

Since the scoping, another UFA (11- 001) has been added to the company. In<br />

parallel, <strong>TRC</strong> exploits and processes the UFA 00-001/00-002 woodlands within<br />

the scope of a partnership agreement with SEPFCO (“Société d’Exploitation<br />

des Produits Forestiers et de Commerce” Trade and Forest Products<br />

Exploitation Company) which obtained the concession.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> too has two sawmills located in Kumba and in Douala specialized in highdensity<br />

wood, and hired for a trial period of 3 years a rotary cutting factory in<br />

Douala. That factory will be running early in 2007 and will enable the company<br />

itself to use peeled veneer timber exploited on these UFAs.<br />

UFA 00 004 was transferred from the PROPALM Company to the <strong>TRC</strong><br />

company through an official decision of the Ministry of Forestry and Water<br />

Resources on 24th July 2004. Propalm was up until then beneficiary of the<br />

concession on the basis of a call for tenders published on 21st February 2000.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> has in addition signed a partnership agreement with WWF (World Wildlife<br />

Fund) in order to enter the “WWF Producer group” then the “Central Africa trade<br />

Network”, enabling to benefit from technical assistance in the setting up of<br />

impact surveys.<br />

Description of the forest stand(s)<br />

UFA 00-004 includes forest concession Nb 1,029. It is spanning two provinces;<br />

the Centre Province, County of Mbam and Inoubou, District of Ndikimineki; and<br />

the Littoral Province, County of Nkam, Districts of Nkondjock and Yingui.<br />

Administrative surface areas are allocated as follows:<br />

Province Centre<br />

County<br />

Mbam and Inoubou<br />

District<br />

Ndikimineki<br />

Village Ndikimineki 92,390 ha<br />

Province<br />

County<br />

Districts<br />

Villages<br />

Littoral<br />

Nkam<br />

Nkondjock<br />

Yingui<br />

Nkondjock<br />

Yingui<br />

20,400 ha<br />

12,700 ha<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 7 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

All the UFA is located on the INC Ndikimineki topographical map, sheet Nb.<br />

NB32V<br />

Surface and altitude<br />

The UFA has a surface area of 125,490 hectares at the signature of the<br />

provisional agreement.<br />

The concessionnaire considered it useful to take off from the forestry<br />

management area the nearest zone to the villages, in order to increase the<br />

surface area of the agroforestry zone and to limit territorial conflicts. A<br />

suggestion is in progress within the scope of the UFA management and has<br />

been officially authorized by the Forest Ministry. Therefore the managed surface<br />

area is 102,000 hectares.<br />

UFA 00-004 is located on one of the high plateau sides of the South-West and<br />

West provinces towards the sea. Thus one part of the UFA has high altitudes<br />

with quite great level differences, whereas another part is located on a relatively<br />

flat ground of low altitude. The forest altitude ranges from 492 to 4,264 feet.<br />

That ecological element is essential and conditions strongly forestry quality.<br />

Description of the forest stand<br />

Forest groups of which UFA 00-004 is a part, are the low altitude tropical<br />

rainforest in Lophira alata (Bongossi) and the average altitude atlantic tropical<br />

rainforest.<br />

The distribution is the following:<br />

- adult secondary forest: 50,<strong>06</strong>0 ha<br />

- Agricultural surface area: 23,910 ha<br />

- young secondary forest: 4,587 ha<br />

- humid evergreen dense forest 41,080 ha<br />

- water 684 ha<br />

The UFA is virgin in its mountainous part southward, which is very difficult to<br />

exploit. On the other hand, the Northern part has already been exploited by<br />

another company.<br />

3.2 - Forest management system and plan description<br />

- Management and administration<br />

The UFA 00-004 forest management scheme was written by the research<br />

department “Form International” at the end of 2005. It has been approved by<br />

the Forestry Administration. It is established for 30 years, corresponding to<br />

the theoretical length of time of rotation, and is revisable every five years. It<br />

was established for the 20<strong>06</strong>-2<strong>03</strong>6 period.<br />

The forest management scheme comes together with the first five-yearly<br />

management scheme as requested by the forestry regulation in force.<br />

There is no yearly operation scheme, detailing all the activities to be carried<br />

out during the year to come on all the UFA, with an associated budget. A<br />

yearly operation scheme cannot be summed up to a yearly cutting area<br />

certificate.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 8 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- Durability of the management<br />

The forest management scheme is based on the inventory carried out by<br />

AYUKEGBA FORESTRY and LIMBE's botanical gardens, from December<br />

2004 to April 2005. The inventory was carried out at the rate of 0,5 % and<br />

approved by the Forestry Administration.<br />

The inventory was carried out from small classes of diameter so as to take<br />

into consideration future harvests. The data analysis presents the histograms<br />

of the diameter classes for the principal species and the maps of distribution<br />

of these species in the UFA as presence/absence.<br />

The sylvicultural system used is one of a felling above the minimum logging<br />

diameter. The administration sets minimum diameters per species applicable<br />

to all the country, and the developers have to set minimum diameters per<br />

species and per UFA, superior or equal to Administration MLDs (Minimum<br />

Logging Diameter). The choice of these MLDs by the developer must allow a<br />

necessary renewal of the stands at the UFA level and is therefore a major<br />

parameter of the forest management durability.<br />

For the choice of the managed species, the <strong>TRC</strong> developer took 36 species<br />

(among the 50 of the top 50) representing more than 75 % of the total<br />

inventoried volume. It however excluded from the group of managed species,<br />

and therefore from the calculations of the renewal rate, several of the most<br />

exploited species and in particular timber for hydraulic use like Bongossi, Tali<br />

and Okan.<br />

That exclusion has been partially corrected in a note which has been passed<br />

on to us (however it is not included to the <strong>public</strong> summary of the<br />

management scheme) which justifies the renewal rate of the bongossi and<br />

its exploitation at a minimum diameter of 27.3 inches.<br />

It is not acceptable in the <strong>FSC</strong> process that the renewal rates of the<br />

harvested species should not be legible, and that should be shown renewal<br />

rates of species without commercial interest, chosen in the inventory<br />

because of the stand diameter structure of their tree populations, favourable<br />

to obtain reassuring calculations.<br />

The developer will then have to present, during the complementary audit, the<br />

calculations corresponding to the species really exploited by the company.<br />

He should aim for the best possible renewal of that species group and<br />

explain the poor renewals. That “real”calculation will be made <strong>public</strong> in the<br />

<strong>public</strong> summary of the forest management scheme.<br />

For managed species, the <strong>TRC</strong> developer has used the forest renewal<br />

formulas and the growth, mortality and exploitation damage hypotheses<br />

recommended at a national level for the MLDs calculation.<br />

The growth monitoring and forest reaction to exploitation is carried out<br />

through permanent seed spots (see below).<br />

- Boundaries<br />

The UFA and cutting areas boundaries are marked:<br />

The Northern boundary is natural; the cutting areas boundaries are neatly<br />

marked (clear track, distinctly marked and maintained).<br />

In order to fully meet legal requirements, these boundaries should be planted<br />

with fast-growing species. Local species plantations (Moabi) are planned<br />

within the UFA boundaries, so as to perpetuate them. An advantageous<br />

process of seedlings yield has to be set up (<strong>TRC</strong> nursery or village yield).<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 9 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

3.3 - Production and harvesting<br />

On the basis of the statistical inventory, the forest possibility is estimated at<br />

4,397,167 m 3 in managed species. Bongossi represents 229,753 m3 according<br />

to that same statistical inventory.<br />

• Exploitation<br />

The <strong>TRC</strong> company developed a low impact forestry training system (see in<br />

that respect “Forestry certification procedures”, <strong>TRC</strong> in-house document and<br />

the “Low impact forestry regional code” (FAO, 20<strong>03</strong>)).<br />

Good mastery of the directional felling technique is to be mentioned (hence<br />

decrease of the impact on the environment and significant reduction of<br />

losses in the forest and on site).<br />

• Forwarding<br />

The forwarding is carried out according to the most common protocol in<br />

African equatorial forest, system in which one carries out a very selective<br />

exploitation of the trees.<br />

- Layout of a primary track serving all the UFA, according to an optimum<br />

route to minimize difficult ways. That track is set and maintained during<br />

the UFA exploitation period.<br />

- Secondary layout going from the site (on main track) to the exploited<br />

blocks. In general, the secondary track, planned with the bulldozer, is only<br />

used for the exploitation of a (or even part of a) cutting area. These<br />

secondary tracks are planned according to the situation of the trees to<br />

forward, to the blocks, to the lie of the land.<br />

- Layout of logging drags going from the secondary track to the long pole to<br />

forward. These logging drags are opened up with a skidder (Caterpillar<br />

528) or with a bulldozer (in case of an exceptional long pole) and<br />

generally “visually” by the bulldozer driver, under the guidance of a help<br />

who indicates him the most direct way to reach the long pole, the driver<br />

being responsible for avoiding the big timber. The power of the track<br />

hauling machines enables to go through very difficult contexts, while<br />

crushing the vegetation, most of the time with minimum respect for the<br />

environment. In terms of impact, forwarding is the most critical phase: for<br />

the time being, there is no technical means likely to minimize its impacts<br />

significantly.<br />

- Back to site, the long pole is dragged by the vehicle with a steel cable<br />

(winch on bulldozer or hauling machine).<br />

3.4 - Labour planning<br />

• Exploitation of the cutting areas<br />

• Inventory of exploitation<br />

In addition to the cutting area perimeter, the Administration sets a limit per<br />

unit volume for the exploitation on each cutting area. That limit is set on the<br />

logger’s proposal too, according to a systematic inventory.<br />

That inventory is carried out by a prospecting technical team commissioned<br />

every year in the cutting area of the N+1 year. The team uses a chequering<br />

process of the cutting areas into a 3,280 by 492 feet “block”, within which the<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 10 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

exploitable stems are listed and mapped. The stems are measured with a<br />

forestry compass (problem for buttress species); a number is given to each<br />

stem preidentified during that phase (2 or 3 letters for the species and a<br />

continuous number are painted on the foot). The maps of the systematic<br />

inventories are copied out neatly at the office.<br />

When the exploitation of a block comes to an end, the exploitations<br />

monitoring is carried out, so as to check that there is not any inventoried<br />

timber not exploited or any felled stem not forwarded.<br />

During the exploitation, once the maximum limit volume of the cutting area<br />

for a given species is reached, that species’s exploitation in that cutting area<br />

becomes illegal. Considering a rigorous monitoring protocol, that measure is<br />

put into practice; an underestimation of the volume during the systematic<br />

inventories leads therefore to leave surplus timber standing.<br />

Any attempt to exploit a fenced in cutting area for the second time is strictly<br />

forbidden and monitored by the Administration.<br />

Within the scope of the temporary convention (set before definitive<br />

convention), the 2005 cutting area covers a 4,183 ha surface and an<br />

inventoried volume (according to the systematic inventory of the exploitation)<br />

of 80,573 m3 including 26,527 m3 of Bongossi. Only 62% of the volume<br />

concerns managed speciess (for which rates of adapted renewal have been<br />

presented in the official management:<br />

Speciess Amount volume Speciess amount volume<br />

“Abale” 57<br />

378 White Eyoum 15 116<br />

White Mahogany 90<br />

727 Red Eyoum 41 38<br />

“Agba” 2<br />

24 “Faro” 177 1998<br />

“Aiele / Abel” 176<br />

1584 “Fraké / Limba” 333 2078<br />

“Ako” 11<br />

69 “Framiré” 2 7<br />

“Alep” 613<br />

4655 Kapok tree / Ceiba 76 902<br />

“Angueuk” 131<br />

939 “latandza” 4 33<br />

“Asila” 5<br />

27 “Ilomba” 9<strong>06</strong> 5943<br />

“Ayous” 2<br />

15 “Iroko” 26 256<br />

Bongossi 3346<br />

26527 “Kondroti” 2 16<br />

“Bahia” 138<br />

1112 “Kossipo” 44 471<br />

“Bilinga” 505<br />

4523 “Kotibé” 2 14<br />

“Bodioa” 33<br />

295 “Koto” 136 833<br />

“Bongo H (Olon)” 131<br />

869 “Koto”<br />

Light Bossé 25<br />

187 “Kumbi” 4 21<br />

Dark Bossé 14<br />

108 “Landa” 3 20<br />

Pink Bubinga 57<br />

472 “Lati” 4 33<br />

“Dabéma” 304<br />

2845 “Limbali” 2<strong>06</strong> 1930<br />

“Dibetou” 13<br />

128 “Lotofa” 4 25<br />

White Doussie 5<br />

42 “Makoré” 8 57<br />

Red Doussie 362<br />

3010 “Mambodé” 199 1674<br />

“Ebiara” 2<br />

14 “Moabi” 9 95<br />

“Ekop” 37<br />

347 “Movingui” 114 792<br />

“Ekop andinding” 3<br />

22 “Mukulungu” 3 35<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 11 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

“Ekop G” 9<br />

“Ekop I” 2<br />

“Ekop J” 9<br />

“Ekop M” 121<br />

North-West Ekop Naga 194<br />

“Ekop ngombé” 17<br />

Bosom Ekop ngombé 4<br />

“Ekop ribi” 15<br />

“Emien” 8<br />

“Essesang” 65<br />

“Eyek” 112<br />

“Eyong” 2<br />

72 “Naga” 119 1<strong>09</strong>3<br />

17 “Niové” 31 235<br />

67 “Oboto” 16 1<strong>09</strong><br />

1<strong>06</strong>1 “Okan” 191 1729<br />

17<strong>06</strong> “Onzabili K” 138 1071<br />

131 Red Padouk 90 702<br />

42 “Sapelli” 13 140<br />

117 “Sipo” 49 597<br />

39 “Sougué” 1<strong>09</strong> 857<br />

528 “Tali” 323 2783<br />

12<strong>09</strong> “Tchitola” 12 108<br />

13 “Tiama” 14 116<br />

“Wenge” 1 9<br />

Total 6620 53921 0 3424 26936<br />

General total 10044 80857<br />

Table taken from the 2005 cutting area annual certificate (results of the<br />

exploitation inventory beyond the MLD/MMD (Minimum Management<br />

Diameter).<br />

4 - Other activities<br />

4.1 - Description of the activities<br />

• Harvest<br />

• Traditional agricultural activities<br />

• Fishing<br />

• Hunting<br />

• “Wild timber” cutting<br />

4.2 - Potential Impact on forestry<br />

These aspects are dealt with in detail in the rest of the <strong>report</strong>.<br />

5 - Base of evaluation<br />

5.1 - Composition of the audit team<br />

Lead auditor:<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in forest management<br />

and forestry, EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI auditor in<br />

traceability and in forest management, forest expert,<br />

independent consultant.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 12 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Auditors:<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in forest management<br />

and forestry, EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI auditor in<br />

traceability, Timber Expert, independent consultant.<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in forest management<br />

and forestry, EUROCERTIFOR -BVQI Audits<br />

Managers.<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in forest management<br />

and forestry, EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI auditor in<br />

traceability and in forest management, forest<br />

engineer, independent consultant.<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in environment and social<br />

aspects, Agricultural engineer, JMN Consultant,<br />

environment and social aspects consultant.<br />

5.2 - Previous audits<br />

The scoping carried out 12 months before the initial audit allowed to set the<br />

preliminary setting to standard action requests as follows:<br />

Nb Preliminary setting to standard action requested Demand Number<br />

01<br />

02<br />

Improve, structure and complete the monitoring procedure of the legal<br />

and statutory information<br />

Formalize the detailed procedure with the monitoring protocols, to see<br />

to laws, regulations and international treaties enforcement and inform<br />

the employees and subcontractors about the implications<br />

1.1.1 ; 4.2.1<br />

1.1.3 ; 1.1.4 ; 1.1.5 ;<br />

1.3.3<br />

<strong>03</strong> Set a list of taxes, rights and charges due 1.2.1<br />

04<br />

05<br />

<strong>06</strong><br />

07<br />

08<br />

<strong>09</strong><br />

Complete and implement a monitoring procedure and protocol of illegal<br />

timber exploitation on the UFA<br />

Complete the policy which commits the company in a sustainable forest<br />

management and according to the PCI <strong>FSC</strong><br />

Carry out an inventory of fixtures of the village lands, rights and customs<br />

which are linked to them as well as a social impact survey of the forestry<br />

operations concerning the local populations and possible autochthonous<br />

people.<br />

Develop and set up a pro-active social policy including:<br />

- the setting up of permanent consultation and négociation bodies<br />

- conflicts resolution procedures including any type of conflicts<br />

Develop a training policy for the personnel while encouraging the<br />

employment of local recruits<br />

Set up and implement procedures covering all the safety and health<br />

aspects at work, including the safety instructions adapted to each<br />

activity and operations<br />

1.5<br />

1.6<br />

2.1 ; 2.2.1 ; 2.2.2 ;<br />

3.1.1 ; 3.2 ; 3.3.1 ;<br />

3.3.2 ; 4.1.5 ; 4.4 ;<br />

5.2.1.1 ; 5.5.1<br />

2.2.3 ; 2.3 ; 3.1.2 ;<br />

3.1.3 ; 3.1.4 ; 3.3.3 ;<br />

4.1.1 ; 4.1.4 . 4.1.5 ;<br />

4.3.4 ; 4.4 ; 4.5.2<br />

4.1.2 ; 7.3<br />

4.2<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 13 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Nb Preliminary setting to standard action requested Demand Number<br />

10 Keep up to date statistics on accidents at work 4.2.3<br />

11<br />

12<br />

13<br />

14<br />

15<br />

16<br />

Supply the workers with appropriate and maintained safety and working<br />

equipments and see to the wearing and good use of these equipments<br />

Choose a member of the personnel in charge of health and safety<br />

aspects at work, and of the related trainings, on each site<br />

Set up procedures allowing to deal in a transparent and objective<br />

manner with the problems presented by the personnel<br />

Set up effective and documented procedures allowing to anticipate and<br />

manage the conflicts with the workers<br />

Estimate the social and environmental costs of the management and<br />

forestry operations<br />

Develop and complete the procedures and monitoring protocols of<br />

forestry operations with the aim of minimizing damage<br />

4.2.4 ; 4.2.5<br />

4.2.7<br />

4.3.3<br />

4.3.4<br />

5.1<br />

5.3 ; 5.5.3 ; 6.5<br />

17 Carry out an environmental impact survey 5.5.2 ; 6.1 ; 6.5.2<br />

18<br />

19<br />

20<br />

21<br />

22<br />

23<br />

Carry out a fauna survey and implement protective measures for<br />

speciess and measures against poaching<br />

Develop and update a list of chemical products used on sites and<br />

minimize their use.<br />

Set up and implement management procedures and monitoring<br />

protocols on the management of the chemical products respecting <strong>FSC</strong><br />

directions for use and specific instructions.<br />

Put safety instructions and instructions for use as well as adapted<br />

protections at the disposal of the workers using chemical products<br />

Review the treatment of waste process apart from wood (oil filters,<br />

tyres, salvaged hydrocarbons...) and implement it. Insert monitoring<br />

protocols of these procedures<br />

Develop and implement a forest management scheme integrating<br />

sustainable management of the forest and the environmental and<br />

ecosystems elements-<br />

Develop and implement monitoring and assessment procedures for the<br />

concerned activities<br />

Study the pertinence of the classification in HVFC of certain zones of<br />

the UFA and, in case of need, plan adapted protection measures<br />

6.2<br />

4.2.6 ; 6.6<br />

6.7<br />

7 ; 5.6.3 ; 6.3 ; 6.4<br />

8.1 ; 8.2 ; 8.4 ; 8.5<br />

9<br />

5.3 - Forest management referential used for the initial audit<br />

For that initial audit, we referred to the verification list (ref. LVRF 010013 version<br />

1.0) from the <strong>FSC</strong> forest sustainable management adapted to Cameroon (Ref.<br />

RFNT 010012 version 1.0).<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 14 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

5.4 - Stakeholders comments on referential<br />

A stakeholders’ consultation meeting took place on Friday, 9th June 20<strong>06</strong>. A<br />

few speeches were recorded.jj Detailed answers have been given to the<br />

speakers, none of these points being likely to lead to changes in the referential.<br />

5.5 - Effective laws enforceable to the activities of the forest entity<br />

applicant<br />

Forests management:<br />

- “Forests, fauna and fishing regulations” Law. (1994)<br />

- Order completing certain clauses of the law on forests, fauna and fishing<br />

regulations. (1999)<br />

- Decree setting the modes of enforcement of forests regulations (1995)<br />

- Decree setting the modes of enforcement of article 71(1)(new) of the law on<br />

forests, fauna and fishing regulations (1999)<br />

- Decree relating to the scheme securing forest revenue (1999)<br />

- Decree modifying the decree setting the modes of enforcement of forests<br />

regulations (2000)<br />

- Order setting the modes of allocation in priority to village communities<br />

riparian to any forest which could be established as a community forest<br />

(2001)<br />

- Order setting the preselection criteria and the choice procedures of the<br />

forestry site titles tenderers<br />

- Development, approval, monitoring and control procedures of the<br />

implementation of the permanent forestry domain production management<br />

scheme<br />

- Circular letter specifying the participation conditions to invitations to tenders<br />

of forestry titles allocation<br />

Environment:<br />

- Framework law relating to environment management (1996)<br />

- Decree on organization and functioning of Interdepartmental environment<br />

committee (2001)<br />

Water:<br />

- “Water regulations” Law<br />

- Decree setting the allocations, the organization and the functioning of the<br />

National Water Committee<br />

Social and work:<br />

- Cameroon’s 14th August 1992 labour regulations and implementing decrees<br />

- National collective agreements of exploitation and forest products processing<br />

companies and related activities of 26th April 2002<br />

Tax system:<br />

- Tax regulations (January 20<strong>03</strong>) and implementing decrees<br />

- Financial act of the Re<strong>public</strong> of Cameroon (2004)<br />

The forest tax system plans a tax system intended among other things to a<br />

redistribution of the forestry income (Annual forest Royalty) to local populations<br />

(see appendix F list of the tax papers).<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 15 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

The Annual Forest Royalty (AFR) is redistributed:<br />

- For 50% to the State;<br />

- for 40% to the village councils;<br />

- for 10% to the villages of all the UFA.<br />

International agreements:<br />

The company too is submitted to the requirements of the international<br />

agreements ratified by the Re<strong>public</strong> of Cameroon, in particular:<br />

- Framework agreement on climatic changes<br />

- Kyoto Protocol<br />

- Agreement on biological diversity<br />

- Vienna Agreement for the protection of the Ozone layer<br />

- Agreement on the international trade of wild flora and fauna endangered<br />

speciess (ITWS)<br />

- Agreements and directives of the International Office of Work<br />

6 - Information collecting modalities<br />

6.1 - Description of the audit program<br />

6.2 - Documents review<br />

• Documents supplied to the Audit team as computer format<br />

• Paper documents collected during the audit<br />

6.3 - Interview(s) of involved people met<br />

The interviews concerned the members of the <strong>TRC</strong> DOUALA company; in<br />

particular the following people:<br />

- Mister REEF, REEF HOUT B.V Manager.<br />

- Mister QUARESMA, <strong>TRC</strong> Executive Officer<br />

- Mister EFFALLA, Assistant executive Officer<br />

- Mister Michel ALLAZ, interim forestry director<br />

- Mister WANDERS, FORM INTERNATIONAL<br />

- Mister Arnaud Tcho-komeni<br />

for the FORM International company:<br />

- Mister Mans VROOM<br />

These interviews were the subject of long and constructive discussions, led to<br />

handing in documents and to the presentation of the UFA and the company's<br />

functioning.<br />

Moreover, the audit team questionned many people, at any level of qualification<br />

and responsability, inside the <strong>TRC</strong> company and subcontracting companies, as<br />

well as numerous riparians, headmen, contractors, or simple citizens of the<br />

villages bordering the UTO. Moreover, it met the commissionner of the Campo<br />

Ma’an UTO.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 16 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

The stakeholders’ consultation moreover allowed to meet key people who<br />

passed on to us pieces of information which have systematically been checked<br />

by the audit team.<br />

6.4 - On-site visit(s)<br />

UFA 00-004 was the subject of sites visits intended to monitor the management<br />

system efficiency, in particular the long pole traceability set up by <strong>TRC</strong> Douala.<br />

Moreover, its purpose was to check the reliability of a few remarks made by the<br />

stakeholders during the consultation meeting.<br />

The terms of boundary, marking and <strong>public</strong> warning have been checked.<br />

Several interviews have been carried out so as to determine the credibility level<br />

to give to the different pieces of information which have been given to us by<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> and FORM.<br />

6.5 - Stakeholders identification and consultation<br />

• Stakeholders’ consultation<br />

On 6th May 20<strong>06</strong>, an official consultation was launched by email and by letter to<br />

all the local, national and international stakeholders so as to inform about the<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> approach and to collect their different comments concerning the forest<br />

management practised by <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

The main comments received following that consultation concern the following<br />

major themes:<br />

- Speed of the process<br />

- <strong>TRC</strong> illegal activity in Ebo forest: can an <strong>FSC</strong> certificate be issued if the<br />

company has illegal activities in other forests<br />

- Should not the other forests under <strong>TRC</strong> management be submitted to the<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> “Partial certification” and “controlled wood” text<br />

- If so pt 5, is one going to take into consideration the <strong>TRC</strong> activities on the<br />

SEPFCO concessions<br />

- Did <strong>TRC</strong> classify the UFA as HVFC (because the UFA is located in the Ebo-<br />

Ndokbou area, very rich ecologically and with hundreds of rare animal<br />

speciess)<br />

- What are the procedures planned and implemented to maintain the zone’s<br />

biodiversity<br />

- Are zones within the concession going to be protected<br />

- Are specific measures going to be taken to protect rare, protected and<br />

endangered speciess<br />

- Is a buffer zone planned in the area around Ebo forests and Mounts<br />

Nlonako<br />

- Besides the biological survey were there environmental and social impact<br />

surveys, and if so, are they <strong>public</strong><br />

- Concern about poaching in Ndokbou forest: what measures did <strong>TRC</strong> take or<br />

implement to handle that problem<br />

- What means have been taken to consult the communities<br />

These points were systematically analysed during the audit. The recurrent point,<br />

relating to the constitution of Mount Ebo's reserve bordering the UFA was in<br />

particular subjected to a major and a minor corrective action requests.<br />

The written answers to the stakeholders will be given within the planned time by<br />

the certification protocol.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 17 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

• Public consultation meeting:<br />

On 9th June 20<strong>06</strong>, EUROCERTIFOR BVQI organized in the meeting room of<br />

Douala’s IBIS hotel, a <strong>public</strong> information meeting within the scope of the <strong>TRC</strong><br />

company’s <strong>FSC</strong> initial audit.<br />

Took part in that meeting around fifty participants representing the private<br />

sector, the non-trading Organizations, the village councils and the local<br />

authorities representatives.<br />

The meeting was aiming at the two following objectives:<br />

a) Answer the questions concerning the <strong>FSC</strong> certification activity and collect the<br />

observations, comments, remarks on the <strong>FSC</strong> referential and its adaptation;<br />

b) Collect the observations, comments, remarks on the <strong>TRC</strong> forest<br />

management in its UFA 00 004.<br />

That meeting took place without the presence of <strong>TRC</strong>, so that the accounts and<br />

requests could be collected with complete freedom and without the debate<br />

being started up.<br />

I. Presentations by the audit team on themes:<br />

The auditors firstly presented the purpose of the meeting, the ins and outs of<br />

the process opened at <strong>TRC</strong>’s request:<br />

• Audit team presentation<br />

• Presentation of the <strong>FSC</strong> certification system<br />

• EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI presentation<br />

• Presentation of the certification process<br />

• Presentation of the <strong>FSC</strong> referential and its adaptation<br />

• Presentation of the <strong>TRC</strong> approach<br />

• Presentation of the <strong>public</strong> meeting purpose and the stakeholders’<br />

consultation<br />

During these interventions, the auditors specified the certification purposes, the<br />

notions of certification label (<strong>FSC</strong>) and certifier organization (EUROCERTIFOR<br />

- BVQI) and the auditors’ role. They reminded that the ties between<br />

EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI and <strong>TRC</strong> were contractual by nature within the scope<br />

of a contract of service, however that EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI was an external<br />

organization and totally independent from <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

They insisted too on the fact that the certification corresponded to a global level<br />

of quality reached at the time of the audit, but that maintaining that label<br />

depended on numerous controls and on a yearly external surveillance protocol.<br />

II. Discussion questions on the certification and approach of <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

The introductory presentations were carried out respectively by the audit team:<br />

It is to be noted that a fifth auditor, a developer engineer, absent at the meeting,<br />

joined the team for the rest of the audit.<br />

Following these informative presentations and the clarification of the meeting<br />

purposes, the participants asked numerous comprehension questions and told<br />

the auditors about their main expectations and concerns.<br />

The discussions took place in a warm atmosphere and the stakeholders’<br />

opinions were expressed unhesitatingly; this has been eased by the statutory<br />

absence of <strong>TRC</strong> at that meeting.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 18 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Around twenty recording forms of the participants’ response have been filled in<br />

and handed in immediately.<br />

What emerges from these exchanges are the following concerns:<br />

As far as the <strong>FSC</strong> referential and its adaptation are concerned:<br />

Several remarks have been collected on the <strong>FSC</strong> referential and its adaptation<br />

to Cameroon. These questions tended towards the same wish to include more<br />

precise elements. It has been answered that it was desirable to give each<br />

company the possibility to set up means of responding to <strong>FSC</strong> constraints<br />

adapted to its own situation.<br />

Moreover, the auditors specified that the principles and criteria set up by the<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> could not be altered by the certification body, whose freedom is limited to<br />

the indicators definition.<br />

As far as <strong>TRC</strong> forest management is concerned<br />

The questions asked are repeated in the following points:<br />

- Expectations in terms of road construction in the villages<br />

- Need in furniture<br />

- Need in schemes monitoring<br />

- Would appreciate that the forest management scheme should be known by<br />

everybody<br />

- Problem of Myldem community forest: fraudulent exploitation (wild felling)<br />

and contentious files (management scheme not repected): that CF does not<br />

bring anything to the population. Is worried that that CF (and his former office<br />

which is questionned) goes into partnership with <strong>TRC</strong><br />

- What level of the certification process are we at<br />

- Does the certification have a link with the authorization to exploit the forest<br />

- Wonders if <strong>TRC</strong> took into consideration populations’ grievances because did<br />

not have the knowledge of the “terms and conditions”<br />

- Question on the struggle against wild sawing<br />

- Question on the struggle against poaching<br />

- And what about non ligneous products<br />

- One must make the youths taken on by <strong>TRC</strong> subscribe to the CNPS (for their<br />

retirement pension) instead of employing them as temporary workers<br />

- Is the RFA transfered<br />

- Make sure that the management Committees are effectively set up (CSP )<br />

- Make sure the boundaries with the different types of forests around the 00<br />

004 are respected<br />

- Finds that <strong>TRC</strong> consults the populations in a cavalier manner: FFC launched<br />

in 2 days, no explanation of the approach in the villages-<br />

- Problem of the “exiles” want to bury their dead in the villages of their<br />

ancestors (which they had to leave in the 60s)<br />

- Problem of communication with the populations to explain the respect of<br />

environmental and accompanying standards<br />

- Requests the setting up of a sawmill to create jobs<br />

The auditors provided elements of answers as far as the <strong>FSC</strong> Referential and<br />

its adaptation are concerned however, as far as the <strong>TRC</strong> management is<br />

concerned in accordance with the work methodology adopted, the questions,<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 19 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

observations, remarks and comments have been recorded and should be<br />

exploited by the mission during the audit.<br />

In accordance with the work methodology adopted, the questions, observations,<br />

remarks and comments have been recorded and exploited by the mission<br />

during the audit.<br />

As a synthesis one will note:<br />

- that certain elements collected during that meeting have not been confirmed<br />

on field (there are, for example, numerous skilled workers, including at<br />

responsibility posts, recruited and trained on the zone).<br />

- Other pieces of information seem to come from a lack of development of the<br />

process: The socioeconomic surveys are in progress, the committees are not<br />

all formed-<br />

- At last, most of the points from that meeting refer to the conflict relating to<br />

Mossé-Ndocbassaben road. It is therefore very important that that conflict<br />

should be managed, documented and resolved within the most profitable<br />

terms to all the parties.<br />

6.6 - Identification, traceability and monitoring of products<br />

• Marking, traceability<br />

The tree marking system is as follows:<br />

Each long pole and each butt receive a set of corresponding numbers:<br />

- number of the tree identified on the systematic inventory map (painted by the<br />

cutter, with his initials)<br />

- UFA and cutting area number<br />

- date and exploitation zone<br />

- DF 10 number (official nb given by the MINEF)<br />

- the number of logs<br />

- the company’s identification<br />

When the long poles are delivered on yard, they are marked off, scaled,<br />

reworked (elimination of the less neat butts, and so on). The long pole receives<br />

at arrival on yard a “DF10” number, which will describe it for the following<br />

operations. The DF10 yard book details the characteristics of the long pole<br />

(species, mensuration, FOB value), and allows the administrative and trade<br />

monitoring of the products.<br />

The long poles stored on yard are then loaded on a logging truck (in general,<br />

within 48 hours, particular consideration being taken for treating low-density<br />

wood as quickly as possible).<br />

- The yard officer fills in the car letter too which details the characteristics of<br />

the transported long poles, and will accompany the load, to the factory.The<br />

monitoring documents are controlled by: the Local forest Administration;<br />

- the Central forest Administration;<br />

- the Forests Ressources Reassuring Scheme (joint supervision Ministry of<br />

Finance -Ministry of Forestry)<br />

- numerous controls and weighings on the roads.<br />

Therefore, the permanent monitoring of the progress of a cutting area<br />

exploitation scheme is possible and really carried out.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 20 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

• Description of the implemented system to ensure traceability<br />

• Description of the final location of taking in charge<br />

(See <strong>FSC</strong> traceability <strong>report</strong>)<br />

• Documentation or marking system description<br />

The DF10 number is marked on each long pole, legally and regardless of the<br />

protocols set up by the company. Therefore, a DF 10 number (hammered on<br />

the stump and on the long pole, therefore indelible) on each long pole, allows to<br />

know the fate of each short-log (sawmill where the short-log has been<br />

transported, date, and future).<br />

That research has been carried out for several long poles and gave convincing<br />

results.<br />

• Mixing risk assessment<br />

In the forest, and between UFAs, there is no risk of mix-up or mixing between<br />

the products considering the fact that each long pole is identified by its own<br />

unique number.<br />

6.7 - Initial audit closing meeting<br />

The audit team’s conclusions have been presented during a reconstruction and<br />

a closing meeting on 17th June 20<strong>06</strong>, in presence of:<br />

- Mister REEF, REEF HOUT B.V Manager.<br />

- Mister EFFALLA, Assistant executive Officer<br />

- Mister Jacques HULEUX, Forest management committee and certification<br />

step Manager<br />

- Mister Miguel DOUALA Sawmill site manager<br />

- Mister Eric SPANGERS, AFD<br />

- Mister Mans VROOM (Form)<br />

And of all the audit team. Despite the difficulty of the task to be accomplished,<br />

and the nature of the conclusions of the audit, the <strong>TRC</strong> company ratified all the<br />

auditors’ conclusions<br />

7 - Audit team observations<br />

Considering the major expectations which exist in relation to the result of that audit,<br />

pioneer in the geographical zone and therefore subjected to a lot of attention from<br />

everybody, <strong>TRC</strong> became aware that it is important to be extremely strict as for complete<br />

and detailed implementation of all the referential points.<br />

Despite major standards keeping up efforts, all the necessary actions have not been<br />

taken in that respect. Results of the assessment with regard to <strong>FSC</strong> – Certifor referential.<br />

It seems fit to remind that the scoping was carried out very prematurely and that the task<br />

to accomplish was a very important one. The great number of corrective actions<br />

requests are not at all an admission of failure, however they must form guidelines to start<br />

the work needed to reach the <strong>FSC</strong> standards.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 21 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

7.1 - Evaluation results with reference to the <strong>FSC</strong> referential / standard<br />

7.1.1 - Principle 1 – Compliance with laws and <strong>FSC</strong> Principles<br />

One has to note:<br />

- That certain points of forestry legislation are not respected, in<br />

particular the company does not fully comply with decree 222<br />

regulating forest management by Cameroonian law;<br />

- That the legal monitoring is inadequate and not in compliance with<br />

the procedure as it limits itself to the reading of the Cameroon<br />

Tribune. It has to apply to the Gazette, to all the communications of<br />

the Forestry Producers’ Union (GFBC)<br />

- That international texts which concern the company’s activity are not<br />

available, and that all the more so, their impact on the company are<br />

not known.<br />

- That, as a general rule, there is no translation into operational terms<br />

of the legislative texts by which the company is concerned.<br />

7.1.2 - Principle 2 – Tenures, use rights and responsibilities.<br />

The <strong>TRC</strong> company did not have time to gain sufficient knowledge of<br />

the social issues on the sites on which it operates.<br />

Twelve Forest- Farmers committees have been formed on <strong>TRC</strong>’s<br />

initiative. These committees, representative enough of the different<br />

stakeholders only met once, and several stakeholders complained<br />

about the haste with which their setting up step was carried out.<br />

Nevertheless, the missions which have been assigned to them<br />

(arbitration in case of conflicts concerning the UFA - specifications<br />

setting up monitoring - activities planning - planned activities<br />

assessment) should allow, if they were functional to tackle a certain<br />

number of conflicts and all in a planned, participative and above all<br />

lasting manner.<br />

The communication of a forest management scheme summary<br />

(enhanced with <strong>FSC</strong> guidelines) to the different stakeholders, in<br />

particular the communities living next to the UFA, summary written in a<br />

an understandable language, has not been carried out.<br />

These committees will allow to refine the inventory of fixtures of the<br />

local villages, rights and customs which are linked to them, in particular<br />

in the eastern sector which is not yet well involved in the step.<br />

The stakeholders’ consultation brings out a persistant problem linked to<br />

the presence of ancient villages within the UFA, whose populations<br />

have been displaced and gathered in Ndokbassaben (East of the UFA)<br />

during the events linked to the independence of Cameroon. These<br />

villagers have never had the possibility to return to their territory, which<br />

is today included in the UFA. They consider therefore the opening of<br />

the road as a vital need.<br />

The progress of the State road is at present stopped, because the<br />

company is against its way through the UFA.<br />

It will matter to manage, resolve and document that conflict.<br />

As a more general rule, <strong>TRC</strong> should:<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 22 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- Begin the social impact survey which terms have been approved<br />

- Apply development projects aiming at improving living conditions of<br />

the populations of the villages riparian to the UFA in accordance<br />

with appendix II to the definitive agreement which concerns the<br />

UFAs riparian to protected areas.<br />

It is to be noted that an interesting “village hunting survey” has been<br />

carried out with the support of the WWF and Nature +. It confirms the<br />

importance of income generated by poaching in the zone.<br />

The village lands emerging from that survey have been included in the<br />

agroforestry zone, nevertheless it is very important that <strong>TRC</strong> should<br />

consider that they remain responsible towards these lands and try as<br />

much as possible to limit there illegal tree felling and commercial<br />

poaching. An action scheme should be produced.<br />

7.1.3 - Principle 3 – Indigenous people’s rights<br />

The socioeconomic surveys vouch sufficiently for the absence of<br />

Pygmy on the zone in question.<br />

7.1.4 - Principle 4 – Community relations and worker’s rights<br />

Significant progress has been recorded concerning the quality of the<br />

living sites, as well as of the protective and safety equipment.<br />

Nevertheless, these efforts are very recent and deserve to be judged<br />

on a slightly longer term: the working clothes were new when we<br />

passed through the site, and the protective equipment was not<br />

everywhere in compliance with the procedures (safety boots expected,<br />

however not present on site, for example).<br />

Moreover, the subcontractors and contributors on the <strong>TRC</strong> sites are<br />

subjected to the same rules as the company workers: on the site of the<br />

Douala sawmill, the outside personnel who gathers the sawdust,<br />

passes permanently through the yard in unacceptable working<br />

conditions (direct and permanent contact with fine noxious sawdusts,<br />

without any protection, premises not equipped -). The resolution of that<br />

CAR which concerns all the company’s certification and labelling<br />

process is urgent<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> should make sure of the scrupulous respect of labour law within<br />

the company: A few contentious points have been raised during the<br />

initial audit:<br />

- Automatic promotion of the employees in accordance with labour law<br />

and collective agreement is not updated.<br />

- The disciplinary measure policy within the company is not always<br />

implemented in compliance with the labour law and collective<br />

agreements.<br />

- As a more general rule, there is no procedures allowing to treat in a<br />

transparent and an objective manner the problems presented by the<br />

personnel<br />

A great effort has been granted in terms of equipment, training and<br />

structuring of safety and care on the company's sites. One should set<br />

up initiatives of fight against HIV AIDS, and to check by the assistance<br />

of the doctor associated to the company the origin of the medicines in<br />

order to avoid fake medicines known to be abundant in Africa.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 23 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

7.1.5 - Principle 5 – Benefits from the forest<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> should vouch for the economic viability of UFA 00-004<br />

exploitation. (principle 5.4) To do so, it will be fit to include into the<br />

calculations the processing activities, as well as the social and<br />

environmental aspects in a global budget including the certification<br />

direct and indirect costs.<br />

The social and environmental impact survey should bring out the non<br />

ligneous forest products uses on zone. The present drafting of the<br />

management scheme is in apparent contradiction with the P&C <strong>FSC</strong> as<br />

the management scheme specifies on page 84:<br />

“The non ligneous forest products promotion actions are not to be<br />

encouraged -”.<br />

When the <strong>FSC</strong> says, “Forest management operations should (-)<br />

diversify local economy (in order not to) depend on only one product.”<br />

If that contradiction is only apparent, it matters to do something on a<br />

local scale.<br />

7.1.6 - Principle 6 - Environmental impact<br />

Great efforts have been made by the company for equipment and<br />

waste management and for the general quality of the living sites.<br />

The works impact – in particular the tracks – is often important and we<br />

have been able to notice that if there are quality monitoring protocols<br />

for them (outlets management, control of the sedimentation in the river<br />

beds, pipes, and so on), the protocols are not followed, not known from<br />

the field operators, and therefore not implemented<br />

On the other hand, the secondary works should be closed after use<br />

(closure of cutting areas) A procedure of closure of cutting areas<br />

should be therefore implemented immediately after agreement from the<br />

administration.<br />

The use of chemical products by <strong>TRC</strong> is only done on the sawmill yard<br />

against insect and mushroom damage and at the time of the sawing<br />

treatment.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> must try to use active matters that are the least dangerous for the<br />

environment and human health: SARPAGRUM used as treatment of<br />

the long poles and sawings, contains cypermethrin, a product which is<br />

since January 20<strong>06</strong> on the new list of non authorized products by <strong>FSC</strong>.<br />

The postexploitation inventory, which allows control of the good<br />

implementation of the exploitation and of the yards’ complete emptying<br />

should be carried out and documented, in compliance with the <strong>TRC</strong><br />

company’s procedures.<br />

It will also be fit to start the environmental impact survey the terms of<br />

which have been approved.<br />

As a general rule, <strong>TRC</strong> should appropriate these surveys, and not<br />

content itself with making them carried out by the NGO whose<br />

schemes and missions can change unpredictably and which will not be<br />

on site during all the time of the management. The surveys should<br />

conclude towards precise action schemes.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> must implement development schemes aiming at improving living<br />

conditions of the populations of the villages riparian to the UFA in<br />

accordance with appendix II to the definitive agreement which<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 24 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

concerns the UFAs riparian to the protected areas in order to limit the<br />

financial impacts of the end of poaching and illegal fellings on zone.<br />

One stakeholder told us about the existence of a listing scheme of the<br />

Ebo-Ndokbou site, listed in priority zone for conservation in the Action<br />

Regional Scheme for the conservation of Gorillas and Chimpanzees in<br />

Western Africa.<br />

It should matter to know more precisely the arrangements of that<br />

scheme and to take adapted measures (setting buffer-zones, special<br />

measures of fight against poaching -) in order to ward off efficiently the<br />

criticism which could be made to <strong>TRC</strong> on that sensitive point.<br />

“Buffer-zones” should be planned next to the watercourses: drags are<br />

sometimes carried out and cause major damage which could be<br />

minimized by cable logging.<br />

Very big trees (diameter over 2 m) are sometimes exploited. These<br />

long poles are very expensive in logistical and environmental terms,<br />

and are badly developed because the sawmills are not adapted. It<br />

would therefore be fit to purely and simply forbid their exploitation for<br />

the sake of protection.<br />

7.1.7 - Principle 7 – Management plan<br />

Bongossi, which represents 33% of the harvest on the first cutting<br />

area, has been excluded from the management.<br />

The management scheme does not contain elements allowing to<br />

control its durability: it will be fit in particular to review the management<br />

calculations and to justify the harvesting rates on all the exploited<br />

species in a significant manner.<br />

All weak rates should be interpreted and argued.<br />

The global renewal rate should be close to 100%. During the<br />

management implementation, the species inventory diameter should<br />

correspond to <strong>FSC</strong>MD<br />

Moreover, and to comply with Cameroonian forestry law, <strong>TRC</strong> should<br />

write the 2007 yearly operation scheme, as well as, on the 20<strong>06</strong> cutting<br />

area, the yearly forestry intervention <strong>report</strong>.<br />

Moreover it is recommended to simplify and optimize the forest<br />

traceability monitoring procedure, which complexity leads to risks of<br />

mistakes. The local executives should be associated to that simplifying<br />

work, and making the written procedure comply with the field practice.<br />

Finally, respect of principle 7 should impose to establish a collaboration<br />

with the international and national forestry research organizations to<br />

adjust the research schemes in progress.<br />

7.1.8 - Principle 8 – Monitoring and assessment<br />

Forest monitoring sample plots have been set on the UFA, according<br />

to traditional protocols, in a satisfactory manner, and are monitored<br />

within the scope of an agreement with university structures. However,<br />

that scheme lacks in practical purpose for <strong>TRC</strong><br />

- the unexploited zones are overrepresented<br />

- the number of trees monitored belonging to the list of the species<br />

exploited by <strong>TRC</strong> is not significant within all the diameter classes.<br />

Therefore the company has to adapt the procedures so that they meet<br />

its needs, for example:<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 25 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- from what diameter does such a species bear fruit (what allows to<br />

justify a harvest diameter- and therefore a renewal rate - not too low)<br />

- what is the growth of such a species on the zone<br />

- It is planned to monitor regularly a “phenologic range” among <strong>TRC</strong>’s<br />

“leading” species, allowing to know precisely their growth and their<br />

fruit formation cycle on a stastistic sample valid per species and per<br />

diameter class.<br />

As a general rule, <strong>TRC</strong> should work out and implement a long term<br />

monitoring scheme adapted to the needs of the company and<br />

monitoring procedures of all the monitoring and surveillance actions.<br />

These procedures will plan the writing of adapted <strong>report</strong>s.<br />

7.1.9 - Principle 9 – Maintenance of high conservation value forests<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> defined the HVFC of the different types in the zone, the support<br />

documents and the actions to be carried out. However, it matters to go<br />

further and to define the attributes, that is to say what makes that such<br />

or such zone can be considered as HVFC. (list of rare species present,<br />

social and cultural importance, and so on.)<br />

The social and environmental impact survey should define precisely<br />

the HVFC of the zone.<br />

7.1.10 - Principle 10 – Plantations<br />

Groundless<br />

7.1.11 - Principe 11 – Group certification approach<br />

Groundless<br />

7.2 - Systematic presentation of results<br />

See auditors verification list in appendix C of the <strong>report</strong>.<br />

7.3 - Elements subjects to controversy<br />

The results of the present audit have been discussed thoroughly between<br />

EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI and <strong>TRC</strong>. Despite the shortcomings noted during that<br />

audit, no debatable element has been mentioned by the audit team.<br />

8 - Scope retained for the certification<br />

8.1 - Geographical limitation at the level of the entity<br />

The certification applies to all of UFA 00-004.<br />

8.2 - Limitation at the level of the forest products<br />

All the timber forest products declared exploited on UFA 00-004.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 26 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

9 - Proposals regarding the certification decision<br />

9.1 - Explication on all rating, weighting systems or other systems used<br />

decisions taking<br />

The audit team did not use a notation or balance system to lead the initial audit.<br />

Indeed, all the referential requirements have been considered of equivalent<br />

importance, each criteria having to be satisfied by the entity applying for the<br />

certification. The criterion compliance is defined when more than a third of the<br />

criterion keys (requirements) are not met, or, the audit team estimates that the<br />

unsatisfactory noted key(s) leads to the criterion nonconformity.<br />

The indexes, specified in the checking list, should be considered as a user’s<br />

guide for the auditors.<br />

9.2 - Clear description of all recommendations and conditions<br />

associated to the certification decision<br />

Auditors’ recommendation<br />

P&C<br />

concerned.<br />

A Set effective evacuation measures for the yards' evacuation<br />

at the end of the working days<br />

1.1.3.1<br />

B Equip the sites and vehicles with radio communication<br />

means<br />

1.1.3.1<br />

C Make workers’ representatives aware of labour regulations<br />

clauses, collective agreements and international agreements 1.1.3.1<br />

concerning them.<br />

D make the personnel aware of overtime marking off 1.1.3.1<br />

E Make sure of the medicines active principles authenticity 4.2<br />

F Exploit the statistics on accidents at work 4.2.3<br />

G simplify and optimize the forest traceability monitoring<br />

procedure, update the written procedure.<br />

5.3<br />

H Increase the boundaries visits frequency within the sensitive<br />

zones against poaching and illegal felling.<br />

6.1.2<br />

I Take measures to avoid the felling of very big trees having a<br />

patrimonial value and particular exploitation difficulties.<br />

6.1.2<br />

J Revise the procedure of compensation for farming damage<br />

to include in it a fair and equitable scale<br />

6.1.2<br />

K Ensure the site managers training or bringing to standard<br />

with regard to the company’s rules and regulations<br />

4.3 - 4.4<br />

L Set a system allowing to pass effectively pieces of<br />

information on the newly recruited personnel at the level of 4.3 - 4.4<br />

the <strong>TRC</strong> sites.<br />

M Organize the meetings allowing to make the workers’<br />

consultation bodies function<br />

4.3 - 4.4<br />

Comments on the recommendations K, L and M: We consulted with the<br />

personnel department the personnel registration sheets and we noticed major<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 27 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

differences between the number of declared workers and workers in the<br />

process of being declared and the numbers of workers not yet registered<br />

(nearly one third of the number of workers at the time of the audit) (12th June<br />

20<strong>06</strong>). These differences would be attributable to the delay of different sites<br />

(Kumba and 00 004) in the transmission of pieces of information about the<br />

locally recruited personnel (on sites). The pieces of information on the<br />

personnel recruited at sites level do not reach effectively the level of Douala’s<br />

personnel department to ensure their immediate registration at the CNPS. The<br />

personnel officer realizes this during the employees’ payroll preparation,<br />

whereas the appointment should be followed by the worker’s registration.<br />

9.3 - Minor Corrective Action Requests<br />

Nb Minor corrective actions requested<br />

Realization delay<br />

suggested<br />

Demand Number<br />

18 Supply the definitive agreement and the constitution<br />

1.1<br />

February 2007<br />

order.<br />

19 Suggest an action scheme concerning a revision of<br />

1.6 5.5 5.6<br />

the MS (Management Scheme) on the basis of the<br />

new <strong>FSC</strong> guidelines and logging diameters,<br />

February 2007<br />

calculated according to <strong>FSC</strong> principles and criteria.<br />

20 Formalize the existing initiatives in a training policy for<br />

4.1.2 ; 7.3<br />

the personnel while encouraging the employment of February 2007<br />

local recruits<br />

21 set up fighting initiatives against HIV AIDS February 2007 4.2<br />

22 Keep the retention pans in working order February 2007 4.2.6 ; 6.6<br />

23 respect the procedures on the treatment of the<br />

polluted slash.<br />

24 Make sure that the workers' representatives meetings<br />

take place according to legal measures<br />

25 Draw up a complete economic <strong>report</strong> integrating the<br />

processing activities, as well as the social and<br />

environmental aspects<br />

26 Carry out the post exploitation inventory in<br />

compliance with the <strong>TRC</strong> company procedures<br />

27 Take into consideration the bordering zones<br />

constitution schemes and draw the consequences in<br />

terms of exploitation<br />

28 Argue and justify the choice of the conservation<br />

zones with regard to fauna surveys, and<br />

environmental surveys<br />

29 Set up 33 yard buffer zones around all the<br />

watercourses.<br />

30 Implement development schemes aiming at<br />

improving the living conditions of the populations of<br />

the villages riparian to the UFA (in particular to<br />

compensate the loss of income linked to poaching<br />

disappearance).<br />

31 Set up and implement control procedures of all the<br />

surveillance and monitoring actions planning the<br />

writing of adapted <strong>report</strong>s.<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

4.2.6 ; 6.6<br />

4.3 4.4<br />

5.1<br />

5.3<br />

6.1<br />

6.1<br />

6.1.2<br />

6.2<br />

8.1 8.2<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 28 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Nb<br />

Minor corrective actions requested<br />

32 Develop and implement a long term monitoring<br />

scheme adapted to the company’s needs<br />

33 take over all the survey and the short-, medium- and<br />

long-term monitoring actions<br />

34 On the basis of the scale set in the procedures<br />

manual, bring out the characteristics of the HVFC<br />

specific to the UFA. Detail the adapted measures<br />

planned by the company<br />

Comments concerning the minor CAR:<br />

Realization delay<br />

suggested<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

Demand Number<br />

8.1.1<br />

8.1.1<br />

CAR nb 19: meanwhile, a difference exists between the official MS and the <strong>FSC</strong><br />

practice implemented on field as the scheme was ratified before the calculations<br />

allowing to ensure a more sustainable forest management were imposed on<br />

<strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

CAR nb 20: There is no clearly defined and formalized policy concerning<br />

personnel training and local recruits’ appointment. The way the company<br />

operates does not favour locals’ recruitment, even for unskilled jobs.<br />

CAR nb 21: prevention, granting of benefits - see texts ILO-HIV AIDS.<br />

(covenant 155 on the workers’ safety and health)<br />

In its fighting policy against HIV AIDS, the Cameroonian State through the<br />

national committee of fight against AIDS (NCFA) set up a policy that should<br />

allow and favour the companies’ support in the process. From this perspective<br />

in particular, the companies themselves are expected to set up initiatives<br />

allowing to follow the progression or control the prevalence of that pandemic<br />

and take steps to limit it.<br />

At the level of the forest living bases, we noted the absence of condoms in the<br />

site infirmary. Yet, the interviews held with certain employees of the site allow<br />

us to say there is a need. The spread and contamination hazards are major not<br />

only at the level of the living basis, but at the level of the villages in which the<br />

workers live too (Iboti for example).<br />

CAR nb 22: The retention pans developed at the level of the sites (Douala), by<br />

the company to limit accidental spillages and soil contamination by<br />

hydrocarbons are not properly maintained. The settling pits blocked up with<br />

sand do not allow a better settling/separation of the water and the hydrocarbons<br />

which overflow and flow over the soil.<br />

CAR nb 24: linked to the major CAR nb 14<br />

CAR nb 27: buffer zone next to Ebo park<br />

CAR nb 28: example: protection of endemic species: which ones<br />

Locating the conservation zones on the UFA (rocky zone in particular) does not<br />

corroborate with the results of the fauna survey which has been carried out by<br />

the WWF. This survey mostly shows zones rich in fauna in the loop formed by<br />

the Makombé river which runs through UFA 00 004.<br />

CAR nb 29: It consists in putting into practice the requirements of the<br />

intervention in the forest standards, in accordance with the measures of article<br />

25 of decree nb 531 from 23rd August 1995 setting the modes of enforcement<br />

of forestry regulations.<br />

CAR nb 30: UFA 00 004, as well as all the Inoubou basin to which it belongs, is<br />

a zone of intense poaching. Poaching represents for a lot of village residents of<br />

9<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 29 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

that basin a major activity, which feeds the great urban centres of Cameroon<br />

such as Yaoundé, Douala Bafia, and so on. The main axis of wild fauna<br />

haemorrhage are access roads from the South near Mossé, from the West on<br />

the Nkondjonck- Yabassi- Yingui axis and from the North East near<br />

Ndokbassaben. That last axis is the main one and the hunting survey results<br />

show it well (major density of human activity rating)<br />

Public awareness attempted by the company within the villages riparian to the<br />

UFA concerning the fight against poaching should be accompanied by<br />

strategies (reinforcement of capacities, trainings, and so on) allowing the<br />

populations to develop alternative activities which can ensure income, in order<br />

to take them away from poaching.<br />

CAR nb 33: <strong>TRC</strong> should direct the actions so that they meet its needs (For<br />

example, restocking of reduced renewal rate species).<br />

It is clear that the <strong>TRC</strong> company’s principal activity is timber exploitation and<br />

processing. The sustainable management process in which it is involved<br />

presupposes too and above all the mastery, not only of these surveys results,<br />

but also of the monitoring of the activities which are implemented and should<br />

allow to supply future directions.<br />

The outcome of the audit that we conducted shows that the different partakers<br />

of the operations and surveys that have been carried out retain control over<br />

their results and that no appropriation step is set up by the company to ensure<br />

itself (management committee) the in-house monitoring of the activities in time<br />

and space.<br />

CAR nb 34: Informal felling, poaching -<br />

Nb<br />

9.4 - Major Corrective Action Requests<br />

Major corrective actions requested<br />

1 Write and submit the 20<strong>06</strong> operation annual scheme<br />

and the 2005 forestry intervention annual <strong>report</strong>.<br />

2 Apply the monitoring procedure of the legal and<br />

statutory pieces of information,<br />

3 Have all the procedures ratified and signed by the<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> management.<br />

4 Make <strong>public</strong> a MS summary presenting the guidelines<br />

linked to <strong>FSC</strong><br />

5 Adjust the written procedures so as to make them<br />

comply with field practices, apply them.<br />

6 Refine the inventory of fixtures of the village lands,<br />

rights and customs which are linked to them;<br />

7 Make the forest-farmers committees work<br />

8 Manage, solve and document the conflict relating to<br />

the opening of the road serving old villages within the<br />

UFA.<br />

Realization delay<br />

suggested<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

Demand Number<br />

1.1<br />

1.1.3 ; 1.1.4 ; 1.1.5 ;<br />

1.3.3<br />

1.6<br />

1.6 5.5 5.6<br />

1.6 2.3<br />

2.1 ; 2.2.1 ; 2.2.2 ;<br />

3.1.1 ; 3.2 ; 3.3.1 ;<br />

3.3.2 ; 4.1.5 ; 4.4 ;<br />

5.2.1.1 ; 5.5.1<br />

2.2.3 ; 2.3 ; 3.1.2 ;<br />

3.1.3 ; 3.1.4 ; 3.3.3 ;<br />

4.1.1 ; 4.1.4 . 4.1.5 ;<br />

4.3.4 ; 4.4 ; 4.5.2<br />

2.3<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 30 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Nb<br />

Major corrective actions requested<br />

9 Supply the workers with appropriate and wellmaintained<br />

safety and working equipments and see<br />

that these equipments are worn and used correctly;<br />

See to the replacement of the workers’ individual<br />

protective equipments<br />

10 Make sure that all the contributors within the <strong>TRC</strong><br />

process wear the appropriate and well-maintained<br />

safety and working equipments; See that these<br />

equipments are worn and used correctly.<br />

11 Find a substitution to the use of SERPAGRUM<br />

(containing cypermethrin, forbidden in the <strong>FSC</strong><br />

process)<br />

Realization delay<br />

suggested<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

February 2007<br />

Demand Number<br />

4.2.4 ; 4.2.5<br />

4.2.4 ; 4.2.5<br />

4.2.6 ; 6.6<br />

12 Update the employees automatic promotion file February 2007 4.3 4.4<br />

13 define and implement disciplinary measures within<br />

4.3 4.4<br />

February 2007<br />

the company<br />

14 Set up procedures allowing to treat in a transparent<br />

4.3.3<br />

and objective manner the problems presented by the February 2007<br />

personnel<br />

15 Carry out an environmental and social impact survey February 2007 5.5.2 ; 6.1 ; 6.5.2<br />

16 Document the bordering zones constitution schemes February 2007 6.1<br />

17 The implemented management should aim at a<br />

sustainable maintaining of logging.<br />

Comments concerning the major CAR:<br />

February 2007<br />

7 ; 5.6.3 ; 6.3 ; 6.4<br />

CAR nb 1: in compliance with order 222 of the decree regulating forest<br />

management in Cameroonian law<br />

CAR nb 2: in particular while seeing to the practical translation of the<br />

consequences of the laws, decrees -<br />

CAR nb 3: The ratification and the signature of the procedures by the<br />

company’s management mostly reinforce and translate the company’s<br />

commitment expressed in its environmental policy.<br />

The application of the procedures set up is not always respected. The different<br />

opinions perceived by the different managers at different levels of the hierarchy<br />

and in charge of these procedures application seem varied. This results in<br />

differences in the implementation of these procedures on field.<br />

CAR nb 4: social, environmental, stand diameter guidelines -<br />

CAR nb 5: It consists for the company in reviewing its recommendations in<br />

particular in the document called “<strong>TRC</strong>- April 20<strong>06</strong> certification procedure”. The<br />

activities or operations implemented on field should be in compliance with the<br />

recommendations of the company’s certification procedures document.<br />

We noted in particular during the audit major differences between the on field<br />

practices, supposed to be in compliance with the procedures.<br />

For example: solving of conflicts, exploitation inventories, road opening, legal<br />

monitoring, traceability - It is essential to involve the local executives in the<br />

protocols review work<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 31 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR nb 6: It consists for the company in working in a participative manner with<br />

the riparian communities which should be consulted for the correct and precise<br />

identification of the village lands, including places of a cultural nature (sacred<br />

sites, and so on).<br />

The clear outcome of the exchanges with the populations of the brought<br />

together communities of Ndocbassaben Gathering was that they had not been<br />

consulted for their lands identification, which does not come out at all of the<br />

socioeconomical survey <strong>report</strong>, which ignored a problem which remains very<br />

profound and which should have cropped up within the scope of a survey or<br />

interviews/exchanges with the communities brought together on the UFA<br />

Western side.<br />

These communities brought together are in fact citizens of the villages dotted<br />

along the secondary road (old boundary of the UFA on the Eastern side) and<br />

that have been pushed and brought together by the administration of the time,<br />

during the independence unrest (1955-1970) with a view of ensuring a better<br />

control.<br />

These communities, although brought together, have carried on for decades to<br />

make incursions into their villages of origin, concerned by the rites and customs<br />

demands to which they are strongly connected. The main difficulty for them<br />

remains in the fact that that secondary road, not maintained since then has<br />

become nowadays a pedestrian track, but used all the same by these<br />

populations.<br />

CAR nb 7: The discussions and interviews conducted during the audit allow to<br />

say that the forest farmers committees (which should be used as negotiation<br />

and consultation permanent authority) set up are immature and not functional.<br />

The step of consultation, of construction of viable and lasting relationship<br />

between the two parts remains to be done. These committees are hardly<br />

informed of the company’s certification step itself and of their responsibility or<br />

their mission in that henceforth set up partnership (information on the<br />

boundaries, participative management of conflicts, consultation on the rights of<br />

users, and so on). We noted that preliminary statuses have been allocated to<br />

them by the company, however the members expect as promised by the<br />

company’s managers, during the meetings when the committees were set up<br />

(FFC) that the functioning of the aforementioned committees should be<br />

explained to them.<br />

CAR nb 8: The opening or reshaping of a road meets a need in socioeconomic<br />

development. It allows to improve the free flow of people and goods. The<br />

communities of the villages brought together (see table below), see in that<br />

scheme the opportunity which is given to them by the administration to serve<br />

the long-abandoned villages.<br />

One of the main reason for the disagreement betwen the company and the<br />

communities is probably the fact that the secondary road, Western side<br />

boundary, having become a pedestrian track serving the abandoned villages<br />

should fit in the road maintenance scheme for the roads of the priority road<br />

network of the Ministry of Public Works (MINPW) for the year 2005.<br />

Brought together communities village list:<br />

Nb Villages Observations<br />

1 Ndockbassaben Host Village<br />

2 Ndocbalemak Displaced community<br />

3 Ndockbakoumeck Displaced community<br />

4 Ndocbilack II Displaced community<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 32 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Nb Villages Observations<br />

5 Ndockniok Displaced community<br />

6 Etong Displaced community<br />

7 Ndocbeck Displaced community<br />

8 Ndockbassiomi Displaced community<br />

9 Ndocbekom Displaced community/ village within<br />

the UFA<br />

10 Ndockon Displaced community/ village within<br />

the UFA<br />

11 Ndockounen Displaced community<br />

One part of the Mossé Ndokbassaben section (nearly ten kilometres),<br />

section granted in the <strong>public</strong> call for tenders and and won by JOE<br />

CONNER WATER, tenderer and today service provider , has certainly been<br />

redeveloped by the <strong>TRC</strong> company to make the UFA timber removal easier.<br />

Our investigations with the administrative authority state “a road-building ban” of<br />

the Mossé Ndokbassaben roadworks, section supposed to serve two villages<br />

located at the far South-West of UFA 00 004.<br />

Two letters sent by JOE CONNER WATER, service provider, to the ministry of<br />

<strong>public</strong> works (MINPW) and to the collective villages headmen located on the<br />

section make mention of the road-building ban by the <strong>TRC</strong> company. Hence the<br />

tensions that exist today between the communities of that zone and the <strong>TRC</strong><br />

company. These communities consider that stopping the Mossé Ndokbassaben<br />

roadworks, which is “a godsend according to them", frustrate them further more<br />

due to the difficulties they have been living through for more than four decades.<br />

CAR nb 9: the procedure plans safety boots, absent on field. The cryptogyl<br />

sprayer was not subjected to a memorandum concerning the replacement of his<br />

equipment -<br />

CAR nb 10: At the Douala processing site level, two categories of participants<br />

can be distinguished: the company employees themselves, which more or less<br />

comply with wearing individual protective equipments (IPE) and a second<br />

category, buyers who remove the sawdusts, very much exposed to health<br />

hazards due to the nature of their activity and for which they do not have<br />

adapted individual protective equipments. The pictures taken concerning that<br />

category of people tell more on the subject. Indeed, the sawdusts removal<br />

system is not equipped with a cyclone allowing to reduce the pressure at the<br />

end of the pipes. These sawdusts emerge under pressure in a closed place<br />

where the salvage is carried out in a sawdust cloud.<br />

Besides, no safety measure is taken to protect the lives of the people who<br />

ensure the removal of the sawdust bags out of the company’s fence. These<br />

people walk under lumber lifts transporting timber waste.<br />

CAR nb 12: We noted in the course of multiple interviews with the workers that<br />

some did not benefit from the automatic promotion (three years’ service)<br />

planned by the regulation.<br />

Obviously, these workers left out by the system remained penalized without<br />

being able to receive their due. The reason mentioned by the company is the<br />

absence of software allowing to manage the workers’ automatic promotions<br />

after three years’ service.<br />

CAR nb 13: We listed with the personnel manager, the sites managers and the<br />

workers' representatives, the questions concerning the <strong>TRC</strong> company’s<br />

personnel. What emerges from our different interviews is that the different<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 33 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

company sites managers should be made aware of the referential content and<br />

everything it implies at personnel management level (employer/employee<br />

relationship, dialogue between the employees and the employers, application of<br />

the guidelines and measures set up by the hierarchy, labour regulations<br />

respect, scrupulous application of the company’s in-house regulations, and so<br />

on). The disciplinary measures taken by the sites managers are somewhat<br />

uncertain (suspensive disciplinary measures, redundancies, and so on) and do<br />

not always respect the approach prescribed by labour regulations. Nb 67/DG/05<br />

memorandum delivered to all the managers is not respected by the addressees.<br />

CAR nb 14: There are consultation authorities (Workers’ representative) and<br />

they are not functional. The problems posed by the personnel at sites level are<br />

not properly dealt with, even if the personnel department is represented<br />

(however not very much listened to by its direct hierarchy). The sites managers<br />

are not very much made aware of the dialogue that should take place between<br />

the employer and the workers. The different representatives of the different<br />

sites (Kumba, Douala and UFA 00 004) have no opportunity to meet in order to<br />

exchange on the concerns of the workers that they represent and to really<br />

consult with the company’s hierarchy and to deal in a transparent and objective<br />

manner with the problems posed by the workers.<br />

CAR nb 15: No environmental and social impact survey has been carried out by<br />

the company concerning the exploitation of UFA 00 004 and the timber<br />

processing on its Douala and Kumba industrial sites. Therefore there is up to<br />

now no identified impacts or environmental measures implemented by the<br />

company to reduce or compensate them. That survey should, in particular in its<br />

social part include the riparian communities’ concerns as far as the rights of<br />

users are concerned (sociocultural consideration, sacred sites, preservation of<br />

non ligneous forest products used by the communities, and so on) and plan<br />

measures allowing to limit the potential impacts, due to forestry.<br />

CAR nb 16: UFA 00 004 is located next to a forest, Ebo forest which has been<br />

subjected to the notice to the <strong>public</strong> nb 0219/AP/MINFOF/SG/DFAP of 3rd May<br />

20<strong>06</strong> containing the <strong>public</strong> notice of part of that forest.<br />

As a matter of fact, in that notice to the <strong>public</strong>, the Government of Cameroon<br />

suggests to declare <strong>public</strong> notice one part of Ebo forest, of a 141,7<strong>06</strong> ha<br />

surface, with a view to using it as a national park. That forest is riparian to UFA<br />

00 004 in its Southern part. The nearness of that forest to the UFA, a future<br />

protected area, involves better consideration of the initiatives which could be<br />

taken and/or implemented. It should consist in this perspective to document the<br />

evolutions concerning that forest constitution. The various surveys taking place<br />

at the moment (fauna survey, shooting surveys and socioeconomic survey),<br />

carried out by the <strong>TRC</strong> company within the scope of the UFA 00 004<br />

management do not bring to light the importance of that zone which should<br />

probably be rich in wild fauna. It would be wise for the <strong>TRC</strong> company to exploit<br />

judiciously Dr ATANGA’s thesis on Ebo forest.<br />

CAR nb 17: The management scheme does not contain the elements allowing<br />

to control its durability: it will be fit in particular to review the management<br />

calculations and to justify the harvesting rates on all the species exploited in a<br />

significant manner. All the low rates should be interpreted and argued. The<br />

global renewal rate should be close to 100%. During the management<br />

implementation, the species inventory diameter should correspond to <strong>FSC</strong>MD<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 34 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

9.5 - Proposal of conclusion on whether the candidate entity achieved or<br />

not the required level of conformance<br />

Despite the major work carried out since the scoping, numerous fields<br />

concerned by <strong>TRC</strong> activity are not enough taken into consideration (social and<br />

environmental aspects, monitoring -)<br />

As a consequence, the entity did not reach the level of compliance required.<br />

Written on 18th June 20<strong>06</strong>, reviewed on 20th July 20<strong>06</strong><br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Product Manager, Lead auditor, Report co-author<br />

Caroline DUHESME Alain VALETTE Erith NGATCHOU<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 35 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

10 - Complementary audit n°1<br />

10.1 - Base of evaluation<br />

10.1.1 - Composition of the audit team<br />

Lead auditor:<br />

Auditors:<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in forest management<br />

and forestry, EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI auditor in<br />

traceability and in forest management, forest expert,<br />

independent consultant.<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in forest management<br />

and forestry, EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI auditor in<br />

traceability, Timber Expert, independent consultant.<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in forest management<br />

and forestry, EUROCERTIFOR -BVQI Audits<br />

Managers.<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in forest management<br />

and forestry, EUROCERTIFOR - BVQI auditor in<br />

traceability and in forest management, forest<br />

engineer, independent consultant.<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in environment and social<br />

aspects, Agricultural engineer, environment and<br />

social aspects consultant.<br />

10.1.2 - Used referential<br />

For the initial and complementary audits, the verification list was referred to (ref.<br />

SF<strong>03</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> GF Cameroon 1.1 version) from the referential of <strong>FSC</strong> forest<br />

management adapted to Cameroon (Ref. RFNT 010012 version 1.0).<br />

10.2 - Information collecting modalities<br />

10.2.1 - Description of the audit program<br />

Audit from 15th to 20th January 2007<br />

“Social” team scheme<br />

Day Time Occupations<br />

Sunday 14th 16.00 Arrival at Douala<br />

January<br />

Night in Douala<br />

Monday 15th 8.30 Opening meeting<br />

January<br />

9.00<br />

11.00<br />

Complementary documentary review<br />

Interview with Mister EFFALA and Mister INOUSSA<br />

Social Manager and Personnel manager<br />

14.00 Departure for Nkondjock-<br />

Tuesday<br />

January<br />

16th<br />

Night in Bafang<br />

9.00 Arrival at Nkondjock (Makakam village)<br />

Working session with the North farmers-forest committee<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 36 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Wednesday<br />

January<br />

Thursday<br />

January<br />

17th<br />

18th<br />

Interview with Nkondjock Mayor or town councillor<br />

13.00 Departure from Nkondjock for Nyokon<br />

17.00 Arrival at Nyokon<br />

Working session with Nyokon’s farmer forest committee<br />

Night in Ndikinimeki<br />

7.00 Departure from Ndikinimeki for Ndokbou<br />

Departure for Ndokbassaben meeting point<br />

9.00 Arrival at Ndokbou<br />

Working session with Ndokbou farmer forest committee<br />

12.00 Departure from Ndokbou<br />

14.00 Arrival at Ndokbassaben meeting point<br />

Working session with Ndokbassaben meeting point farmer forest<br />

committee<br />

17.00 Departure from Ndokbassaben meeting point<br />

Night in Bafang<br />

6.00 Departure from Bafang for Yingui<br />

12.00<br />

Arrival at Yingui<br />

Working session with the South farmer forest committee<br />

(Ndoktouna and Ndem District)<br />

Departure for Mossé<br />

14.30<br />

15.30 Arrival at Mossé<br />

Working session with the North farmer forest committee (grouping<br />

together Iboti, North Ndokmem and Mossé villages)<br />

Night on the <strong>TRC</strong> site<br />

Friday 19th January 7.00 Working session with the <strong>TRC</strong> forest personnel of UFA 00 004<br />

Saturday<br />

January<br />

20th<br />

10.00 Departure for Douala<br />

13.00 Arrival at Douala<br />

15.00 Working session with the <strong>TRC</strong> Social manager<br />

Night in Douala<br />

20.00 Meeting between auditors<br />

7.30 Working session with the <strong>TRC</strong> Personnel manager<br />

10.00 Meeting between auditors<br />

CARs preparation<br />

16.00 Reconstruction meeting<br />

Night in Douala<br />

“Forest” team scheme<br />

Day Time Occupations<br />

Sunday 14th 16.00 Arrival at Douala<br />

January<br />

Night in Douala<br />

Monday 15th 8.30 Opening meeting<br />

January<br />

9.00<br />

11.00<br />

Complementary documentary review<br />

Interview with Misters HULEUX (<strong>TRC</strong>) and WANDERS (Form<br />

International). Corrective action requests resolutions analysis<br />

14.00 Interview with Misters HULEUX (<strong>TRC</strong>) and WANDERS (Form<br />

International). Corrective action requests resolutions analysis<br />

Tuesday 16th 7.00 Departure for the UFA<br />

January<br />

10.00<br />

12.00<br />

Wednesday 17th 7.00 Departure for the UFA<br />

AV: Base camp visit: infirmary, company store<br />

Zones in progress of exploitation, logging yards, base camp visit<br />

JPG: riparian villages visit: poaching and hunting investigation<br />

Return to Douala<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 37 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

January<br />

Thursday<br />

January<br />

18th<br />

10.00<br />

17.00<br />

Friday 19th January 8.00<br />

10.00<br />

Saturday<br />

January<br />

20th<br />

10.2.2 - Documents review<br />

AV + JPG: Former cutting zones visit CA closing procedure, post<br />

exploitation monitoring -<br />

Meeting with the NGO representative in Iboti<br />

Return to Douala<br />

8.00 Data compilation, work session between auditors<br />

10.00 Meeting with Doctor Atanga Ekobo, WWF representative in charge<br />

of the sector and coordinating the actions on EBO forest.<br />

15.30 AV: meeting with the provincial representative of the Littoral<br />

forests, Mr Ebia Ndongo Samuel<br />

Meeting the <strong>TRC</strong> personnel (management committee, RDH,<br />

accountant)<br />

JPG: meeting with the personnel in charge of the in-house audits.<br />

AV + JPG: Future <strong>TRC</strong> factory site visit with Misters REEF,<br />

HULEUX and WANDERS.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> factory visit in production with Misters HULEUX &<br />

WANDERS and the sawmill manager<br />

14.00 AV + JPG + EN: Meeting with the workers’ representatives,<br />

outside facilities visit (cantine, treatment of sawmill waste -)<br />

15.00 CD + AV + JPG + EN + CD:<br />

20.00 Working session between auditors<br />

8.30 Meeting between auditors<br />

CARs preparation<br />

15.00 Reconstruction meeting<br />

21.00<br />

All the documents issued by <strong>TRC</strong> in response to the recommendations and<br />

corrective ections requests set during the initial audit was subjected to an<br />

exhaustive documentary survey:<br />

Documents produced by <strong>TRC</strong> in response to the recommendations made by the<br />

audit team during the initial audit:<br />

• Memorandum Nb 52/DG/<strong>06</strong>, indicating to the logging yards managers to put<br />

the necessary means from 15.30 pm, for the evacuation of the personnel<br />

who does not work overtime.<br />

• Explanatory note (Nb 01/SP/DAF/DG/<strong>06</strong>) on the salaries and accessories<br />

calculation, has been delivered to all the personnel at the same time as the<br />

20<strong>06</strong> October salaries.<br />

• 12/<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong> meeting <strong>report</strong> on the UFA 00 004 yard concerning certain salary<br />

complaints when an attempt of clarification of the explanatory note (Nb<br />

01/SP/DAF/DG/<strong>06</strong>) was made.<br />

• 20/12/<strong>06</strong> meeting <strong>report</strong> on the UFA 00 004 logging yard, in presence of the<br />

NKAM Work Representative, the Management director, the logging yard and<br />

representatives management personnel manager, during which the way of<br />

calculating overtime was discussed. At the end of that meeting, it was<br />

unanimously decided to refer to the technical departments of the appropriate<br />

administration for final opinion.<br />

• Ministry of Work and National Health Service’s official answer on 29/12/<strong>06</strong><br />

concerning the way of calculating the salaries and overtime.<br />

• 13/01/07 Minutes of meeting at the UFA 00 004 yard<br />

• <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedure concerning medicine quality checking.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 38 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

• 17/10/<strong>06</strong> request, with the infirmaries managers present on all the <strong>TRC</strong><br />

sites, Dr TEKAM and Dr NZUME so that they commit themselves in writing<br />

on the the efficiency of their personnel as well as on the quality of the<br />

medicines at their disposal.<br />

• Quality charters and lists of medicines used are posted up in all the<br />

infirmaries. Memorandum (Nb 54/DG/<strong>06</strong>) presented on <strong>03</strong>/11/<strong>06</strong>, to all the<br />

administrative managers so that the pieces of information concerning all the<br />

industrial accidents that occurred during the month reach DOUALA.<br />

• In-house analyses (September and October 20<strong>06</strong>) covering all the accidents<br />

that have occurred since January 2005.<br />

• Outside analyses by an expert office registered with Labour Law (September<br />

and October 20<strong>06</strong>) covering all the accidents that have occurred since<br />

January 2005.<br />

• Analysis procedure of industrial accidents<br />

• Minutes of boundaries surveillance missions and attendance sheets (Forest<br />

Farmers Committees).<br />

• <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedure concerning trees of very big diameters (>66.3<br />

inches).<br />

• Damage compensation procedures to the bordering lands under cultivation<br />

• Minutes of compensation (in June <strong>06</strong> on UFA 00 004).<br />

• The sites managers’ retraining and bringing up to standard meeting with<br />

regard to the in-house regulations took place in DOUALA on 16/10/<strong>06</strong>. At this<br />

meeting were gathered all the sites Managers with their production<br />

managers and employees in charge of the personnel as well as the<br />

Management and the personnel department.<br />

• <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedure at chapter 8.6 concerning the holding of the<br />

managers’ bringing up to standard yearly meeting (Distribution of a manual<br />

containing, the in-house regulations, the Disciplinary measures Scale table<br />

as well as the memoranda concerning mainly discipline).<br />

• Certification procedure relating to personnel management, and in particular<br />

to recruiting<br />

• Memorandum (Nb 59/DG/<strong>06</strong>) presented on 17/11/<strong>06</strong>, to all the sites<br />

managers and to all the personnel departments, concerning the compulsory<br />

existence of a work contract before any start of job activities.<br />

• 18/08/<strong>06</strong> letter sent to all the sites requesting the timetable of the<br />

representatives’ meetings and the hygien and safety committees as well as<br />

copies of their <strong>report</strong>s of activity and in which there is a reminder of the 15 h<br />

per month legal franchise which enables the representatives to meet.<br />

• GM’s letter inviting all the workers’ representatives to a meeting gathering<br />

them all in DOUALA on 02/01/07.<br />

• Minutes written at the end of that meeting.<br />

In response to the minor corrective actions requests made by the audit team<br />

during the initial audit:<br />

• A request was addressed on <strong>03</strong>/10/<strong>06</strong> to the Minister of Forest and Fauna<br />

concerning the constitution of UFA 00 004.<br />

• <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedure (7.1) concerning the management scheme<br />

methods of modification (every 5 years).<br />

• <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedure (8.8) concerning the employees’ training<br />

scheme.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 39 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

• <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedure (8.1) concerning the personnel management in<br />

which it is said that "for the recruitment of forest personnel, priority should be<br />

given to the riparians of each UFA”.<br />

• Data base of the available workforce in the riparian villages with the help of<br />

pieces of information gathered with the FFC.<br />

• Memorandum (Nb 56/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed on 15/11/<strong>06</strong> to the UFA 00 004<br />

managers to remind them of the measures concerning priority recruitment of<br />

the riparians.<br />

• “Workforce request to the FFC" form.<br />

• Report of the opening meeting of the <strong>TRC</strong> committee fighting against HIV<br />

AIDS, on 21/12/<strong>06</strong>.<br />

• Memorandum (Nb 26/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed on <strong>03</strong>/07/<strong>06</strong> to the workshop<br />

managers indicating the need to regularly carry out inspections of the<br />

retention tanks.<br />

• Addendum to the 31/08/<strong>06</strong> memorandum, instituting the obligation to fill in<br />

and to put up tanks inspection and cleaning sheets, in order to confirm the<br />

checking passages.<br />

• <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures concerning household and medical waste.<br />

• Letters to the doctors in charge of the infirmaries whereby they are asked to<br />

see to the destruction of all the medical waste.<br />

• Memorandum (21/10/<strong>06</strong> Nb 53/DG/<strong>06</strong>) to all the sites managers listing the<br />

different procedures of waste management.<br />

• Workers’ representatives training seminar <strong>report</strong> in presence of the local<br />

work representatives (KUMBA on 15/<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>, UFA 00 004 on 01/11/<strong>06</strong> in<br />

IBOTI, UFA 00 001/002 on <strong>03</strong>/11/<strong>06</strong> in MAKOT)<br />

• Timetable of the workers’ representatives’ meetings until december 20<strong>06</strong> on<br />

the different sites.<br />

• UFA 00 004 <strong>FSC</strong> return calculation<br />

• <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures, of chapter (7.5.1) concerning the elements to<br />

be controlled during post-exploitation operations.<br />

• Memorandum (<strong>06</strong>/10/<strong>06</strong> Nb 43/DG/<strong>06</strong>) which specifies to forestry managers<br />

the actions to be taken during post-exploitation operations.<br />

• Reports of the UFA 00 004 post-exploitation operations carried out on<br />

15/12/<strong>06</strong><br />

• Mail to NKAM and MBAM's Prefects, asking them to inform <strong>TRC</strong> about the<br />

nearby UFA 00 004 schemes located in these two counties.<br />

• 10/31/<strong>06</strong> WWF Yaoundé mail about a scheme concerning the setting up of a<br />

buffer zone between the UFA and EBO park.<br />

• WWF’s answer<br />

• Available protection zones choice justification and argumentation.<br />

• Memorandum (19/10/<strong>06</strong> Nb 48/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the UFA 00 004<br />

exploitation managers reminding of the respect of the “standards of<br />

intervention in forests” measures which concern the lake banks protection.<br />

• Riparian communities micro schemes identification within the scope of FFC<br />

rounds (from 11/11/<strong>06</strong> to 19/12/<strong>06</strong>).<br />

• Documents testifying to the creation of a Dutch foundation by the <strong>TRC</strong><br />

managers, financed by the UFA 00 004 activities with the aim of assisting the<br />

realization of social schemes in the villages riparian to the UFA.<br />

• Memorandum (18/12/<strong>06</strong> Nb 75/DG/CAR/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to all the sites<br />

managers, informing them about the in-house audits manager’s appointment<br />

and the aim of his mission.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 40 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

• Report of UFA 00.004 in-house audit carried out from 20 to 24/12/<strong>06</strong>.<br />

• Report of DOUALA’s sawmill in-house audit carried out on 29/12/<strong>06</strong>.<br />

• Change in <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures, of chapter (7.7) concerning the<br />

“Yield potential monitoring protocol”.<br />

• Report concerning the setting up and inventory of 6 permanent sample plots<br />

is available.<br />

• Certification procedure (7.7.5)<br />

• Mail exchanges with Mister Robert NASI from CIRAD about a possible<br />

collaboration.<br />

• Certification procedures 7.2 modified and developed to bring to light the<br />

HVFC characteristics specific to the UFA and the actions undertaken to<br />

protect them.<br />

In response to the major corrective actions requests made by the audit team<br />

during the initial audit:<br />

• <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures, chapters concerning the development of yearly<br />

exploitation schemes (7.1.2) and yearly intervention <strong>report</strong>s (7.1.3)<br />

• UFA 00 004 2005 yearly exploitation <strong>report</strong> and 20<strong>06</strong> yearly operations<br />

scheme<br />

• Memorandum (11/07/<strong>06</strong> Nb 28/DG/<strong>06</strong>), changing the memoranda (10/01/05<br />

<strong>03</strong>/DG/CAR/05 and 10/01/05 012/DG/CAR/05) which concerns the<br />

appointment of the employees in charge of the legal and regulation<br />

monitoring and which describes the procedure more precisely.<br />

• Addendum into the <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures, paragraph 6.2 about a legal<br />

advisor’s support to guarantee the assessment of the new texts<br />

consequences (10/07/<strong>06</strong> Amendment to the contract of legal, judicial and<br />

administrative assistance with the NYEMB OFFICE, concerning the legal<br />

monitoring).<br />

• Summary of <strong>TRC</strong> Certification Procedures<br />

• Traceability procedures<br />

• Personnel management procedures within the certification procedures.<br />

• Report of Engineer TEICHEUGANG, “Contribution to the UFA 00 004<br />

management: Surveys of the High Value sites for Conservation”, concerning<br />

among others the identification of former villages are available.<br />

• Mission from 13 to 20/12/<strong>06</strong>: Marking of the sacred sites in the former<br />

villages towards IBOTI and in the cai (current annual increment) 1-3 (2007).<br />

• Timetable and attendance sheets of the meetings held with the FFC (from<br />

June to December 20<strong>06</strong>).<br />

• Various correspondances testifying to the FFCs existence and functioning<br />

• Meetings schedule with the FFC for 2007<br />

• Report of the working session held on 27th March 20<strong>06</strong> in YABASSI at<br />

NKAM’s Civil Engineering Subdivision about the building of the MOSSE-<br />

NDOGBASSABEN road.<br />

• Minutes of the 30/<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong> meeting in NDIKINIMEKI with NDOGBASSABEN's<br />

FFC about the layout of MOSSE-NDOGBASSABEN road and <strong>TRC</strong>'s<br />

position.<br />

• UFA 00.004 contentious road opening awareness mission Report Scheme<br />

by MINFOF.<br />

• DAT: Financial assessment of Yingui-Ndikinimeki road (1987).<br />

• Updating in the certification procedures of chapter 8.1.2 concerning safety<br />

equipments.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 41 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

• Memorandum (20/<strong>06</strong>/<strong>06</strong> Nb 24/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the sawmill managers<br />

concerning the Phyto sprayer’s safety equipment.<br />

• Memorandum (20/11/<strong>06</strong> Nb 61/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the sites Managers,<br />

fixing the safety equipments replacement schedule in our yards.<br />

• Minutes of the meetings concerning among others the safety equipments, on<br />

6 and 8/7/<strong>06</strong> in DOUALA, on 12/7/<strong>06</strong> in MAKOT, on 14/7/<strong>06</strong> in BAKOGO, on<br />

15/7/<strong>06</strong> in KUMBA.<br />

• <strong>06</strong>/7/<strong>06</strong> letter addressed to the subcontractors asking them to equip their<br />

personnel in safety equipment.<br />

• Memorandum (20/07/<strong>06</strong> Nb 33/DAF/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the workshop and<br />

sawmill managers, concerning the supply of safety equipments to all our<br />

subcontractors’ employees.<br />

• Memorandum (25/7/<strong>06</strong> Nb 35/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to all the sites managers<br />

concerning the prohibition of access to the <strong>TRC</strong> facilities for the<br />

subcontractors’ employees without safety equipments.<br />

• Memorandum (25/7/<strong>06</strong> Nb 37/DG/<strong>06</strong>), concerning the practical methods of<br />

distribution of working clothes to our hauliers’ personnel.<br />

• Information note of 22/11/<strong>06</strong>, addressed to the sawdusts removers<br />

concerning the replacement of their safety equipments.<br />

• 23/11/<strong>06</strong> letter addressed to the hauliers intervening on forest yards to ask<br />

them to supply the drivers and their assitants with safety helmets;Research<br />

of a treatment product containing no cypermethrin, approved in Cameroon.<br />

• 11/10/<strong>06</strong> dated dispensation request, for cypermethrin use for Cameroon<br />

addressed to EUROCERTIFOR BVQI signed by the GMs of the PALLISCO,<br />

WIJMA and <strong>TRC</strong> forestry companies<br />

• Replacement of the SEPARGRUM product on all the sites by the only<br />

product for long poles treatment approved in Cameroon containing no<br />

cypermethrin, DC6++.<br />

• Memorandum (05/01/07 Nb 02/DG/CAR/07) addressed to all the site<br />

managers concerning the replacement of SARPAGRUM by the DC6++ with<br />

the technical data sheets.<br />

• Memorandum (13/7/<strong>06</strong> Nb 30/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the personnel manager,<br />

concerning the setting up of a function in the personnel Excel data base<br />

which permanently informs of the number of employees whose promotion is<br />

due.<br />

• Intervention <strong>report</strong> of the PROLOGIQ company in the setting up of the pay<br />

software concerning the automatic promotion (Invoice 008/10<strong>06</strong> on<br />

17/10/<strong>06</strong>).<br />

• Memorandum (13/07/<strong>06</strong> Nb 31/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to all the site managers,<br />

all the section heads, all the personnel managers and the workers’<br />

representatives, concerning the administration of disciplinary measures<br />

according to precise faults defined in an enclosed table.<br />

• Memorandum (<strong>06</strong>/11/<strong>06</strong> Nb 55bis/SP/DAF/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to all the site<br />

managers and to the administrative officers, concerning putting registers of<br />

grievances at the workers' disposal on all the sites.<br />

• Copy of registers of grievances signed by the General Management.<br />

• Copies of requests and answers of the personnel department.<br />

• Environmental Impact Survey of the UFA 00 004 exploitation.<br />

• Environmental management scheme (EMS) from 13/12/<strong>06</strong> to 22/12/<strong>06</strong>.<br />

• Memorandum (08/12/<strong>06</strong> Nb 70/DG/CAR/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to Inoussa<br />

DJUMBOKET, in charge of the socioeconomic questions concerning the<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 42 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

actions to be taken with the riparian populations in relation to the measures<br />

which concerns them in the EMS.<br />

• Memorandum (14/12/<strong>06</strong> Nb 73/DG/CAR/<strong>06</strong>) changing the memorandum<br />

(14/<strong>03</strong>/<strong>06</strong> Nb 12/SP/DAF/<strong>06</strong>) concerning the evolution of certain functioning<br />

methods of the UFA 00 004 yard staff store, to meet the resolution of<br />

measures concerning the staff store written down in the EMS.<br />

• Change in the UFA 00 004 staff store regulation.<br />

• On 22/12/07, letter to all the hauliers on <strong>TRC</strong> environmental policy<br />

containing, measures to be implemented, an extract of the UFA 00.004 EMS<br />

summary in relation with their activity and a commitment model.<br />

• Memorandum (02/01/07 Nb 01/DG/CAR/07) appointing the engineer of UFA<br />

00 004, Arnaud TCHOKOMENI, in charge of the yard environment.<br />

• Letter (11/01/07 nb 00042/L/MINEP/IG/l1) of the Minister of environment<br />

acknowledging receipt of the survey<br />

• On 16/6/<strong>06</strong>, email to Dr EKOBO ATANGA about EBO park creation and the<br />

big apes protection zone scheme incorporating UFA 00.004<br />

• mail to WWF YAOUNDE on 17/10/<strong>06</strong> about the WWF/<strong>TRC</strong> collaboration<br />

following EBO park setting up.<br />

• Minutes of 26/10/<strong>06</strong> meeting at the MINFOF Provincial delegation in<br />

DOUALA, with the WWF about poaching in UFA 00.004 and attendance<br />

sheet.<br />

• Report of the mission carried out in UFA 00 004 by an employee of the<br />

Littoral provincial delegation, a WWF employee and the yard engineer in<br />

order to collect pieces of information concerning poaching.<br />

• Report of the anti-poaching mission carried out in UFA 00 004 by a<br />

DOUALA’s MINFOF provincial delegation team, financed by <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

• Increase of the felling minimum diameters for BONGOSSI, “OKAN” and<br />

“TALI”, Tieme WANDERS’ argumentation.<br />

• Memorandum (10/10/<strong>06</strong> Nb 45/DSAC/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the UFA 00.004<br />

exploitation managers, to cutters, prospectors and clerks, concerning the<br />

felling diameter and the list of protected trees.<br />

10.2.3 - Intervention scope<br />

That complementary audit took place within the scope of corrective actions<br />

checking set by the <strong>TRC</strong> company following the initial audit dating from 16 June<br />

20<strong>06</strong>. In accordance with uses, the work concentrated itself on the CAR<br />

resolution in progress, without limitation in the case of new nonconformities<br />

apparition or aspects not treated previously.and which could have been<br />

subjected to nonconformities.<br />

10.2.4 - Interview(s) of involved people met<br />

- Owner<br />

Mr EBIA NDONGO Samuel, Provincial Minister of State of the Ministry of<br />

Forestry and Fauna, representative of the Cameroonian State, permanent forest<br />

estate owner to which is included the UFA as issue, received us, and expressed<br />

his support to the <strong>TRC</strong> step. He also underlined the good quality of the<br />

relationship between <strong>TRC</strong> and the Forest Administration, on a local as well as<br />

on a central level.<br />

- Manager(s)<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 43 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

The interviews concerned the members of the <strong>TRC</strong> DOUALA company; in<br />

particular the following people within the management:<br />

- Mister REEF, REEF HOUT B.V Manager.<br />

- Mister QUARESMA, <strong>TRC</strong> Executive Officer<br />

- Mister EFFALLA, Assistant executive Officer<br />

- Mister Jacques HULEUX, Management committee manager<br />

- Mister Tieme WANDERS, FORM INTERNATIONAL<br />

- Mr Eric SPRANGERS, <strong>TRC</strong> Finance and accounting manager<br />

- Mr Gilbert OKON II, Human Resources Manager<br />

- Mister William WAINFOIN LAWYER, <strong>TRC</strong> in-house audits manager<br />

- Arnaud TCHOKOMENI, UFA 0004 yard engineer<br />

- Employee(s)<br />

On field, one consulted and interviewed the following people:<br />

- Mr Manuel, exploitation manager<br />

- Mr Paul BANG, yard scaler, workers’ representative<br />

- Mr BOUBAKARY Amadou, Head of UFA 00004 forest yard security guard<br />

post<br />

- Mr MESSE André Samson, Scaler, Workers’ representative<br />

- Mr MBIE Bienvenue, Cutter, Workers’ representative<br />

- Mr ELLA MVONDO, Scaler, Workers’ representative<br />

- Mr PIETA Louis Marie, Driver, Workers’ representative<br />

- Mr BANG Paul, Scaler, Workers’ representative<br />

- Mr NGUETCHUISSI Erith, Driver,<br />

- Mr Marcel ATEBA, <strong>TRC</strong> social mediator<br />

- Mr BITEGA BITEGA Antoine, staff store manager<br />

- Mr KAMWA David, UFA 0004 base nurse.<br />

- Mr TCHOUPO Serge, sawmill salaried employee, workers’ representative,<br />

as well as 6 other workers’ representatives in forest and in sawmill.<br />

- Moreover, numerous salaried employees were questionned on different<br />

points relating to their work conditions (cases of sawmill salaried employees<br />

and salaried employees in charge of treating timber with Cryptogyl).<br />

- Subcontractor(s)<br />

No subcontractor intervening on field (except the hauliers, who cannot, at first<br />

sight, have an impact on the certification procedures), no subcontractor<br />

representative’s interview was carried out.<br />

10.2.5 - On-site visit(s)<br />

The UFA 00 004 site was considered from different points by the audit team<br />

members:<br />

- Visit of the surrounding villages included in the UFA, meetings with the<br />

Farmers Forest Committees (FFC) by the auditor specifically in charge of<br />

that point.<br />

- Visit of the riparian villages particularly active in poaching<br />

- Visit of the cutting area in progress (survey on the working conditions)<br />

- Visit of Ndockagnak base camp (welcome and transport conditions, staff<br />

store, infirmary)<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 44 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- Visit of the former cutting area,<br />

- Visit of the sawmill and the site planned for the setting up of the future<br />

sawmill.<br />

The in-house audit documents, which had allowed to list numerous<br />

nonconformity points as well as the <strong>report</strong>s of the different actions implemented<br />

by the company served as guiding information to the site visits.<br />

10.2.6 - Stakeholders identification and consultation<br />

As this is a complementary audit, the certification procedure does not plan any<br />

stakeholders’ plenary meeting comparable to the one which is carried out during<br />

the initial audit opening. Nevertheless, in order to validate the <strong>TRC</strong> actions and<br />

procedures inventory of fixtures, it was essential to carry out a series of<br />

meetings and interviews of numerous stakeholders. The following stakeholders’<br />

representatives were met:<br />

Riparian populations and Farmers Forest Committees:<br />

- Nyokon’s FFC:<br />

Mr KIARI Jules, Chairman<br />

Mr BITCHA Johnny<br />

Mr BELOMBO Bruno<br />

Mr MBIRWANG Thomas<br />

Mr ABWA Eliba<br />

Mr BITEP KIARI Bertrand<br />

Mrs AMBANG Esther<br />

- North Nkondjock FFC<br />

Miss NDJATCHOU Sylvie<br />

Mr TCHOFA William, Chairman<br />

- South Nkondjock FFC<br />

Mr BOTHIA Emmanuel, Technical unit director<br />

- Ndocbou FFC<br />

Mr MAMBONG Jean, Chairman<br />

Mr YEMBE MBING Christophe, Ndokbou I Village Headman<br />

Mr BELOMBE Joseph<br />

Mr NDENGUE Albert<br />

Mr YETENA André Joseph<br />

- Ndocbassaben FFC<br />

Mr NGUILE Chairman<br />

Mr MOKUNDEZ Zacharie<br />

Mr MILOUMI Mathieu<br />

Mr IHONGOLOK NEWTON Isaac<br />

Mr BOUNDON BOUKILI Jean Calvin<br />

Mrs ONGMAKAGNE Régine<br />

Conservation NGO:<br />

- Doctor ATANGA EKOBO, WWF representative in charge of the sector and<br />

coordinating the actions on EBO forest.<br />

It was not possible to meet the CRES representative who works on EBO forest<br />

site in association with the WCS during the audit.<br />

Forest administration representatives:<br />

- Mr EBIA NDONG Samuel, Provincial Minister of State for the Ministry of<br />

Forestry and Fauna<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 45 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Territorial Administration<br />

- Mr NJIKAM Aboubacar, Prefect of Nkam County<br />

- Mister the Sub-prefect of Yingui<br />

10.2.7 - Identification, traceability and monitoring of products<br />

The long poles traceability on field had been ratified during the initial audit. The<br />

company had been asked to write an improved procedure in full accord with<br />

field reality. That procedure was written and its validity checked by the audit<br />

team. No complementary control has been judged necessary. The squareedged<br />

traceability was subjected to an adapted procedure.<br />

However, corrective actions requests are expressed concerning the procedures<br />

relating to the STD-40-004 and STD-40-005 referentials respects. All these<br />

CAR will be subjected to checking during the next complementary audit which<br />

will be expressed in a specific <strong>report</strong>.<br />

10.2.8 - Initial audit closing meeting<br />

The reconstruction meeting took place on the <strong>TRC</strong> company premises, in<br />

presence of the following people:<br />

- Mister REEF, REEF HOUT B.V Manager.<br />

- Mister QUARESMA, <strong>TRC</strong> Executive Officer<br />

- Mister EFFALLA, Assistant executive Officer<br />

- Mister Jacques HULEUX, Management committee manager<br />

- Mister Tieme WANDERS, FORM INTERNATIONAL<br />

- Mr Eric SPRANGERS, <strong>TRC</strong> Administrative and finance manager<br />

- Mr Gilbert OKON II Personnel manager<br />

And the audit team<br />

As observer for <strong>TRC</strong>:<br />

- Mr Elie HAKIZUMWAMI, in Charge of forest for WWF Central Africa<br />

10.3 - Audit team observations<br />

10.3.1 - Action realised in response to the Correctives Actions Requests<br />

• Minor CAR<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

18 On <strong>03</strong>/10/<strong>06</strong>, a request was addressed to the<br />

Minister of Forest and Fauna concerning the<br />

constitution of UFA 00 004.<br />

19 Addendum in the <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedure of a<br />

chapter (7.1) concerning the management scheme<br />

methods of modification (every 5 years).<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if these<br />

actions allow full<br />

conformity<br />

That<br />

request<br />

corresponded to a lack of<br />

documents, which has<br />

been completed.<br />

The CAR has been<br />

removed<br />

Audit team’s conclusions if the<br />

response is unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in suspense or<br />

major)<br />

That Request cannot be lifted<br />

because the UFA definite constitution<br />

did not take place. Its resolution is<br />

linked to the Ministry action, and the<br />

company cannot be held responsible<br />

for the maintenance of that request.<br />

The CAR is therefore maintained as<br />

minor.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 46 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

20 Addendum in the <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedure, of a<br />

chapter (8.8) concerning the employees’ training<br />

scheme.<br />

Addendum in the <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedure, of a<br />

chapter (8.1) concerning the personnel<br />

management in which it is said that "for the<br />

recruitment of forest personnel, priority should be<br />

given to the riparians of each UFA”.<br />

Creation in DOUALA of a data base of the<br />

available workfoce in the riparian villages with the<br />

help of pieces of information gathered with the<br />

FFC.<br />

A memorandum (Nb 56/DG/<strong>06</strong>) was addressed on<br />

15/11/<strong>06</strong> to the UFA 00 004 managers to remind<br />

them of the measures concerning the riparians’<br />

priority recruitment.<br />

Sending to the UFA 00 004 yard a “request of<br />

labours to the FFC” form.<br />

An awareness of the riparian communities through<br />

the FFC was carried out on the priority recruitment<br />

of young riparians. At the time of the<br />

complementary audit, we noted that further to that<br />

awareness, a first wave of young people had been<br />

recruited and put under contract at various posts<br />

within the company. Moreover, we also noted the<br />

withdrawal of certain local recruits who reckoned<br />

that the working conditions were difficult.<br />

21 Creation of a <strong>TRC</strong> committee of fight against HIV<br />

AIDS, on 30/11/<strong>06</strong>.<br />

Official setting up of the committee on 21/12/<strong>06</strong>.<br />

22 A memorandum (Nb 26/DG/<strong>06</strong>) was addressed on<br />

<strong>03</strong>/07/<strong>06</strong> to the workshop managers indicating the<br />

need to regularly carry out inspections of the<br />

retention tanks.<br />

On 31/08/<strong>06</strong>, an addendum to the memorandum,<br />

institutes the obligation to fill in and to put up tanks<br />

inspection and cleaning sheets, in order to confirm<br />

the checking passages.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if these<br />

actions allow full<br />

conformity<br />

That CAR is removed.<br />

Nevertheless a training<br />

scheme remains to be<br />

set up in relation with the<br />

monitoring operations<br />

conclusions (in-house<br />

audit, industrial accidents<br />

analyses, and so on)<br />

That request is removed<br />

because the Committee<br />

has been created.<br />

However, it did not take<br />

any action and is not<br />

physically present on<br />

field (ignorance at the<br />

infirmaries and workers’<br />

levels, no <strong>public</strong><br />

awareness actions and<br />

test yet, and so on),<br />

hence a new nb 44 minor<br />

CAR<br />

An improvement has<br />

been noted on field and<br />

in the procedures. The<br />

CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

Audit team’s conclusions if the<br />

response is unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in suspense or<br />

major)<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 47 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

23 Change in the <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures of the<br />

chapter concerning household and medical waste.<br />

Letters to the doctors in charge of the infirmaries<br />

whereby they are asked to see to the destruction<br />

of all the medical waste.<br />

Memorandum (21/10/<strong>06</strong> Nb 53/DG/<strong>06</strong>) to all the<br />

sites managers listing the different procedures of<br />

waste management.<br />

24 Workers’ representatives’ training seminar<br />

organization in presence of the local work<br />

representatives (KUMBA on 15/<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>, UFA 00<br />

004 on 01/11/<strong>06</strong> in IBOTI, UFA 00 001/002 on<br />

<strong>03</strong>/11/<strong>06</strong> in MAKOT)<br />

Timetable of the workers’ representatives’<br />

meetings until december 20<strong>06</strong> on the different<br />

sites.<br />

We have checked with the workers’<br />

representatives that the meetings all take place<br />

according to the timetable agreed between the<br />

parties.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if these<br />

actions allow full<br />

conformity<br />

The contracts survey,<br />

letters and memoranda,<br />

as well as the on field<br />

data validation testify to a<br />

satisfactory level. The<br />

CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

The consultation<br />

authorities functioning<br />

was checked on forestry<br />

site and sawmill.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

25 There is a UFA 00 004 <strong>FSC</strong> return calculation A document has been<br />

drawn up, it corresponds<br />

to the <strong>FSC</strong> expectations<br />

in that field.<br />

26 Change in the <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures, of<br />

chapter (7.5.1) concerning the elements to be<br />

controlled during the post-exploitation operations.<br />

Memorandum (<strong>06</strong>/10/<strong>06</strong> Nb 43/DG/<strong>06</strong>) which<br />

specifies to forestry managers the actions to be<br />

taken during post-exploitation operations.<br />

Reports of the UFA 00 004 post-exploitation<br />

operations carried out on 15/12/<strong>06</strong><br />

27 On 01/11/<strong>06</strong>, mail sent to NKAM and MBAM's<br />

Prefects, asking them to inform us about the<br />

schemes near UFA 00 004 located in these two<br />

counties.<br />

On 31/10/<strong>06</strong>, mail sent to WWF Yaoundé about a<br />

scheme concerning the setting up of a buffer zone<br />

between the UFA and EBO park.<br />

WWF’s answer<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

The post-exploitation<br />

operations were checked<br />

by a survey on field (visit<br />

of site for confirmation of<br />

noted elements and<br />

achievement of<br />

prescribed works.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

However, the company<br />

must be vigilant for the<br />

control of its exploitation<br />

operations (see FAO<br />

Code)<br />

Audit team’s conclusions if the<br />

response is unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in suspense or<br />

major)<br />

The step is not sufficient with regard<br />

to the site sensitivity.<br />

The CAR becomes therefore major.<br />

It will be fit among other things to:<br />

- Start an ecological monitoring in<br />

collaboration with the NGO linked to<br />

Ebo reserve.<br />

- Start in the surveillance (support<br />

the ecoguards’ intervention around<br />

the UFA in collaboration with the<br />

concerned NGOs).<br />

- Continue the search of documents<br />

and the contacts relating to Ebo<br />

reserve creation.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 48 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

28 Available protection zones choice justification and<br />

argumentation<br />

29 Memorandum (19/10/<strong>06</strong> Nb 48/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed<br />

to the UFA 00 004 exploitation managers<br />

reminding of the respect of the “standards of<br />

intervention in forests” steps which concern the<br />

lake banks protection.<br />

30 The <strong>TRC</strong> company continued reinforcement<br />

actions of the communities’ capacities through the<br />

FFC (riparian communities’ micro-schemes<br />

identification within the scope of the FFC rounds<br />

from 11/11/<strong>06</strong> to 19/12/<strong>06</strong>).<br />

the <strong>TRC</strong> company is planning the creation of a<br />

Dutch foundation by the <strong>TRC</strong> managers too,<br />

financed by the UFA 00 004 activities with the aim<br />

of assisting the realization of social schemes in<br />

the villages riparian to the UFA.<br />

Alongside these training and awareness actions<br />

limited to the FFC members, the traditional<br />

activities like commercial hunting continue<br />

because there is no real alternative up to now.<br />

“Hunting continues without any distinction on<br />

species, the main thing is to bring something to<br />

sell and have a little income", says a villager of<br />

Ndockbou.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if these<br />

actions allow full<br />

conformity<br />

That action request is<br />

removed as it was,<br />

however its requirements<br />

level is going to be taken<br />

up again in the CAR<br />

relating to HVFC (CAR<br />

nb34) which is<br />

maintained.<br />

The request is<br />

satisfactory at the<br />

documentary level, its<br />

application has been<br />

noted on field. The<br />

prohibition on the<br />

exploitation of Baya trees<br />

which grow preferentially<br />

in that type of site<br />

reduces strongly the risk<br />

of exploitation in the<br />

humid zones<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

However, the company is<br />

highly recommended to<br />

make sure of the total<br />

respect of the document<br />

“intervention standards in<br />

forest” (see CAR 2<br />

recommmendation)<br />

That action request is<br />

removed as it was,<br />

however its requirements<br />

level will be taken up<br />

again in the CAR relating<br />

to HVFC (CAR nb 34)<br />

which is maintained. The<br />

complete implementation<br />

of the adopted schemes<br />

remains to be done to<br />

really reach the aimed<br />

goal, that is to say the<br />

reduction of pressure on<br />

the wild fauna.<br />

Audit team’s conclusions if the<br />

response is unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in suspense or<br />

major)<br />

- Establish an ecological monitoring<br />

on site - genetic flux monitoring -<br />

The presence or absence of gorillas<br />

is not clear. The ecological<br />

monitoring is all the more justified<br />

as the populations migrate.<br />

(ecological corridor between Ebo<br />

and UFA.)<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 49 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

Moreover, we noted a lack of communication in<br />

the riparian villages on the different classes<br />

protected species. The hunters’ stays in the forest<br />

are organized and supply an evacuation circuit of<br />

the products towards the principal markets that<br />

are Makénéné, Douala and Yaoundé.<br />

31 Memorandum (18/12/<strong>06</strong> Nb 75/DG/CAR/<strong>06</strong>)<br />

addressed to all the sites managers, informing<br />

them about an in-house audits manager’s<br />

appointment and the aim of his mission.<br />

UFA 00.004 in-house audit <strong>report</strong> carried out from<br />

20 to 24/12/<strong>06</strong>.<br />

DOUALA’s sawmill in-house audit <strong>report</strong> carried<br />

out on 29/12/<strong>06</strong>.<br />

Audit <strong>report</strong> transmission to the UFA 00 004 yard,<br />

for the implementation of the requested corrective<br />

actions.<br />

Audit <strong>report</strong> transmission to Douala's sawmill<br />

manager and to the personnel manager, for the<br />

implementation of the requested corrective<br />

actions.<br />

32 Change in <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures, of<br />

chapter (7.7) concerning the “Yield potential<br />

monitoring protocol”.<br />

The <strong>report</strong> concerning the setting up and inventory<br />

of 6 permanent sample plots is available.<br />

33 Addendum in the certification procedures of a<br />

chapter (7.7.5)<br />

Mister Robert NASI from CIRAD has been<br />

contacted about a possible collaboration.<br />

34 Chapter 7.2 of the certification procedures 7.2 was<br />

modified and developed to bring to light the HVFC<br />

characteristics specific to the UFA and the actions<br />

undertaken to protect them are listed in it.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if these<br />

actions allow full<br />

conformity<br />

The quality of the inhouse<br />

audits is good and<br />

their conclusions have<br />

been ratified. The<br />

personnel in charge is<br />

efficient, the in-house<br />

audit protocols taking<br />

their conclusions into<br />

consideration are<br />

satisfactory.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

One can also add the AW<br />

(Accident at Work)<br />

analyses the in-house<br />

audits - and other<br />

elements which<br />

constitute the long-term<br />

monitoring scheme.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

However, it is highly<br />

recommended to<br />

introduce in the<br />

monitoring scheme all the<br />

activities, and to plan the<br />

results analysis (short-,<br />

medium-, long-term<br />

action).<br />

That corrective action<br />

request is removed,<br />

however it is partially<br />

taken back in the<br />

corrective action request<br />

nb 37 which will allow<br />

taking over the surveys<br />

and actions conclusions<br />

by <strong>TRC</strong> via the reinforced<br />

management committee.<br />

Audit team’s conclusions if the<br />

response is unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in suspense or<br />

major)<br />

The step is not sufficient with regard<br />

to the requirements.<br />

The CAR becomes therefore major.<br />

It will consist among other things in:<br />

- Identifying and characterizing the<br />

zones according to more extensive<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 50 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if these<br />

actions allow full<br />

conformity<br />

Audit team’s conclusions if the<br />

response is unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in suspense or<br />

major)<br />

criteria (altitude, slope, proximity of<br />

watercourses, proximity of<br />

protected area - Ebo’s Park).<br />

Identification of the conservation<br />

attributes in consultation with all the<br />

stakeholders. (NTFP, and so on).<br />

- Training the prospectors for the<br />

recognition of protected species.<br />

- Largely consulting (national,<br />

international organizations, and so<br />

on) on the choices made to ratify<br />

the choices of attributes, and the<br />

measures taken to protect them.<br />

- Documenting and giving arguments<br />

to the management options<br />

different phases of definition,<br />

produce proof (Evidences) of each<br />

element brought.<br />

- Going into details with the NTFP<br />

survey (identification, location,<br />

resource and market surveys) and<br />

draw from it a forestry and/or a<br />

picking development strategy.<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

• Major CAR<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

1 Addendum in the <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures, of chapters<br />

concerning the development of yearly exploitation schemes (7.1.2)<br />

and yearly intervention <strong>report</strong>s (7.1.3)<br />

On 11/10/<strong>06</strong>, transmission to the Administration of the 2005 yearly<br />

exploitation <strong>report</strong> and the UFA 00 004 20<strong>06</strong> yearly operations<br />

scheme<br />

2 Memorandum (11/07/<strong>06</strong> Nb 28/DG/<strong>06</strong>), changing the memoranda<br />

(10/01/05 <strong>03</strong>/DG/CAR/05 and 10/01/05 012/DG/CAR/05) which<br />

concerns the appointment of the employees in charge of the legal<br />

and regulation monitoring and which describes the procedure<br />

more precisely.<br />

Addendum in the <strong>TRC</strong> certification procedures of a legal adviser’s<br />

support to guarantee the assessment of the new texts<br />

consequences.<br />

On 10/07/<strong>06</strong>, signature of an amendment to the legal aid and<br />

administrative assistance contract with the NYEMB OFFICE<br />

concerning the legal monitoring.<br />

We will all the same point out that, although the company<br />

developed and implemented a legal monitoring system (see<br />

above), the audit team noticed the absence of updating of the<br />

compensation scale according to the nb 20<strong>03</strong>/418 PM Decree of<br />

25th February 20<strong>03</strong> concerning the compensation rates to grant to<br />

owners victims of destruction of land cultivation and cultivated<br />

trees and the absence of the Nb <strong>03</strong>9/MTPS/IMT order of 26th<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions<br />

allow full<br />

conformity<br />

That request<br />

corresponded to a<br />

lack of documents,<br />

which has been<br />

completed.<br />

The CAR has been<br />

removed<br />

The procedures are<br />

adapted. Since the<br />

initial audit there has<br />

been no law or<br />

decree having a<br />

direct impact on the<br />

company’s life, and<br />

the efficiency of the<br />

procedure could not<br />

therefore be tested up<br />

to the end.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

The company must<br />

be reminded to be<br />

constantly vigilant on<br />

the control of that<br />

monitoring.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 51 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

November 1984 setting hygiene and safety measures in the<br />

workplaces.<br />

3 All the procedures and memoranda concerning sustainable<br />

management are systematically signed by the General Manager<br />

4 Writing of a “<strong>TRC</strong> Certification procedures Summary” and<br />

distribution at all the FFC meetings.<br />

Publication of the “certification procedures summary” on the<br />

website (www.trcbois.com).<br />

After checking carried out on field, the audit team noted that the<br />

management scheme <strong>public</strong> summary set at the FFC disposal is<br />

not signed and does not contain the guidelines linked to the <strong>FSC</strong>.<br />

5 Certification procedures rereading and harmonization with yard<br />

engineer Arnaud TCHOKOMENI, Tieme WANDERS and Jacques<br />

HULEUX.<br />

Development of traceability procedures by UFA 00 004 yard<br />

engineer, Arnaud TCHOKOMENI.<br />

Development by the human resources manager, Gilbert OKON of<br />

the personnel management procedures and addendum in the<br />

certification procedures.<br />

6 The <strong>report</strong> of Engineer TEICHEUGANG, “Contribution to the UFA<br />

00 004 management: Surveys of the “High Value sites for<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions<br />

allow full<br />

conformity<br />

A survey remains to<br />

be carried out on the<br />

intervention standard<br />

in forest environment<br />

which is a legal<br />

document, and all the<br />

measures remain to<br />

be taken to testify that<br />

the realistic points<br />

have been put into<br />

practice, and to the<br />

non-applicability of<br />

the other points (that<br />

last point has a<br />

recommendation<br />

value)<br />

That request<br />

corresponded to a<br />

lack of documents,<br />

which has been<br />

completed.<br />

The CAR has been<br />

removed<br />

That work was carried<br />

out satisfactorily. The<br />

procedures are more<br />

legible and the<br />

unpredictable controls<br />

carried out confirm<br />

that they are in<br />

compliance with the<br />

field practices.<br />

That CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

The document in<br />

question correctly<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

A confusion remains<br />

between<br />

the<br />

management scheme<br />

<strong>public</strong> summary which is<br />

the summary of the<br />

administrative document,<br />

and the certification<br />

procedures which are the<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> practices. To avoid<br />

that confusion, <strong>TRC</strong> will<br />

publish a <strong>public</strong> summary<br />

document which will take<br />

up the MS (Management<br />

Scheme) general data as<br />

it is applied on field (with<br />

the <strong>FSC</strong> guidelines). That<br />

document will invalidate<br />

and replace the former<br />

already distributed.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

maintained<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 52 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

7.the<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

Conservation”, concerning among others the identification of<br />

former villages are available.<br />

Appointment of a “Social Mediator”, linked to the UFA 00 004<br />

which depends on the management committee.<br />

Mission from 13 to 20/12/<strong>06</strong>: Marking of the sacred sites in the<br />

former villages towards IBOTI and in the CAI (current annual<br />

increment) 1-3 (2007).<br />

The <strong>TRC</strong> company started a participative and concerted<br />

identification work with the communities riparian to UFA 00 004 of<br />

their lands (sacred sites and other sites with a cultural character,<br />

agricultural plots, and so on). That work was conducted under two<br />

angles that is to say:<br />

- (1) a survey entitled “Contribution to the UFA 00 004<br />

management: Surveys of sites with High Value for the<br />

Conservation” in which the identification of old villages<br />

particularly on the UFA Eastern side was carried out<br />

- (2) an identification and marking mission of the sacred sites.<br />

The interviews held with the populations during the<br />

complementary audit allowed to check the elements presented in<br />

the <strong>report</strong>s. The communities vouch for having indeed participated<br />

to the identification/marking of their cultural sites located in or next<br />

to the UFA bounderies. The <strong>TRC</strong> company also carried out<br />

training sessions of the different FFC members for Global<br />

Positioning System use.<br />

At the time of the initial audit (June 20<strong>06</strong>), the UFA 00 004 farmers<br />

forest committees had been implemented and had not been<br />

functional. The <strong>TRC</strong> company started to train these FFC members<br />

for daily management (elaboration of meeting <strong>report</strong>s, documents<br />

filing, and so on) and to ease their setting up by the local and<br />

administrative authorities. It consisted therefore in legitimizing the<br />

existence of these associations having to ensure from now on the<br />

interface between the forestry company and the communities<br />

riparian to the UFA.<br />

At each training and FFC setting up session, a <strong>report</strong> on the UFA<br />

management scheme was presented to the participants. The<br />

setting up minutes were consulted during the complementary<br />

audit. Then, activities concerted planning meetings were<br />

organised with the different FFC and a training for the identification<br />

of micro schemes that could be carried out by the micro schemes<br />

were done. It must be noted that at the time of the complementary<br />

audit, the FFC capacities reinforcement schedule was not yet<br />

finished.<br />

The <strong>report</strong>s consulting and particularly the interviews held with the<br />

stakeholders (local administrations, concerned communities, and<br />

so on) allowed us to check the effectiveness of the steps taken<br />

within the period of time separating the two audits (June 20<strong>06</strong> -<br />

January 2007). These actions particularly aroused a fad within the<br />

bright communities who actually devoted their energies to work in<br />

that way with the company in order to respect the principles linked<br />

to sustainable management (fight against poaching and alternate<br />

strategies development through promoting activities which<br />

generate an income, and so on).<br />

We examined the exchanges of mail between FFC/communities<br />

and their villages concerning the real management of the yearly<br />

forest royalties, the exchanges of mail between the FFC and the<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> company concerning the means allocated to the fight against<br />

poaching still increasing fast on certain sides of the UFA –<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions<br />

allow full<br />

conformity<br />

defines the sacred<br />

sites and village lands<br />

on the basis of<br />

participative maps.<br />

The definition of the<br />

sacred sites on the<br />

zone is therefore<br />

finished.<br />

That CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

The meeting<br />

conducted by the<br />

auditor allowed to<br />

conclude that the<br />

Farmers-Forest<br />

Committees are<br />

effective and living<br />

instances.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

Considering the work<br />

started by the<br />

company to meet that<br />

request, the audit<br />

team estimated that<br />

efforts remain to be<br />

made concerning<br />

particularly the clear<br />

and concerted<br />

definition with the<br />

FFC of the future<br />

steps to be taken (in<br />

time and space), so<br />

as to urge the<br />

different parties to the<br />

monitoring and<br />

respect of the<br />

commitments made<br />

(see minor CAR 43).<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 53 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

Ndocbou, Ndocbassaben, Nkondjock, and so on). The interviews<br />

carried out by the audit team allowed to reveal an absence of<br />

social cohesion even within certain formed communities, which<br />

should constitute a handicap for the success of community<br />

schemes planned by the <strong>TRC</strong> company.<br />

Moreover, the capacity reinforcement actions started by the<br />

company really saw only the participation of FFC members, who<br />

do not always ensure a duplication at the level of their respective<br />

communities.<br />

We noted that these FFC’s mobilization efforts are quickly<br />

confronted to certain problems including:<br />

- (1) certain authorities’ resistance particularly the council<br />

authorities which carry out a completely impenetrable<br />

management of the yearly forest royalties<br />

- (2) an absence of support from certain technical department<br />

managers (local forest Posts) which do not feel the need to be<br />

accompanied in their regalian tasks by the communities who act<br />

within that scope as vigilant committees, which exposes them to<br />

the poachers’ threats.<br />

(3) an absence of concrete action developed by the company to<br />

meet the results expected that is to say the development of<br />

alternative activities generating incomes and aiming at diverting<br />

the riparians from direct or indirect poaching and as such preserve<br />

wild fauna. On that last point, article 6 of the in-house regulations<br />

suggested by the company to the FFC and already ratified by<br />

certain (FFC) remains vague as far as the FFC functioning<br />

resources are concerned. That article stipulates among others that<br />

“a financing project of the FFC functioning from the RFA will be<br />

introduced in the four villages”<br />

8 Report of the working session held on 27 March 20<strong>06</strong> in YABASSI<br />

at NKAM’s Civil Engineering Subdivision about the building of the<br />

MOSSE-NDOGBASSABEN road.<br />

30/<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong> PV meeting in NDIKINIMEKI with NDOGBASSABEN's<br />

CPF about the layout of MOSSE-NDOGBASSABEN road and<br />

<strong>TRC</strong>'s position.<br />

UFA00.004 contentious road opening awareness mission Report<br />

Scheme by MINFOF.<br />

DAT: Financial assessment of Yingui-Ndikinimeki road (1987).<br />

Following that corrective action request, the <strong>TRC</strong> company held<br />

consultations with the concerned stakeholders (Ministry of <strong>public</strong><br />

works- roads subdivision, territorial administration concerned,<br />

communities brought together in the camp of Ndockbassaben<br />

represented by the FFC nb 3). These consultations allowed the<br />

concerned company and the appropriate technical departments<br />

and administrative authorities (MINFOF and MINTP) to clarify<br />

matters concerning the <strong>TRC</strong> position, as succesful bidder of UFA<br />

00 004 and guarantor of the surface submitted to sustainable<br />

management by the forest administration and of which a<br />

management scheme was devised and approved by the<br />

appropriate administration (MINFOF). The complementary works<br />

of lands knowledge and village boundaries allowed the company<br />

to reconsider the Eastern boundaries of the UFA and to make a<br />

proposition of review to the forest administration (See letter<br />

adressed to MINFOF) in order to integrate the resettlement by the<br />

brought together communities of the former villages, integrating<br />

therefore one of the commitments taken on 30th September 20<strong>06</strong><br />

meeting with the FFC of Ndocbassaben (See minutes of the<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions<br />

allow full<br />

conformity<br />

The meetings<br />

conducted by the<br />

auditor allowed to<br />

conclude that that<br />

corrective action<br />

request had been<br />

met.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 54 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

meeting).<br />

It must be underlined that that step allowed to clarify the <strong>TRC</strong><br />

company’s responsibilities which come down to the UFA 00 004<br />

sustainable management and exploitation and not to the<br />

opening/management of that axis which moreover is in the 20<strong>06</strong>-<br />

2008 triennial priority road network maintenance scheme. The<br />

communities, although convinced by the clarification made wish to<br />

see that axis built, which will allow them to get back to their<br />

ancestral lands to which they are attached.<br />

9 Updating in the certification procedures of chapter 8.1.2<br />

concerning safety equipments.<br />

Memorandum (20/<strong>06</strong>/<strong>06</strong> Nb 24/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the sawmill<br />

managers concerning the safety equipment of the Phyto sprayer.<br />

Memorandum (20/11/<strong>06</strong> Nb 61/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the sites<br />

Managers, fixing the safety equipments replacement schedule in<br />

our yards.<br />

10 Minutes of the meetings concerning among others the safety<br />

equipments, on 6 and 8/7/<strong>06</strong> in DOUALA, on 12/7/<strong>06</strong> in MAKOT,<br />

on 14/7/<strong>06</strong> in BAKOGO, on 15/7/<strong>06</strong> in KUMBA.<br />

On <strong>06</strong>/7/<strong>06</strong>, letter to the subcontractors asking them to equip their<br />

personnel in safety equipment.<br />

Memorandum (20/07/<strong>06</strong> Nb 33/DAF/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the<br />

workshop and sawmill managers, concerning the supply in safety<br />

equipments to all our subcontractors’ employees.<br />

Memorandum (25/7/<strong>06</strong> Nb 35/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to all the sites<br />

managers concerning the prohibition of access to the <strong>TRC</strong><br />

facilities for the subcontractors’ employees without safety<br />

equipments.<br />

Memorandum (25/7/<strong>06</strong> Nb 37/DG/<strong>06</strong>), concerning the practical<br />

methods of distribution of working clothes to the hauliers’<br />

personnel.<br />

On 22/11/<strong>06</strong>, information note, addressed to the sawdust<br />

removers concerning the replacement of their safety equipments.<br />

On 23/11/<strong>06</strong>, letter to the hauliers intervening on forest yards to<br />

ask them to supply the drivers and their assitants with safety<br />

helmets;<br />

11 Research of a treatment product containing no cypermethrin,<br />

approved in Cameroon.<br />

On 11/10/<strong>06</strong>, cypermethrin use dipensation request for Cameroon<br />

addressed to - EUROCERTIFOR <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification,<br />

signed by the GMs of the PALLISCO, WIJMA and <strong>TRC</strong><br />

companies.<br />

Replacement of the SEPARGRUM product on all the sites by the<br />

only product for the long poles treatment approved in Cameroon<br />

containing no cypermethrin, DC6++.<br />

Memorandum (05/01/07 Nb 02/DG/CAR/07) addressed to all the<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions<br />

allow full<br />

conformity<br />

The safety equipment<br />

adapted to the work<br />

stations was<br />

distributed. It is in<br />

most of the cases<br />

worn by the<br />

personnel, the<br />

schedules are posted<br />

up and respected.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

It is reminded to the<br />

company to be<br />

constantly vigilant on<br />

the monitoring of the<br />

strict respect of<br />

wearing safety<br />

equipments.<br />

The collective letter<br />

addressed to BV<br />

Certification is<br />

enough to remove<br />

that corrective action<br />

request; Moreover,<br />

the Cryptogyl DC6++<br />

is the only one used<br />

by <strong>TRC</strong> and does not<br />

contain any<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

Certain shortcomings<br />

endure:<br />

- At the sawmill, the<br />

gloves are not<br />

systematically worn<br />

- Vehicle drivers and<br />

cutters’ helpers should<br />

wear hearing<br />

protections<br />

- The employee in<br />

charge of the<br />

phytosanitary<br />

treatment should know<br />

the replacement<br />

conditions of the filter<br />

of his protection mask.<br />

- …<br />

That CAR is therefore<br />

maintained.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 55 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

site managers concerning the replacement of SARPAGRUM by<br />

the DC6++ with the technical data sheets.<br />

12 Memorandum (13/7/<strong>06</strong> Nb 30/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the personnel<br />

manager, concerning the setting of a function in the personnel<br />

Excel data base which permanently informs of the number of<br />

employees whose promotion is due.<br />

Intervention of the PROLOGIQ company in the setting of the pay<br />

software concerning the automatic promotion (Invoice 008/10<strong>06</strong> of<br />

17/10/<strong>06</strong>).<br />

To meet that corrective action request, the company developed an<br />

Excel software package which allows updating in terms of<br />

workforce to be regraded according to the recruiting date and<br />

automatic promotion time (after three years’ seniority). In addition,<br />

the pay software was parameterized by the PROLOGIQ company<br />

to establish a direct relation with the personnel management Excel<br />

data bases.<br />

We moreover studied the case of a worker who experienced<br />

delays in promotion and we assessed the dealing with his case by<br />

the company. That employee was regraded and received an<br />

adjustment too because of the delay.<br />

13 Memorandum (13/07/<strong>06</strong> Nb 31/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to all the site<br />

managers, all the section heads, all the personnel managers and<br />

the workers’ representatives, concerning the administration of<br />

disciplinary measures according to precise faults defined in an<br />

enclosed table.<br />

Consultation meetings extended to the workers' representatives of<br />

the Douala site allowed to define and adopt a disciplinary policy<br />

(see memorandum (13/07/<strong>06</strong> Nb 31/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to all the<br />

sites managers, all the departments managers, the personnel<br />

manager and the workers’ representatives, concerning the<br />

administration of disciplinary measures according to the precise<br />

faults (defined in an attached table) within the <strong>TRC</strong> company. We<br />

checked that that disciplinary policy was displayed on the boards<br />

at the level of the sites we visited (Douala’s processing sites and<br />

UFA 00004 bases).<br />

The interviews held with a few workers allowed to check that<br />

awareness meetings had been organized by the company<br />

personnel department on the subject.<br />

On the other hand, a review of the company’s in-house regulation<br />

has to be considered to integrate that new disciplinary policy<br />

defined by the company and integrate too the changes that<br />

occurred in its commitment policy.<br />

14 Memorandum (<strong>06</strong>/11/<strong>06</strong> Nb 55bis/SP/DAF/DG/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to<br />

all the site managers and to the administrative officers, concerning<br />

putting registers of grievances at the workers' disposal on all the<br />

sites.<br />

Copy of registers of grievances signed by the General<br />

Management.<br />

Copies of requests and answers of the personnel department.<br />

We checked, in accordance with the art. 25 (1) of the order of 26th<br />

May 1993 019/MTPS/SG/CJ that the registers of grievances were<br />

implemented. These are registers in which the personnel<br />

represented by the elected representatives record the different<br />

problems that they wish to discuss with the company’s hierarchy.<br />

In these registers there are columns in which the hierarchy should<br />

bring precise answers to the concerns expressed by the workers.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions<br />

allow full<br />

conformity<br />

cypermethrin.<br />

The CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

The steps correspond<br />

to the corrective<br />

action request.<br />

That CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

The steps correspond<br />

to the corrective<br />

action request<br />

(information and<br />

implementation<br />

checked on field).<br />

That CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

Apply scrupulously the<br />

procedures as far as<br />

social matters are<br />

concerned, 21% of the<br />

registration forms are not<br />

introduced. UFA 004<br />

36% of forms not<br />

introduced). No<br />

application of conflicts<br />

resolution procedures (no<br />

systematic answers to<br />

grievances), still<br />

problems of application of<br />

disciplinary procedures<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 56 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

These registers of grievances were consulted on forests sites as<br />

well as on processing unit. Concerns are regularly expressed by<br />

the workers and are particularly about:<br />

• The implementation of an independent fund for the UFA<br />

00004 workers allowing them to react effectively in case of<br />

emergency (to take into consideration the fact that most<br />

salaried employees are from now on payed by transfer at<br />

Douala and can take possession of their salary only a few<br />

days later);<br />

• The staff store accounts control in accordance with art. 78<br />

(2c) of labour regulations;<br />

• Abuse of authority of the UFA 00004 site manager and failure<br />

to respect the disciplinary scale defined by mutual agreement<br />

with the concerned parties (employers and employees);<br />

• The denial to present the clock cards to the workers before<br />

sending them for computerization to Douala (while agreed<br />

with the General manager);<br />

• The inadequacy of pharmaceutical products at the level of the<br />

site infirmary and the high price of marketed medicines.<br />

• The establishment of a days off weekly schedule;<br />

• The transportation of workers on holiday from the UFA to<br />

Yingui for transport facilities.<br />

• The payment of April and December salaries on 30 th of the<br />

month at the latest.<br />

• The workers’ transport conditions on the forest yards;<br />

• The allowances calculation (holidays and seniority bonuses);<br />

• Family allowances;<br />

• The definite schedule of pay and two weeks’ pay;<br />

• The production bonus;<br />

• Payment of the salaries before leaving on holidays;<br />

• The workers’ health and safety (agreement to bear medical<br />

costs and IPE costs, and so on).<br />

• And so on.<br />

The audit team noted a certain redundancy of the concerns<br />

expressed by the workers, which conveys a dissatisfaction in the<br />

answers provided by the company’s hierarchy. These different<br />

points should be treated appropriately and in accordance with the<br />

legislation in force.<br />

15 On 12/12/<strong>06</strong>, UFA 00 004’s exploitation Environmental Impact<br />

Survey <strong>report</strong> deposit for validation.<br />

Harmonization of the certification procedures with UFA 00 004’s<br />

Environmental Impact Survey results.<br />

Distribution to FFCs of the Environmental management scheme<br />

(EMS) from 13/12/<strong>06</strong> to 22/12/<strong>06</strong>.<br />

Memorandum (08/12/<strong>06</strong> Nb 70/DG/CAR/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to Inoussa<br />

DJUMBOKET, in charge of socioeconomic questions concerning<br />

the actions to be taken with the riparians in relation to the<br />

measures which concerns them in the EMS.<br />

Memorandum (14/12/<strong>06</strong> Nb 73/DG/CAR/<strong>06</strong>) changing<br />

memorandum (14/<strong>03</strong>/<strong>06</strong> Nb 12/SP/DAF/<strong>06</strong>) concerning the<br />

evolution of certain functioning methods of UFA 00 004’s yard staff<br />

store, to meet the resolution of measures concerning the staff<br />

store written down in the EMS.<br />

Change in the UFA 00 004’s staff store regulation.<br />

On 22/12/07, letter to all the hauliers on <strong>TRC</strong> environmental policy<br />

containing, measures to be implemented, an extract of UFA<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions<br />

allow full<br />

conformity<br />

There is an impact<br />

survey, it complies<br />

with what one should<br />

expect, and it was<br />

satisfactorily<br />

communicated. That<br />

CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

(see in-house audit).<br />

That CAR is therefore<br />

maintained.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 57 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

00.004’s EMS summary in relation with their activity and a<br />

commitment model.<br />

Memorandum (02/01/07 Nb 01/DG/CAR/07) appointing engineer<br />

of UFA 00 004, Arnaud TCHOKOMENI, in charge of the yard<br />

environment.<br />

Letter (11/01/07 nb 00042/L/MINEP/IG/l1) of the Minister of<br />

environment acknowledging receipt of the survey<br />

16 On 16/6/<strong>06</strong>, email to Dr EKOBO ATANGA about EBO park<br />

creation and the big apes protection zone scheme incorporating<br />

UFA 00.004<br />

On 17/10/<strong>06</strong> mail sent to WWF YAOUNDE about the WWF/<strong>TRC</strong><br />

collaboration following EBO park setting up.<br />

Minutes of the 26/10/<strong>06</strong> meeting at the MINFOF Provincial<br />

delegation in DOUALA, with the WWF about poaching in UFA<br />

00.004 and attendance sheet.<br />

Report of the mission carried out in UFA 00 004 by an employee<br />

of the Littoral provincial delegation, a WWF employee and a yard<br />

engineer in order to collect pieces of information concerning<br />

poaching.<br />

Report of the anti-poaching mission carried out in UFA 00 004 by<br />

DOUALA’s MINFOF provincial delegation team, financed by <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

17 Increase of the felling minima diameters for BONGOSSI, “OKAN”<br />

and “TALI”, Tieme WANDERS’ argumentation.<br />

Memorandum (10/10/<strong>06</strong> Nb 45/DSAC/<strong>06</strong>) addressed to the UFA<br />

00.004 exploitation managers, to cutters, prospectors and clerks,<br />

concerning the felling diameters and the list of protected trees.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions<br />

allow full<br />

conformity<br />

The reference<br />

documents were<br />

actually gathered by<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> and are<br />

available. That<br />

documentary CAR is<br />

therefore removed.<br />

To be noted that a<br />

corrective action<br />

request relating to the<br />

bordering zones<br />

(CAR 27) and in<br />

particular those<br />

bordering EBO forest<br />

remains posed.<br />

The elements<br />

provided by <strong>TRC</strong><br />

correspond to the<br />

auditors’ expectations<br />

and allow to improve<br />

the durability of the<br />

resource while<br />

maintaining economic<br />

and forestry viability.<br />

That CAR is therefore<br />

removed.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

10.3.2 - Conformity evaluation of implemented documents or process, refering to<br />

the <strong>FSC</strong> responsible forest management referential<br />

The procedures have been made to comply with numerous points with regard to<br />

the sustainable management referential. It is particularly the case as far as the<br />

working conditions (part of them) are concerned, of in-house and external<br />

consultation, the legality and the documentary bases which have been<br />

implemented. Shortcomings continue at the environmental level and as far as<br />

health and safety at work are concerned.<br />

• Main strong points of the applicant entity for certification<br />

The <strong>TRC</strong> company got involved in an <strong>FSC</strong> certification process and provided<br />

generally well documented answers to recommendations and corrective action<br />

requests (17 major, 17 minor) expressed during the initial audit.<br />

The relationship with the local populations is in general good, with regard to the<br />

recurrence of meetings and trainings carried out those last six months, the<br />

administration takes a benevolent look at the company. The company’s<br />

procedures are generally well adapted, clear and constitute a coherent whole.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 58 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Forestry is today carried out in satisfactory conditions, and the impact of this<br />

exploitation on the environment is minimized by adapted practices and<br />

measures.<br />

• Main weak points of the applicant entity for certification<br />

The company’s social, health and safety conditions at work continue to present<br />

certain nonconformity points (selling prices of medicines to the workers on<br />

forest sites, personnel transport, disciplinary measures according to the<br />

procedure, safety within the factory, CNPS registration, dealing with the<br />

workers’ grievances, and so on).<br />

The zone is of major interest at an ecological level on the worldwilde scale. The<br />

aspects relating to the determination of High Value Forests for conservation,<br />

and the monitoring and analysis work which should be implemented considering<br />

the constitution instance of EBO forest, bordering, are not taken enough into<br />

consideration.<br />

10.3.3 - Elements subjects to controversy which need to be detailed<br />

The results of the present audit have been discussed thoroughly between<br />

<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification and <strong>TRC</strong>. No element being debatable was<br />

mentioned by the audit team.<br />

10.4 - New Correctives Actions Requests resulting from the<br />

Complementary Audit<br />

10.4.1 - Minor Corrective Action Requests<br />

The CAR nb 18 is maintained as minor:<br />

18<br />

Supply the definitive agreement of the constitution<br />

order.<br />

Next Surveillance<br />

audit<br />

2.1, 1.5<br />

Nb<br />

Besides CAR nb 18, 10 new minor corrective action requests are expressed:<br />

Minor corrective actions requested<br />

Realization delay<br />

suggested<br />

Demand Number<br />

37 Structure the management committee 3 months 7.3.3, 8.4, 9.4…<br />

38<br />

39<br />

40<br />

identify, locate and assess the impacts of<br />

nonconformities which can be observed on the cutting<br />

areas prior to 2007. Implement an action scheme<br />

aiming at compensating or softening the identified<br />

impacts and thereby draw a lesson in terms of<br />

procedure.<br />

Complete and improve the protocol of providing food<br />

to the workers and finalize the legal procedures into<br />

setting up the staff store (Labour regulations’<br />

Article78 (2c))<br />

Plan and apply a social policy bearing the workers<br />

and their family’s medical costs (apart from industrial<br />

accidents) The policy set up should be equitable and<br />

fair for all the workers of all the sites.<br />

3 months<br />

2.2.2, 6.1.3, 4.5.3,<br />

5.5.2<br />

3 months 6.2<br />

3 months 4.2<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 59 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

41<br />

42<br />

Set up a system of monitoring and assessment of the<br />

protocols; and thereby draw a lesson in terms of<br />

procedure. Adapt these protocols<br />

protect effectively the concession from illegal<br />

activities and poaching.<br />

3 months 8.1.5<br />

3 months 1.5.1; 1.5.2<br />

43 Plan a consulted action scheme of the <strong>TRC</strong>/FFC. 3 months 5.4<br />

44 maintain the HIV Aids fighting committee active 3 months 4.2<br />

45 use the updated compensation scale. 3 months 4.5<br />

46<br />

take appropriate measures to ensure hygiene, safety<br />

and cleanliness of the activities taking place outside<br />

the sawmill (cantine, waste management, safety of<br />

the people walking on the site)<br />

Comments concerning the minor CAR:<br />

3 months 4.2<br />

CAR nb 18: That corrective action request will continue as long as the definitive<br />

agreement is not issued to the entity. Nevertheless, it is common knowledge<br />

that the issue of that document is most of the time a long formality in Cameroon.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> displayed its willingness by writing officially to the Minister, and cannot do<br />

anything else to speed up the procedure.<br />

CAR nb 37: It is essential that <strong>TRC</strong> has in-house knowledge and know-how<br />

which will be constituted to acquire the quality level needed to be granted the<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> label. The Form international, WWF and all the service providers’ actions<br />

should be capitalized and an in-house appropriation should be carried out.<br />

It is therefore essential that the <strong>TRC</strong> team were strengthened, and that a<br />

national engineering pool capable of taking in charge in due time the monitoring<br />

of these works was constituted. The responsibilities of each one at the level of<br />

that committee should be clearly established (for example in the form of detailed<br />

post sheets).<br />

CAR nb 38: With regard to the procedure manual recommendations, the former<br />

cutting areas are characterized by numerous nonconformity points. Without<br />

being exhaustive, the following points were observed:<br />

- Point 744. Roads construction:<br />

The network setting up is not optimized, in particular in the first cutting<br />

areas,<br />

The widths of the main and minor tracks are sometimes bigger than<br />

recommended,<br />

The opening of the main track generated very big embankment slopes,<br />

not consolidated at present and which are source of erosion,<br />

- Point 746. Felling and forwarding<br />

The low impact felling technique was only partially implemented, the<br />

felling gaps being sometimes very big,<br />

Certain timber felled in too humid zones were abandonned in the cutting<br />

area,<br />

Dykes were constructed in humid zones. These dykes have only been<br />

partially reopened after exploitation.<br />

These nonconformities are obviously linked to the novelty of the certification<br />

process which started during the first months of year 20<strong>06</strong>. At the time of these<br />

cutting areas exploitation, although the process was already in progress within<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 60 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

the company, its operational application and its appropriation by the personnel<br />

on field were not yet completed.<br />

It is suggested that an environmental survey should be carried out with<br />

hindsight on all the former cutting areas. That survey will aim at:<br />

- identifying all the nonconformity points with regard to the procedure manual<br />

in force,<br />

- suggesting solution elements aiming at suppressing, softening or<br />

compensating the negative impacts on the environment,<br />

- setting up an action scheme backed up by figures and a schedule of works<br />

aiming at implementing suggested solutions.<br />

CAR nb 39: A staff store implementation is a legal requirement of Cameroonian<br />

labour laws. There is a staff store at Ndokagnak <strong>TRC</strong> forest base, however the<br />

conditions of goods supply are not sufficient. There is no precise schedule for<br />

supplies. These latter are based rather on the pay and two-weeks’ pay periods<br />

which vary whereas the working class and their family consumption rhythm<br />

remains constant. We noted that during our visit the freezers installed for<br />

preserving fresh goods were practically empty (no fish, no meat).<br />

On the other hand, fresh goods, when bought in Douala are not transported in<br />

appropriate conditions. The duration of the journey between the purchase in<br />

Douala and the staff store does not allow better preserving of these goods in<br />

the absence of suitable preserving means (cold chain notion).<br />

We noted the absence of a surveillance committee elected by the workers,<br />

committee having to monitor the staff store accounts as stipulated by labour<br />

regulations art. 78c.<br />

Moreover, we noted that the goods are actually sold at cost price (Douala’s<br />

market), the workers are creditworthy, which could be a reason to increase the<br />

stocks according to the needs.<br />

It is therefore important that <strong>TRC</strong> sees to the full respect of the labour<br />

regulations articles relating to the staff stores, as well as to the improvement of<br />

the management and transport of fresh goods and frozen food.<br />

CAR nb 40: The forestry management operations should meet or go beyond<br />

the demands of the laws and other applicable regulations in matter of health<br />

and safety of the employees and their family: <strong>TRC</strong> should therefore set up an<br />

equitable and fair policy to allow equal medical access to everybody.<br />

Ndokagnak’s <strong>TRC</strong> site infirmary visit allows to note that the prices of the<br />

medicines sold to the workers are high, compared to the prices at the level of<br />

the pharmacies in Douala (actually, the supply of medicines at sites level is<br />

ensured by Dr TEKAM’s clinic, whereas the agreement made between<br />

Koumassi’s Clinic (Olympe’s Health centre) and the <strong>TRC</strong> company does not<br />

plan formally a clause on that subject): The guarantees obtained concerning the<br />

origin and the quality of the medicines have as a consequence an increase in<br />

the price of the aforementioned medicines and that additional cost is particularly<br />

distinct at the infirmaries on forestry sites.<br />

Moreover, no specification is made about the company’s own responsibility and<br />

efforts to reduce the prices for the workers. Belonging to an equal socioprofessional<br />

group within the same company, Ndokagnak’s <strong>TRC</strong> site workers<br />

and possibly workers from other forest yard sites are penalized by such a<br />

system. That problem may lead as a pernicious effect to the use of medicines<br />

bought through other means, and therefore potentially adulterated.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 61 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> should work in order that all the salaried employees and their families have<br />

access to medical care in favourable conditions of safety, and cost too, for<br />

example by taking directly care of all or part of the expenses resulting from the<br />

clinic.<br />

CAR nb 41: The procedures set up for the certification are in essence<br />

perfectible. It is therefore useful that <strong>TRC</strong> should set a regular monitoring<br />

system of those procedures, to check that they are well adapted, applied<br />

intelligently and meet as best as possible the field realities. For example, the<br />

tree marking of the stems of the future is as such a very good operation,<br />

because it contributes to the sustainability of the resource. However, while<br />

wanting to avoid a maximum of stems of the future, the cable skidder drivers<br />

sometimes extend considerably the forwarding tracks routes, which obviously<br />

constitutes a pernicious effect. (There are other examples in which custom will<br />

allow an adaptation of the procedure)<br />

It consists for the company in designing, for each protocol, an assessment tool<br />

allowing to define and implement corrective actions aiming at improving the<br />

protocols and adapting in them the field practices.<br />

CAR nb 42: The boundary surveillance protocols are not sufficient with regard<br />

to the threats which weigh on the zone (illegal timber cutting, and mostly<br />

poaching). The local populations should be involved in boundaries recognition,<br />

however they are probably not the best actors to carry out the surveillance,<br />

because they are most certainly involved themselves in the possible offences<br />

that they would have to note.<br />

Our <strong>report</strong>s on field (riparian villages- the UFA North-East sides, North and<br />

West sides) allow us to testify to the increase in poaching at the UFA level.<br />

Awareness sessions were carried out by the company through many meetings<br />

with the forests farmers committees (FFC), however there is cause for stressing<br />

upon the fact that awareness alone is not sufficient to divert the communities<br />

from that unique activity (great source of income) very much anchored in the<br />

UFA zone at present.<br />

On the UFA Western side (Yingui Iboti axis), the remarks and interviews<br />

conducted with the county authorities as well as the riparian communities testify<br />

that small-scale sawing is significant and constitutes a threat to the UFA’s<br />

ligneous resource protection.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> should therefore get more strongly involved to control its boundaries, set a<br />

regular monitor procedure at a reasonable rhythm by a halogen officer (i.e. not<br />

coming from or not linked to the local populations)<br />

CAR nb 43: In answer to the major CAR nb 7, the <strong>TRC</strong> company defined a<br />

scheme of awareness and reinforcement of the communities’ capacities<br />

(through forests farmers committees) of identifying and carrying out microschemes<br />

which generate incomes. It consists in time through these actions, in<br />

diverting the UFA riparian communities from commercial hunting and poaching,<br />

their main sources of income in the zone up to now.<br />

We checked that the actions of capacity reinforcement were actually carried out,<br />

even if these actions only saw a very limited participation of forests farmers<br />

committee members (who were supposed to duplicate the trainings at the level<br />

of their respective communities) they are not sufficient to divert the communities<br />

from commercial traditional hunting.<br />

The training steps should be followed by implementing concrete schemes<br />

according to a defined and concerted schedule with the communities.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 62 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR nb 44: The HIV committee is an interesting initiative, which however is<br />

difficult to judge because it has for the time being an impact value only. That<br />

initiative should therefore take shape quickly and on a permanent basis to meet<br />

the requirements of the CAR issued during the initial audit, on the international<br />

requirements basis.<br />

CAR nb 45: A compensation scale of damage done to the crops by reason of<br />

<strong>public</strong> benefit was published by the MINFOF in 2002. Yet the <strong>TRC</strong> procedures<br />

are based on the 1981 scale, manifestly obsolete.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> should therefore replace the basic scale, while giving space for<br />

consultation and arbitration in the resolution of conflicts linked to crop<br />

destruction.<br />

CAR nb 46: The <strong>TRC</strong> factory is very old. A scheme of site relocation and<br />

creation of a new processing unit on an adpated site is making good progress<br />

and should see the light within 2 years. Yet, realistic adaptations in accordance<br />

with the <strong>FSC</strong> requirements must be carried out on the present factory.<br />

In particular, <strong>TRC</strong> cannot clear itself of responsibility on the additional activities<br />

which are undertaken outside the factory compound. The edgings are<br />

transported outside that compound and are straight away shared in utter chaos<br />

to supply the unofficial market.<br />

Moreover, pedestrians carry on walking and children carry on playing on the<br />

stock yard in the vicinity of the <strong>TRC</strong> compound, between the long poles and<br />

vehicles, with permanent risks of accident.<br />

The workers’ "canteen meals" prepared at the formers’ own expenses by village<br />

women who come every lunch and dinner time to feed the workers should<br />

benefit too, according to the workers’ representatives, from a surveillance and a<br />

support from <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

Generally, the present impression is that <strong>TRC</strong> does not fully take its<br />

responsibilities on what takes place outside its compound.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> should therefore take in charge with more attention the activities that result<br />

from its production and take place just nearby its compound and its timber yard.<br />

10.4.2 - Major Corrective Action Requests<br />

Minor CARs 27 and 34 are reconsidered as major, and CARs 4, 10 and 14 are<br />

maintained.<br />

4<br />

10<br />

14<br />

27<br />

Make <strong>public</strong> a MS summary presenting the guidelines<br />

linked to <strong>FSC</strong>.<br />

Make sure that all the contributors within the <strong>TRC</strong> process<br />

wear appropriate and well-maintained safety and working<br />

equipments; see that these equipments are worn and<br />

used correctly.<br />

Set up procedures allowing to treat in a transparent and<br />

objective manner the problems presented by the<br />

personnel.<br />

Take into consideration the bordering zones constitution<br />

schemes and draw the consequences in terms of<br />

exploitation.<br />

3 months<br />

3 months<br />

3 months 4.3 4.4<br />

3 months 6.2.5 9.4<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 63 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

34<br />

On the basis of the grid set in the procedures manual,<br />

bring out the characteristics of the HVFC specific to the<br />

UFA. Detail the adapted measures planned by the<br />

company.<br />

3 months<br />

9.1.2 9.3 9.1.1<br />

5.4.2<br />

Nb<br />

In addition to these CARs, 2 new major corrective action requests are<br />

expressed:<br />

Major corrective actions requested<br />

Realization delay<br />

suggested<br />

Demand Number<br />

35 Make the workers’ mode of transport on site more secure. 2 months 4.2<br />

36<br />

formalize, communicate (to all the stakeholders) and<br />

implement a procedure aiming at making the evacuation<br />

of the injured between the operational sites, the bases<br />

and the hospital more secure.<br />

Comments concerning the major CARs:<br />

2 months<br />

CAR nb 4: A confusion remains between the management scheme <strong>public</strong><br />

summary which is the summary of the administrative document, and the<br />

certification procedures which are the <strong>TRC</strong> practices.<br />

To avoid that confusion, <strong>TRC</strong> will publish a <strong>public</strong> summary document which will<br />

take up the MS general data as it is applied on field (with the <strong>FSC</strong> guidelines<br />

and the elements listed in criterion 7.1). That document will invalidate and<br />

replace the former already distributed. The integration of the yearly monitoring<br />

elements should be planned too (see criterion 8.5). (CORRECTIVE ACTION<br />

REQUEST MAINTAINED).<br />

CAR nb 10: Certain shortcomings endure:<br />

- At the sawmill, gloves are not systematically worn<br />

- Vehicle drivers in forest and cutters’ helpers should wear hearing protections<br />

- The employee in charge of the phytosanitary treatment should know the<br />

replacement conditions of his protection mask filter.<br />

- The back-up warning alarms do not function on certain vehicles in the<br />

factory.<br />

The age of the <strong>TRC</strong> factory, and the fact that a factory scheme has been<br />

already elaborated, cannot be a reason to tolerate significant differences at the<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> referential level. The company should therefore see to personnel safety<br />

and comfort, when the equipment is worn out, old, and sometimes obsolete.<br />

In a state of transition, and pending the replacement of the most dangerous<br />

machines, one should see to equip the most dangerous machines (jointers,<br />

secondary breakdown machines) with adapted protections.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> should see to make up for the shortcomings concerning wearing adapted<br />

equipment and, more generally, personnel safety in forest in factory.<br />

CAR nb 14: Strictly implement the procedures in social matters. Following<br />

difficulties which are, it seems, linked to the Administration, 21% of the<br />

registration requests to the CNPS are not yet submitted (or were submitted<br />

once and have to be submitted again, following requests of complementary<br />

pieces of information by the Administration). On UFA 004, that figure reaches<br />

36%. That question is very sensitive within the personnel who do not distinguish<br />

the responsibilities, however they note that in the end, many salaried<br />

employees still do not benefit from social security cover.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 64 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

The surveys carried out among the workers' representatives show that<br />

progresses remain to be made to implement procedures of resolution of<br />

conflicts (no systematic answer to grievances).<br />

One still notes problems of application of disciplinary procedures (SEE in-house<br />

audit). A reminder in that direction should therefore be made to all the<br />

concerned people.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> should see to the full and entire implementation of its certification protocols<br />

relating to social points.<br />

CAR nb 27: Generally, several surveys testify to the biological wealth of the<br />

forests located South of UFA 00-004. That diagnostic was recently reinforced by<br />

the discovery of a large population of gorillas in the Békop sector which,<br />

according to the available pieces of information would belong to the subspecies<br />

called “River Cross”, which as far as biodiversity is concerned, constitutes a<br />

remarkable distinctive characteristic. The biological quality of the forests and the<br />

need to protect them as they are faced with increasing anthropic pressure<br />

exerted on them logically led the MINFOF to suggest the creation of a National<br />

Park in Ebo Forest. Following the emergence of sharp contentions from one<br />

part of the local populations, that scheme is presently in the process of being<br />

negociated between the different stakeholders.<br />

UFA 0<strong>06</strong>004 being in direct contact with the clump concerned by the<br />

constitution scheme, it is evident that it has a strategic importance with regard<br />

to the protection of genetic influxes at the natural zone scale.<br />

The field observation and the consultation of the available documents testify to<br />

the presence in the UFA of emblematic species, of high patrimonial value<br />

protected on the international scale, as the chimpanzee or the elephant. As far<br />

as the gorilla is concerned the data seem contradictory:<br />

- the presence of the species appears in the 2005 WWF inventory and in the<br />

impact survey on the environment, however the ICK are not defined in the<br />

fauna survey and its presence is surprisingly enough not repeated in the<br />

procedure manual,<br />

- if certain pieces of field information (collected among the hunters) seem to<br />

confirm the gorilla’s presence in the UFA, others deny it.<br />

Generally, it seems that the importance of the forest zones covered by the UFA<br />

as:<br />

- potential habitat for remarkable species,<br />

- influx and genetic intermixing zone,<br />

- strategic zone for the general functioning of the forest ecosystem,<br />

- buffer zone to a national park,<br />

was not surveyed enough and obviously underestimated.<br />

It is suggested that a procedure should be set and implemented in order to:<br />

- complete fauna knowledge on the UFA,<br />

- identify the strategic zones with regard to maintaining influx of migratory<br />

animals and to integrate them in the HVFC approach,<br />

- set a device of monitoring/assessment of habitats quality in the UFA with<br />

regard to maintaining biodiversity and the amount of emblematic species it<br />

can shelter.<br />

CAR nb 34: The established document, concerning High Value Forests for<br />

Conservation remains insufficient, in particular, the attributes remain defined too<br />

vaguely, while defining, within the scope of a standard table the different High<br />

Value Forests, the attributes of these values and the measures taken to protect<br />

them.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 65 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

That table was established on the basis of PROFOREST’s works, on the basis<br />

of and in answer to the first corrective action request put to <strong>TRC</strong> on that subject.<br />

The shortcomings noted concern several points:<br />

- <strong>TRC</strong> did not consult enough (local and international NGO in particular) for<br />

validation of the work carried out (or did not provide proof for that<br />

consultation).<br />

- <strong>TRC</strong> should start, in consultation with representatives of the populations,<br />

schemes of identification, assessment, inventory and conservation of<br />

resource species for the population (Non Ligneous By-Products), draw from<br />

them a forestry and/or picking development strategy.<br />

- Where high values are identified, they should deserve to be so in a more<br />

explicit manner and according to more extensive criteria (altitude, slope,<br />

proximity to watercourses, proximity to protected area - Ebo Park).<br />

Identification of the conservation attributes should be carried out in<br />

consultation with all the stakeholders.<br />

- One can even, in certain repects, doubt about the validity of the HVFC<br />

choices carried out by FORM International and about the existence of<br />

motivations for setting up a reserve (barren rocky zone in particular): That<br />

last point is not well brought to light in the document established by Form<br />

International for <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

- A list of protected species and species voluntarily unexploited and protected<br />

by <strong>TRC</strong> on its concession was drawn up, however the prospectors must be<br />

trained in the recognition of protected species and a specific procedure for<br />

locating these plants must be elaborated.<br />

- The bibliographical aids serving as proof of assertions carried out in the<br />

document (scientific surveys, theses, and so on) should be quoted and<br />

extracts appended to the document.<br />

- The HVFC survey could detail the procedure for the determination, the<br />

location and the measures of conservation taken concerning the cultural<br />

sites and places of worship, which were identified through interviewing<br />

populations of the concerned villages.<br />

- Generally, the presentation of the documents should be more attractive, to<br />

be a first choice communication medium (to be put on line).<br />

- The work started within the scope of CAR 27 should be partly taken up in<br />

that CAR.<br />

CAR nb 35: The workers are still transported from their place of residence to<br />

the base and from the base to the yard in the <strong>TRC</strong> skips and pick-up vans, with<br />

no safety or comfort measures. The vehicles transporting the personnel on site<br />

(living base and exploitation yard) are inappropriate. The dump trucks equipped<br />

with vessels to transport and supply the machines with fuel. The workers<br />

transported sit on the vessel which is leaking fuel.<br />

These transport conditions with great hazards (numerous fatal accidents known<br />

in other companies) cannot be tolerated within the scope of <strong>FSC</strong>, where “Forest<br />

management operations should meet or go beyong the requirements of law or<br />

other regulations applicable as far as employees and their family’s health and<br />

safety are concerned”. (Criterion 4.2).<br />

Therefore, it is imperative that these transport conditions should be made safer<br />

and more comfortable for the personnel: seats, crushproof safety bonnet and<br />

tarpaulins and systematic respect of the number of transportable passengers<br />

are imperative. The company should for example be equipped with converted<br />

military skips, or even equip its own vehicles. These skips should be, from then<br />

on, only dedicated to personnel transport.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 66 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR nb 36: The company should see to ensure the evacuation conditions<br />

within satisfactory time and in decent conditions of comfort and safety from all<br />

the sites (zones in the process of being exploited, reprocessing yard, and so<br />

on). At any time, an adapted means should therefore be planned to evacuate<br />

possible injured from the exploited site to the base (vehicles ready to intervene<br />

at any moment), then from the base to the clinic. These measures should, of<br />

course, be subjected to adapted protocols.<br />

There is no clearly defined procedure for an evacuation of the injured in case of<br />

emergency. The medical personnel on the sites do not master the steps to<br />

follow in case of emergency. The certification procedure (version 8) exclusively<br />

tells at paragraph 8.2.8 of people to contact with their phone numbers, however<br />

no mention is made concerning either the management of the injured person<br />

from the forest yard (place of accident) to the infirmary, or the evacuation<br />

means, or the intervention of the workers trained for first aid gestures before the<br />

intervention of a male nurse. The evacuation vehicles of the seriously injured<br />

should be equipped with stretchers. The procedure to be devised should clearly<br />

indicate the steps to follow and the necessary means to manage it.<br />

Finally that procedure should be largely spread among the stakeholders for a<br />

better appropriation.<br />

The workers are not satisfied with TEKAM clinic service: according to them, the<br />

death of one of them (systematic team) at the level of the South West <strong>TRC</strong> site<br />

casts doubt concerning the responsibility of the clinic, hence a general<br />

uneasiness which could be source of conflicts.<br />

The agreement plans at the date of the signature (March 2004) two hours per<br />

day for a number of 250 workers, however does not plan putting male nurses at<br />

disposal on the <strong>TRC</strong> sites. That agreement should be reviewed to include the<br />

supply conditions of medicines to the workers, putting at disposal medical<br />

personnel meeting the requirements prescribed by Cameroonian labour<br />

regulations considering the growth of the numbers of workers on the <strong>TRC</strong> sites.<br />

10.5 - Scope retained for the certification<br />

10.5.1 - Geographical limitation at the level of the entity<br />

The certification applies to all UFA 00-004.<br />

10.5.2 - Limitation at the level of the forest products<br />

All timber forest products declared exploited on UFA 00-004.<br />

10.6 - Proposals regarding the certification decision<br />

10.6.1 - Explication on all rating, weighting systems or other systems used<br />

decisions taking<br />

No notation system was used to weight the referential criteria and requirements,<br />

each criterion of the referential having to be met by the forest entity. A<br />

nonconformity is therefore expressed at the level of a criterion, the former is<br />

noted when:<br />

- more than a third of the criterion indicators are not met;<br />

- or the audit team considers that noted failure(s) to meet indicator(s) lead(s)<br />

to a criterion not being met.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 67 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

10.6.2 - Clear description of all recommendations and conditions associated to<br />

the certification decision<br />

That audit only concerned the forest management part. However, points<br />

concerning the timber monitoring chain were tackled.<br />

Within the scope of forest products traceability guarantee and the possibility to<br />

produce mixed or pure <strong>FSC</strong> timber, corrective action requests relating to the<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> COC certificate were removed. Although these elements are not subjected<br />

to a distinct <strong>report</strong>, it should be agreed to take them up again during the next<br />

Monitoring chain complementary audit, which should be subjected to a specific<br />

<strong>report</strong>. These CARs should then be taken up again, as well as those expressed<br />

in the initial audit <strong>report</strong>:<br />

Status<br />

Major<br />

Minor<br />

Minor<br />

Corrective actions<br />

requested<br />

Check that the OLB timber and<br />

declared as “Controlled timber”<br />

really comply with<br />

40 005 referential<br />

Get supplies of <strong>FSC</strong> products and<br />

generate <strong>FSC</strong> products<br />

Improve volume credit<br />

management procedures<br />

Comments<br />

define high value attributes for conservation of each of<br />

the UFAs, prove that they are not endangered by<br />

forestry for the UFAs exploited by the company.<br />

Formulate a commitment to complete respect of<br />

40 005 standard, set up the checking scheme, train<br />

the concerned people - In case of Controlled timber<br />

not used, plan real adapted and complete traceability<br />

measures.<br />

define product groups according to the <strong>FSC</strong> 40 004.<br />

Formulate and issue a monitoring procedure of the<br />

<strong>FSC</strong>/Monitored/Not monitored character.<br />

10.6.3 - Conclusion of the audit team<br />

The entity did not reach the required conformity level and should therefore be<br />

subjected to a new complementary audit.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 68 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

11 - Complementary audit n° 2<br />

11.1 - Base of evaluation<br />

11.1.1 - Audit team composition<br />

Lead auditor: -<br />

Auditors:<br />

Forest auditor specialized in management and forestry,<br />

Auditor in traceability and in forest management,<br />

forest expert, independent consultant.<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in environment and social<br />

aspects, qualified <strong>FSC</strong> forest management and CoC<br />

auditor on behalf of <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> certification,<br />

specialized in social and environmental themes,<br />

salaried employee of <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Douala.<br />

- Forest auditor specialized in management and<br />

forest exploitation, <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong>, qualified Forest<br />

Management and monitoring chain auditor on behalf<br />

of <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification - Eurocertifor, Africa<br />

Zone Manager for <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Douala, ESB<br />

engineer.<br />

During that audit, the tasks were shared out as follows:<br />

- social aspects analysis relationship with the populations and personnel in<br />

part: Erith NGATCHOU TOWO<br />

- analysis of forest management, working conditions, environment, fauna and<br />

HVFC aspects: Caroline DUHESME & Alain VALETTE<br />

11.1.2 - Referentiel used<br />

For the initial and complementary audits, the verification list was referred to (ref.<br />

SF<strong>03</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> GF Cameroon 1.3 version) from the referential of <strong>FSC</strong> forest<br />

management adapted to Cameroon (Ref. RF<strong>03</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> GF Cameroon version<br />

1.3).<br />

11.2 - Information collecting modalities<br />

11.2.1 - Description of the audit programme<br />

Sunday, 18 th November 2007<br />

Douala Afternoon - 18.30: Opening meeting (in presence of:<br />

- Mister REEF, REEF HOUT B.V Manager.<br />

- Mister QUARESMA, <strong>TRC</strong> Executive Officer<br />

- Mister Jacques HULEUX, Management committee<br />

manager<br />

- Mister Tieme WANDERS, FORM INTERNATIONAL<br />

- Mrs Eléonore SCHMIDT, international consultant<br />

- 20.00: Meeting between auditors: documentary survey,<br />

preparation of the actions to be carried out by each one<br />

during the field visits.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 69 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Monday, 19th November 2007<br />

<strong>TRC</strong><br />

UFA 00 004<br />

Morning<br />

AV + CD + EN<br />

Afternoon<br />

EN<br />

CD + AV:<br />

CD +AV + EN<br />

- 05.00: Departure for UFA 00 004 (about 3 hours)<br />

- 08.00: Arrival on the UFA site:<br />

- Former exploitation visit (post exploitation operation,<br />

rehabilitation of the damaged sites -)<br />

- 14.00: Interview with Yingui's Sub-prefect and Mayor<br />

and visit of Yingui’s DHC.<br />

- 15.30: Visit of the riparian villages (main Mossé - Yingui<br />

road).<br />

- 17.00: Back in Ndokagnak<br />

- 15.30: Visit of Ndokagnak <strong>TRC</strong> base (Staff store,<br />

Infirmary)<br />

- 14.00: Meeting with the <strong>TRC</strong> certification manager:<br />

presentation of the responses to the CARs formulated<br />

during the latest <strong>FSC</strong> complementary audit<br />

- Documentary survey of the protocol, responses<br />

documents to the CARs (surveys, <strong>report</strong>, procedures -)<br />

- 17.00: Meeting between auditors: complementary<br />

documentary survey, preparation of the actions to be<br />

carried out by each one during the next field visits.<br />

Tuesday, 20th November 2007<br />

<strong>TRC</strong><br />

UFA 00 004<br />

Day<br />

AV + CD<br />

Day<br />

EN<br />

- 07.30: Departure for UFA 00 004<br />

- <strong>09</strong>.00: Forest base visit (waste management, ambulance,<br />

safety)<br />

- Visit of the exploitation, emergency evacuation procedure<br />

control<br />

- Recent post exploitation visit: watercourses clearing,<br />

respect of post exploitation control recommendations<br />

- 17.00: Departure for Douala<br />

- 20.30: Arrival at Douala<br />

- 07.30: Visit of the riparian villages - main Mossé - Yingui<br />

road (continued).<br />

- 10.00: Departure for Nkondjock<br />

- 15.00: Arrival at Nkondjock - Working session with the<br />

FFC of the zone from Nkondjock at Nkondjock.<br />

- 17.00: Departure for Bafang<br />

- 18.30: Night in Bafang<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 70 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Wednesday, 21st November 2007<br />

<strong>TRC</strong><br />

Douala<br />

Day<br />

AV + CD<br />

- 8.00: Visit of Douala’s industrial sites<br />

- meeting with the traceability manager and Douala’s<br />

sawmill manager: collecting pieces of information on the<br />

processing monitoring<br />

- site visit (AV: Ndokbong, CD: IZ: “Industrial Zone”) and<br />

interview of the personnel (respect and knowledge of the<br />

monitoring chain procedures, assessment of the critical<br />

monitoring points -)<br />

- 12.00: ratification meeting with Douala’s sawmill<br />

manager: collecting complementary pieces of information<br />

- 14.30: visit of Bonaberi’s processing site<br />

- 18.00: Auditors working session<br />

- Complementary documentary review<br />

<strong>TRC</strong><br />

UFA 00 004<br />

Day<br />

EN<br />

- 05.00: Departure for Ndockbassaben<br />

- <strong>09</strong>.00: Arrival at Ndockbassaben - Working session with<br />

nb 3 FFC<br />

- 11.00: Departure from Ndockbassaben for Nyokon<br />

- 13.30: Arrival at Nyokon - Working session with Nyokon’s<br />

FFC.<br />

- 15.00: Departure from Nyokon for Douala<br />

- 19.30: Arrival at Douala<br />

Thursday, 22nd November 2007<br />

<strong>TRC</strong><br />

Douala<br />

Morning<br />

AV + CD<br />

Afternoon<br />

AV + CD + EN<br />

- <strong>09</strong>.00: Auditors’ summary meeting: complete the<br />

checking lists, elaborate the first results and identify the<br />

complementary pieces of information to be collected.<br />

- 11.30: Appointment with Dr Atanga (WWF)<br />

- 14.30: collecting complementary pieces of information<br />

- 15.00: Appointment with Dr Peguy<br />

- 16.00: Appointment with Mr Boukong<br />

- 17.00: collecting complementary pieces of information<br />

- By: interviewing Misters Okon, Effala, and the sociologist<br />

for the social aspects<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 71 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Friday, 23rd November 2007<br />

<strong>TRC</strong><br />

Douala<br />

Morning<br />

Afternoon<br />

- 08.00: Meeting between auditors: assess the response to<br />

Corrective Actions Requests expressed previously, rule<br />

on the closure or the persistence of the previous CARs<br />

and define possible new CARs<br />

- 14.30: Reconstruction and closing meeting of the <strong>FSC</strong><br />

complementary audit<br />

- 17.00: signature of the documents<br />

- 17.30: End of the complementary audit<br />

11.2.2 - Documents review<br />

All the documents collected and the works carried out by the company were<br />

surveyed by the audit team: new procedures, organization charts, official mails<br />

and independent experts’ <strong>report</strong>s were monitored and their application tested on<br />

field. It was also checked that the documents had been transmitted to the<br />

stakeholders (forest farmers committees), and that the documents were<br />

subjected to an appropriate communication allowing their application.<br />

The table below lists the documentary pieces provided by the applicant<br />

company<br />

Piece nb CAR N° Identification of the analysed piece.<br />

1 4 Updating of the complementary <strong>public</strong> document to <strong>FSC</strong> guidelines and<br />

management scheme summary<br />

2 4 <strong>FSC</strong> guidelines management scheme summary<br />

3 4 Updating of the complementary <strong>public</strong> document to <strong>FSC</strong> guidelines and<br />

management scheme summary for UFA 00 004<br />

4 10 <strong>TRC</strong> health safety charter<br />

5 10 Training on safety and IPE wearing<br />

6 10 Memorandum concerning IPE wearing 30/DG/CAR/O7<br />

7 14 Training of the management executives IFC Company<br />

8 14 CNPS registrations monitoring<br />

9 14 Nb 45/SP/DG/07 memorandum<br />

Concerns: Handling of personnel’s grievances.<br />

10 18 MINFOF mail to <strong>TRC</strong> concerning the UFA 00004’s Constitution testifying<br />

that UFA00 004’s constitution process is finished on field and the relative<br />

file follows the statutory procedure in force.<br />

11 27 Survey On the Faunistic Potentiality of UFA 00-004 Centre and Littoral<br />

Province, Cameroon October 2007 Dr Atanga EKOBO (WWF) Financed<br />

by Transformation Reef Cameroon (<strong>TRC</strong>) and WWF<br />

12 27 Survey on big mammals in Yearly Cutting Area 1- 4 of UFA 00-004<br />

Littoral Province, Cameroon September 2007 Dr Atanga EKOBO<br />

13 34 High Value Forests for Conservation within UFA 00-004 Douala, October<br />

2007<br />

14 34 Transmission of HVFC file to Dr G. Péguy TCHOUTO MBA TCHOU<br />

National School of Forestry BP 69 MBALMA YO CAMEROUN<br />

15 35 Personnel transport procedure (text and photos)<br />

16 36 First-aid training by social protection centre: marking sheets of the<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 72 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Piece nb CAR N° Identification of the analysed piece.<br />

trained personnel<br />

17 36 NB 53 CAR/DG/O7 MEMORANDUM concerning the ambulance<br />

18 36 Evacuation procedure in case of emergency<br />

19 36 Procedure of use for the ambulance<br />

20 37 Management committee posts description<br />

20 bis 37 Management committee organization chart<br />

21 37 Management committee personnels’ trainings <strong>report</strong><br />

22 38 Post exploitation operations procedure<br />

23 38 Protection of the soils in UFA 00 004. BOUKONG Alexis<br />

24 38 Post exploitation audit <strong>report</strong>: example<br />

25 38 Minutes of reconstruction meeting post exploitation audit <strong>report</strong> in the 1-2<br />

and 1-3 AAC of ufa 00-004<br />

26 39 Mail to Mister the Departemental Representative of Work and National<br />

Health Security<br />

of NKAM in YABASSI Subject: Staff store opening declaration<br />

27 39 Staff store management procedure<br />

28 40 agreement of visits and care between YINGUI's District Health Centre<br />

and the T.R.C Company.<br />

29 40 Ways of access procedure to medical care at Yingui’s DHC<br />

30 40 Nb SI/DGICAR/SP/07 memorandum concerning access to medical care<br />

and the appointment of Miss Pauline ZEH MBIAM, social worker<br />

31 40 Report on the renovation of Yingui’s care centre<br />

32 41 In-house audit procedures<br />

33 41 Monitoring of in-house audit results<br />

34 42 FGF financing agreement for the scheme set up by <strong>TRC</strong> to involve the<br />

local populations. The main objective of that project is to manage in a<br />

sustainable way the faunistic resources of UFA 00-004 and<br />

surrounding forests to its ecosystem.<br />

35 42 The UFA’s boundaries monitoring procedure<br />

36 42 The socioeconomic alternatives to poaching in the (“unité forestière<br />

d’aménagement”) (ufa) forest management unit of the <strong>TRC</strong> forestry<br />

company by Benjamin Ngonde, Christine Nkene Anjembe and Patrice<br />

Bigombe Logo (“cerad”) <strong>report</strong> complete survey<br />

37 42 Local strategy of anti-poaching fight in the ebo zone (ufa 00-004 and Ebo<br />

national park) (wwf)<br />

38 43 Action scheme assessment with the FFC<br />

39 43 Letters sent to the Mayors concerning AFR (Annual Forest Royalty)<br />

payment and the actions relating to it<br />

40 43 Report concerning the micro-schemes started with the FFCs<br />

41 43 Action scheme with the FFCs second phase<br />

42 43 Transmission mail of above document.<br />

43 44 Nb 50/DG/CAR/SP/07 MEMORANDUM relating to educative peers’<br />

training as far as fight against AIDS is concerned<br />

44 44 HIV AIDS committee action scheme<br />

45 45 New compensation scale of damage to crops<br />

46 45 Compensation procedure of damage to crops<br />

11.2.3 - Intervention scope<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 73 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

That complementary audit took place within the scope of corrective actions<br />

checking set by the <strong>TRC</strong> company following the complementary audit dating<br />

from 20th January 2007 In accordance with uses, the work concentrated itself<br />

on the CAR resolution in progress, without limitation in the case of new<br />

nonconformities apparition or aspects not treated previously.and which could<br />

have been subjected to nonconformities.<br />

11.2.4 - Interview(s) of involved people met<br />

- Owner<br />

The State representatives having been met during the previous complementary<br />

audit, (and their opinion of the company being positive) were not contacted<br />

during that audit<br />

- Manager(s)<br />

The interviews concerned the members of the <strong>TRC</strong> DOUALA company; in<br />

particular the following people within the management:<br />

- Mister REEF, REEF HOUT B.V Manager.<br />

- Mister QUARESMA, <strong>TRC</strong> Executive Officer<br />

- Mister EFFALLA, Assistant executive Officer<br />

- Mister Jacques HULEUX, Management committee manager<br />

- Mister Tieme WANDERS, FORM INTERNATIONAL<br />

- Mrs Eléonore SCHMIDT, international consultant<br />

- Mr Eric SPRANGERS, <strong>TRC</strong> Finance and accounting manager<br />

- Mr Gilbert OKON II, Human Resources Manager<br />

- Mister William WAINFOIN LAWYER, <strong>TRC</strong> in-house audits manager<br />

- Arnaud TCHOKOMENI, UFA 00 004 yard engineer<br />

- Pauline ZEH-MBIAM Social Manager<br />

- Inoussa NJUMBOKET Socioeconomic Manager<br />

- Employee(s)<br />

Many employees were interviewed during that audit, at all the key posts of <strong>FSC</strong><br />

process: cutters, technicians, personnel in charge of social and health issues,<br />

ambulance driver, first-aid worker -<br />

- Subcontractor(s)<br />

No subcontractor was interviewed insofar as the corrective actions requests did<br />

not concern the subcontractors<br />

11.2.5 - On-site visit(s)<br />

The UFA 00 004 site was tackled according to different points by the audit team<br />

members:<br />

- Visit of the surrounding villages and included in the UFA, meeting with the<br />

Farmers Forest Committees (FFC) by the auditor specifically in charge of<br />

that point.<br />

- Visit of riparian villages<br />

- Visit of the cutting area in progress (survey on working and emergency<br />

conditions, environmental audit of recent exploitations consequences on<br />

steep slope)<br />

- Visit of Ndockagnak base camp (welcome and transport conditions, staff<br />

store, infirmary)<br />

- Visit of prior cutting areas and rehabilitation actions started<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 74 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- The in-house audit documents, which had allowed to list numerous<br />

nonconformity points as well as the <strong>report</strong>s of the different actions<br />

implemented by the company served as guiding information to the site visits.<br />

11.2.6 - Stakeholders identification and consultation<br />

Concerning a complementary audit, the certification procedure does not plan a<br />

stakeholders’ plenary meeting comparable to the one which is carried out during<br />

the initial audit opening. Nevertheless, in order to validate the <strong>TRC</strong> actions and<br />

procedures inventory of fixtures, it was essential to carry out a set of meetings<br />

and interviews of numerous stakeholders. The following stakeholders’<br />

representatives were met:<br />

Riparians and Farmers Forest Committees:<br />

Ndocktouna and Ndem’s FFC<br />

- Mr EKOKO Isaac, Village headmen representative;<br />

- Mr NGOCK Pierre François, planters’ representative<br />

- Mrs NDOUIN Lydienne, GIC and associations’ representative<br />

- Mrs TAMBO Berthe, Representative of women’s associations;<br />

Nyokon’s FFC:<br />

- Mr KIARI Jules, Chairman<br />

- Mr BITCHA Johnny<br />

- Mr BELOMBO Bruno<br />

- Mr MBIRWANG Thomas<br />

- Mr BITEP KIARI Bertrand<br />

- Mrs AMBANG Esther<br />

North Nkondjock FFC<br />

- Mr TCHOFA William, Chairman<br />

South Nkondjock FFC<br />

- Mr BOTHIA Emmanuel, Chairman (former technical unit director)<br />

Ndocbassaben FFC<br />

- Mr NGUILE Chairman<br />

- Mr MOKUNDEZ Zacharie<br />

- Mr MILOUMI Mathieu<br />

Conservation NGO:<br />

- Dr Atanga EKOBO<br />

WWF coastal forest scheme coordinator<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> Consultants:<br />

- Mr BOUKONG Alexis<br />

Lecturer, Soil Sciences Department, FASA, DSCHANG University<br />

- Mr Péguy TCHOUTO MBA TCHOU<br />

National School of Forestry<br />

11.2.7 - Identification, traceability and monitoring of products<br />

The long poles traceability on field was ratified during the previous audit.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 75 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

11.3 - Audit team observations<br />

11.3.1 - Action realised in response to the Correctives Actions Requests<br />

CAR<br />

Nb<br />

18<br />

37<br />

38<br />

39<br />

40<br />

41<br />

42<br />

• Minor CARs<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

UFA 00 004’s constitution process is finished on<br />

field and the statutory procedure in force follows.<br />

Moreover the company started bounderies opening<br />

in accordance with the legislation in force.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> recruited several engineers, a female social<br />

worker, and so on. One of the qualities of <strong>TRC</strong> as<br />

far as human being management is to know well<br />

how to spot in each one the potential to be put to<br />

advantage.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> started a survey carried out by Pr BOUKONG<br />

from Dschang University. The latter gave a<br />

technical advice relating to soils restoration works<br />

started by <strong>TRC</strong> and, more globally, to the sectors<br />

sensitive to erosion.<br />

The administrative formalities were carried out, the<br />

prices and supplying were defined<br />

Thanks to the charging protocol applied by the<br />

company, there is no real difference in prices for<br />

the salaried employee whatever his workplace<br />

should be.<br />

The in-house audits, set as early as January 2007,<br />

were followed and extended over different fields of<br />

activity<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> set a “platform” involving the MINFOF, <strong>TRC</strong><br />

and WWF.<br />

43 Many short and medium-term actions<br />

44<br />

Recruitment of a person in charge of following that<br />

issue, awareness organization.<br />

45 Application of a new scale, issued to the FFC<br />

46<br />

the company chose to separate the forest<br />

certificate and the COC certificate. These aspects<br />

are therefore not audited. Nevertheless, we<br />

checked that there is no point giving rise to<br />

controversy on the <strong>TRC</strong> industrial sites.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions allow<br />

full conformity<br />

yes<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

the CAR is<br />

maintained as minor<br />

(see below).<br />

Comments relating to Minor CAR resolution:<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 76 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR 18 Supply the definitive agreement of the constitution order.<br />

On 23rd October 2007, the UFA constitution file was transmitted by YABASSI<br />

(for the NKAM) and BAFIA’s prefectures (for the MBAM and INOUBOU) to Mr<br />

the Minister of Forestry and Fauna. On 5th November 2007, the Forests<br />

Management transmitted to Mr the General Manager of <strong>TRC</strong> a letter informing<br />

him that "UFA 00 004’s constitution process was finished on field and that the<br />

relating file follows the statutory procedure in force”. Moreover the company<br />

started bounderies opening in accordance with the legislation in force. For the<br />

reasons already underlined during the previous audits, and in accordance with<br />

the work accomplished since january, bringing tangible elements of progress,<br />

the CAR is maintained as minor pending the constitution order which deadline<br />

now depends on the administration.<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 10.<br />

DAC 37 Structure the management committee<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 20, 20 bis, 21. Interviews were carried out on that point<br />

with the concerned members of the company.<br />

CAR 38 identify, locate and assess the impacts of nonconformities which<br />

can be observed on the cutting areas prior to 2007. Implement an action<br />

scheme aiming at compensating or softening the identified impacts and<br />

draw a lesson from them in terms of procedure.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> started a survey carried out by Pr BOUKONG from Dschang University.<br />

The latter gave a technical advice relating to soils restoration works started by<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> and, more globally, to the sectors sensitive to erosion. That <strong>report</strong> led to<br />

an improvement of procedures aiming at limiting the impacts of forestry<br />

operations beforehand (slopes limitation for example) and curative (installation<br />

of plaited mats on the forwarding tracks of the steepest slopes). That<br />

collaboration will be followed in order to supply an analysis tool: monitoring<br />

means-action-diagnostic elements (see N and U recommendation). According<br />

to these analyses results, the evolution elements of exploitation and impacts<br />

reduction procedures should be included into HVFC work. One should make<br />

sure that particular care is given to the permanent appropriateness between the<br />

exploitation procedures and the field reality, which should evolve in the direction<br />

of a greater consideration of the environment (slope).<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 22, 23, 24, 25. A field visit was devoted to going back to<br />

the identified sites in january, and to the analysis of the actions started (eroded<br />

embankment on IBOTI's road and forwarding tracks in steep zone). The slopes<br />

were measured with a clinometer by the audit team.<br />

CAR 39 Complete and improve the protocol of providing food to the<br />

workers and finalize the legal procedures in setting up the staff store<br />

(Labour regulations’ Article 78 C)<br />

A monitoring committee of the staff store accounts was set and functions<br />

properly. Vital commodities are marketed at cost price (Douala purchase price)<br />

and after each supply, the products price list is subjected to the committee’s<br />

assessment which ratifies it before putting it up. The supplying is done twice a<br />

month (two weeks and pay day) and in case of need, exceptional supplies can<br />

be provided to ensure a sufficient stock of products.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 77 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CAR 40 Plan and apply a social policy bearing medical costs for the<br />

workers and their family (apart from industrial accidents) The policy set<br />

up should be equitable and fair for all the workers of all the sites.<br />

It had been noted that medical expenses were higher for the workers in forest,<br />

due to the prices asked by the regional clinics.<br />

A mechanism taking in charge the workers and their family (defined by the<br />

family clusters concept = workers, 1 st spouse and declared children) was<br />

surveyed. A comparative survey of the services costs was carried out by the<br />

company with three health facilities of different levels (Yingui’s DHC (level 2),<br />

Bonasama District Hospital (level 3) and Douala’s Laquintinie Hospital (Level<br />

4)). One means to enable the workers in particular those displaced, to benefit<br />

from services at reduced costs (generally more expensive for certain items at<br />

the level of Yingui's DHC). That comparative survey allowed to make the<br />

decision of taking in charge the extra cost if ever the worker (or the family<br />

member) was treated in Yingui.<br />

The company bears the medical expenses, which are then attributed to each<br />

salaried employee at the reference hospitals rates. Therefore, there is no<br />

difference between the rates paid by each worker whatever site he was treated<br />

in. The company started Yingui's DHC refurbishment (openings, painting,<br />

ceilings redoing, endowment of fifteen hospitalization matresses, two desks and<br />

six chairs, a 7,5 KVA electricity generator, and so on) and recruitment of<br />

medical staff for Yingui’s DHC (including 1QN (Qualified Nurse), 1 Laboratory<br />

assistant, 1 nursing auxiliary) was carried out through the Olympe Health<br />

Centre.<br />

Thanks to the charging protocol applied by the company, there is no real<br />

difference in prices for the salaried employee whatever his workplace should<br />

be. The system can therefore be considered as fair and equitable, in the<br />

absence of a “mutual insurance” type solution, envisaged by the company,<br />

however not very practicable in Cameroonian reality.<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 28, 29, 30, 31. That measure was discussed on field<br />

during interviews with the workers, who declared themselves satisfied with it.<br />

CAR 41 Setting up a protocols monitoring and assessment system; and<br />

draw a lesson in terms of procedure. Adapt these protocols<br />

The in-house audits, set as soon as January 2007, were followed and extended<br />

over different fields of activity (social, medical, environmental). Moreover, in<br />

order to ensure a monitoring of the conclusions, <strong>TRC</strong> created a job and<br />

appointed an engineer in charge of conformity with regard to in-house audits.<br />

The R and S recommendations were made to make sure these points were<br />

taken into account by <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): Documents 32 and 33.<br />

CAR 42 Protect effectively the concession from illegal activities and<br />

poaching.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> set a “platform” involving the MINFOF, <strong>TRC</strong> and WWF. Its missions<br />

consist in conceiving, following and assessing the strategies and actions<br />

relating to the management of fauna and anti poaching fight, in mobilizing the<br />

necessary financing to the management of fauna and anti poaching fight, in<br />

encouraging information exchange, in spreading the information. That creation,<br />

very much appreciated by NGO local representations (in particular Dr Atanga<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 78 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Ekobo WWF), appears as very positive to the audit team. Two "crackdown<br />

actions" were carried out, allowing the seizure of a major stock of bush meat in<br />

the villages from the South of the massif. The CAR is removed and the results<br />

of that platform should be checked carefully during each surveillance audit.<br />

Moreover, <strong>TRC</strong> started an action, on the basis of an FGF international financing<br />

obtained within the scope of a call for project. That project main objective is to<br />

involve the local populations in the sustainable management of the bordering<br />

forests’ and UFA 00-004’s faunistic resources, on the observation that poaching<br />

makes unsustainable takings on the fauna, upon which the populations benefit<br />

from gaming rights. Therefore, poaching is not only against the law but against<br />

the well thought about interests of the local populations too.<br />

The periodic monitoring procedures of boundaries (with research of trap,<br />

cartridges, stocks of wild timber), and systematic <strong>report</strong> of offence elements to<br />

the authorities continue to be appropriate.<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 34, 35, 36, 37.<br />

CAR 43 Plan a consulted action scheme of the <strong>TRC</strong>/FFC scheme.<br />

An action scheme was elaborated in consultation with the Forests Farmers<br />

Committees (FFC). (First and second generation) microprojects were adopted<br />

(see microprojects adoption Minutes). During the year 2007, first generation<br />

microprojects (agricultural yield) were carried out and the implementation was<br />

effective at the level of the majority of FFCs, in spite of a few delays noted<br />

considering the agricultural schedule for some of the adopted speculations. The<br />

local communities’ craze and/or mobilization for these projects was not the<br />

same at first, which partly explains the differences noted in terms of results<br />

obtained. Lack of social cohesion and community spirit were not favourable for<br />

the starting of first generation projects, which remained for the moment only<br />

those of FFC members, even if one notes a progressive support from the<br />

communities.<br />

Putting at disposal FFC running costs by the company (Fcfa 50 000 per quarter<br />

since September 2007) allowed to increase communities’<br />

mobilization/awareness by the FFCs.<br />

These projects are mainly targeted at the riparian communities’ poverty fighting<br />

problems. At the end of first generation projects, a diagnostic of these actions’<br />

strength and weaknesses should be carried out in order to improve the<br />

intervention strategies that should allow to increase or meet the expected<br />

results (massive support from the local communities, number of agricultural<br />

plots or individual livestock farming implemented, evolution of tonnages and<br />

livestocks, income generated by the communities, and so on).<br />

A survey on the socioeconomic alternatives to poaching was conducted by the<br />

CERAD research department in collaboration with <strong>TRC</strong> management<br />

committee.<br />

That survey in particular aimed at (1) identifying and analysing the different<br />

deep causes and motivations for practising commercial gaming, (2) identifying<br />

and analysing the other different possible and profitable economic alternatives<br />

in the short, medium and long term in each village and (3) suggesting the<br />

working-out of an exchange platform with the different parties (<strong>TRC</strong>, MINFOF,<br />

FFC, NGOs, other) about poaching in the UFA and its periphery. That survey<br />

conducted by the CERAD was entirely financed on <strong>TRC</strong> own funds. On the<br />

other hand, a participative diagnostic with the riparian communities on the<br />

projects which can enable to improve their living conditions (access to drinking<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 79 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CA<br />

R<br />

Nb<br />

4<br />

water, and so on) was carried out. The company means to support the projects<br />

which will be adopted with funds of the REEF Foundation, funds generated by a<br />

budget of Fcfa 500/m³of ring shaken wood since January 2007.<br />

CAR 44 maintain the HIV Aids fighting committee active<br />

The company undertook the recruitment (in August 2007) of a social manager,<br />

linked to the management committee and in charge of working on the issues of<br />

improvement of the workers’ living conditions. Within the scope of his activities,<br />

contacts were established with structures such as AIDS/company and the<br />

representative committe of the Programme of fight against HIV/AIDS in forest of<br />

GCTF (Group of Cameroon's Timber Field). A first training of the peer educators<br />

was organized and about 24 employees were trained. An awareness working<br />

group (Africa’s scenario) is planned in the near future for all the workers on all<br />

the sites.<br />

CAR 45 use the updated compensation scale.<br />

The company set a new compensation scale based on the 20<strong>03</strong>/418/PM order<br />

of 25th February 20<strong>03</strong>. That new scale was spread through the <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> in<br />

direction of the stakeholders and in particular the communities (FFC).<br />

CAR 46 take appropriate measures to ensure hygiene, safety and<br />

cleanliness of the activities taking place outside the sawmill (cantine,<br />

waste management, safety of the people walking on the site)<br />

The company chose to separate the forest certificate and the COC certificate<br />

(see January 2007 <strong>report</strong>). The purely social aspects – hygiene and safety are<br />

therefore not audited systematically. Nevertheless, we checked that there is no<br />

point giving rise to controversy on the <strong>TRC</strong> industrial sites and that the level met<br />

in January 2007 had been at least maintained. One should point out too that the<br />

company is going to move in a few months to set up its new factory on the site<br />

of the industrial estate. The visit of that site allowed to note that the personnel’s<br />

and riparians’ hygiene and safety aspects, as well as environmental respect had<br />

been taken into consideration as soon as the design stage of the site.<br />

• Major CARs<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

The summary of the management scheme<br />

including the <strong>FSC</strong> guidelines was distributed (April<br />

2007) against discharge to the 11 FFCs<br />

10 Awareness, charter, <strong>report</strong> on field.<br />

14<br />

Registration at the CNPS all introduced<br />

Better managed personnel’s grievances.<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions allow<br />

full conformity<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 80 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

CA<br />

R<br />

Nb<br />

27<br />

34<br />

35<br />

36<br />

Actions taken by the certified organization<br />

The fauna survey allowed an inventory of the UFA<br />

fauna on reliable bases, the conclusions of which<br />

are that the animal population densities are globally<br />

low and mostly confined in the mountainous zones.<br />

It concluded too that there were no gorillas in the<br />

UFA. The survey on genetic influxes concluded<br />

firstly that there are migrations between the park<br />

and the UFA, however considering the new<br />

boundaries (following the local populations’<br />

request), EBO park and the UFA are no longer<br />

bordering each other.<br />

The HVFC document is complete and well<br />

designed. Included in it are a PFNL survey, a work<br />

on fauna, and many keys. The consultation was<br />

carried out<br />

The transport of the personnel is carried out in<br />

better conditions and in vehicles put to safety;<br />

There is a procedure, which could not be tested,<br />

which is however well designed and corresponds to<br />

what can be done on yards of such nature<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if<br />

these actions allow<br />

full conformity<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Satisfactory answer,<br />

the CAR is removed<br />

Audit team’s<br />

conclusions if the<br />

response is<br />

unsatisfactory and<br />

CAR status (in<br />

suspense or major)<br />

Comments relating to Major CARs resolution:<br />

CAR 4 Make <strong>public</strong> a MS summary presenting the guidelines linked to<br />

<strong>FSC</strong>.<br />

The summary of the management scheme including the <strong>FSC</strong> guidelines was<br />

distributed (April 2007) against discharge to the 11 FFCs, and it is present on<br />

field. An updated document was distributed too on 16th October 2007, including<br />

the results of the impact survey and those of the FFC microprojects.<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 1, 2, 3 ; Our reprots on field, and the <strong>report</strong>s carried out<br />

during the in-house audits are positive (documents present at the level of the<br />

FFC).<br />

CAR 10 Make sure that all the contributors within the <strong>TRC</strong> process wear<br />

appropriate and well-maintained safety and working equipments; see that<br />

these equipments are worn and used correctly.<br />

Awareness sessions took place, a charter was elaborated by <strong>TRC</strong>, and the<br />

recruitment of the Health Hygiene Safety manager took place.<br />

The base administrative employee (who can act as an intermediary to the<br />

Health hygiene and safety manager) is nevertheless not yet ready as far as the<br />

procedures are concerned, which are not well known and the application of<br />

which is not monitored. A training is essential for that employee (and a<br />

substitute) so that they should have full knowledge of the company's hygiene<br />

safety, sanitary and social procedures (Nb 47 minor car).<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 81 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 4,5, 6. Our <strong>report</strong>s on field and those made during inhouse<br />

audits are positive (systematic wearing of the IPE: the IPEs seem to<br />

have "become part of everyday life" for the <strong>TRC</strong> salaried employees).<br />

CAR 14 Set up procedures allowing to treat in a transparent and objective<br />

manner the problems presented by the personnel.<br />

Registration of the personnel:<br />

The company set up means (memorandum and reminder, simplification of the<br />

procedure, and so on) allowing to register the workers in an effective manner.<br />

Recruitments continue (a 13% increase in the number of personnel between<br />

May and October 2007 and a 3% increase between October and November<br />

2007) and the company’s strategy is to include systematically the registration<br />

requests at the CNPS. On 22nd November 2007, the company is at 88 % (65%<br />

of the personnel really registered and 23% of requests introduced (certified<br />

files)).<br />

It must be underlined that the administrative procedures for the treatment of the<br />

registration files are not effective, which explains certain differences observed.<br />

We checked and noticed that the new recruits continue preparing the files,<br />

which should allow the personnel department to forward them<br />

Procedure of resolution of conflict and personnel's grievance:<br />

The interview carried out with the workers and the checkings made show that<br />

the grievances treatment mechanism is improved and that the workers’<br />

grievances are dealt with in a better way.<br />

CAR 27 Take into consideration the bordering zones constitution<br />

schemes and draw the consequences in terms of exploitation<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> initiated a survey on genetic influxes between the UFA and EBO park and<br />

a fauna survey, conducted by Dr Atanga EKOBO from WWF. The fauna survey<br />

allowed an inventory of the UFA fauna on reliable bases, the conclusions of<br />

which are that the animal population densities are globally low and above all<br />

confined in the mountainous zones. It concluded too that there were no gorillas<br />

in the UFA. The survey on genetic influxes concluded firstly that there are<br />

migrations between the park and the UFA, however considering the new<br />

boundaries (following the local populations’ request), EBO park and the UFA<br />

are no longer bordering each other. WWF therefore concluded that there is no<br />

contact between the animal populations of the two forestry sites. Dr ATANGA<br />

insists moreover on the importance of the anti poaching fight and on the quality<br />

of the initiatives started by <strong>TRC</strong> and co-financed with FGF.<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 11 and 12. It consists in surveys carried out by Dr Atanga<br />

Ekobo, who presented the conclusions and answered our questions during a<br />

meeting.<br />

CAR 34 On the basis of the grid set in the procedures manual, bring out<br />

the characteristics of the HVFC specific to the UFA. Detail the adapted<br />

measures planned by the company.<br />

The HVFC document is complete and well designed. Included in it Are a PFNL<br />

survey, a work on fauna, and many keys.<br />

The attributes were defined, the consultation was carried out, and all the<br />

comments made in the latest audit <strong>report</strong> and by the stakeholders were taken<br />

into consideration. The document is satisfactory as it is and the CAR is<br />

removed.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 82 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Nb<br />

O<br />

P<br />

It is advisable to regularly link up with the operational procedures (in the<br />

maintaining and monitoring chapters).<br />

A question remains as for the two zones put in full reserve: due to the<br />

invalidation of the first fauna survey, these zones’ boundaries are no longer<br />

valid (the new fauna survey does not seem to validate the importance of these<br />

zones). Nevertheless, they were kept because they appear as sets of protection<br />

within the official management scheme.<br />

That work on the HVFC should be included within the revised management<br />

scheme which will be handed in next year after 5 cutting areas (including 1-1<br />

cutting area which was abandoned at the time of the transfer, before starting the<br />

exploitation, after Administration’s authorization, that zone having been illegally<br />

exploited (plundered) one year before).<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 13 and 14.<br />

CAR 35 Make the workers’ mode of transport on site more secure.<br />

Personnel transport is carried out in better conditions and in vehicles put to<br />

safety (skips equipped with crushproof safety bonnets, seats in bedliner,<br />

tarpaulin in case of rain -); the transport procedures could nevertheless specify<br />

in a better manner the conditions of use of each vehicle (Skip for house to base<br />

transport, UNIMOG for base to yard transport) and so on - Moreover, it seems<br />

that pickup trucks may be used occasionally to transport smaller teams on site.<br />

If such is the case, a conversion of the pickup trucks should be planned.<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 15. Its application was controlled on field.<br />

CAR 36 formalize, communicate (to all the stakeholders) and implement a<br />

procedure aiming at making the evacuation of the injured between the<br />

operational sites, the bases and the hospital more secure.<br />

There is a procedure, which could not be tested, however which is in the nature<br />

of things and corresponds to what can be done on yards of such nature. That<br />

procedure plans the link between the workers of the exploitation site with the<br />

help of whistles, contact with the outside (forest base) thanks to air-powered<br />

horns, and presence of an ambulance on forest base. Two reserves led to nb<br />

47 corrective action request (ad hoc training of the administrative employee for<br />

the monitoring of IA (Industrial Accidents , IPE and medicine stocks), to P<br />

recommendations (case of the outside teams for which the procedure can be<br />

completed) and T (regular test of that procedure).<br />

That procedure seems effective, however, it is based on a good planning of the<br />

activity places (which should remain within distances allowing to transmit chirp<br />

alerts). One should see to the effectiveness of these steps in any situation.<br />

Documents supporting the resolution of the CAR (see table at chapter 3.3<br />

documentary journal): 16, 17, 18, 19.<br />

• Recommendations<br />

Bring about some regular changes in the procedures of exploitation and<br />

reduction of impacts in function of the monitoring results. The exploitation<br />

procedures should remain set on field reality, which should evolve towards a<br />

better consideration for the environment (see CAR 38 comment)<br />

plan an appropriate polluted waste reprocessing in the new base (household<br />

refuse composting, plastic and hydrocarbon reprocessing -)<br />

test regularly the evacuation procedure by simulations (see CAR 36 comment)<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 83 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Q<br />

R<br />

S<br />

T<br />

U<br />

V<br />

W<br />

X<br />

update the IAs treatment and draw conclusions from them in terms of first-aid<br />

Continue an operational monitoring of corrective actions for all the<br />

nonconformities spotted during the monitoring operations (see CAR 41<br />

comment)<br />

complete the keys definition for the in-house audits, and post-exploitation<br />

monitoring operations (monitoring) (see CAR 41 comment)<br />

see to a strict application of the safety instructions (presence of first-aid<br />

workers, ad hoc medical equipment -) in the case of all the teams far from the<br />

base (in particular inventory teams) (See CAR 36 comment)<br />

perpetuate the collaborations with all university and scientific skills involved by<br />

<strong>TRC</strong>. See CAR 38 comment.<br />

maintain the consultation with Ndokbassaben’s community, concerning the<br />

construction of IBOTI NDKBSB road.<br />

Complete the personnel’s training scheme on the monitoring basis<br />

assess the strengths and weaknesses of the FFC projects<br />

11.3.2 - Conformity evaluation of implemented documents or process, refering to<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> responsible forest management referential<br />

• Main strong points of the applicant entity for certification<br />

The company has a good expertise in timber exploitation and processing. It is<br />

reactive, well equipped (major investments in progress with the building of a<br />

forest living base and equipment of a new factory on the industrial estate). It has<br />

been booming since its creation (see presentation of the company).<br />

With the efforts made to obtain the OLB label, then the <strong>FSC</strong> certification, the<br />

company moved towards taking into included consideration the procedures<br />

which it set up and adapted to its practices.<br />

Personnel management is satisfactory, and the company knows how to spot<br />

and value the expertise of its team.<br />

• Main weak points of the applicant entity for certification<br />

The step remains new, and should be controlled carefully. It still relies on a<br />

small number of people.<br />

11.3.3 - Elements subjects to controversy which need to be detailed<br />

No debatable element has been noted during that audit.<br />

11.4 - New Correctives Actions Requests resulting from the<br />

Complementary Audit<br />

11.4.1 - Minor Corrective Action Requests<br />

A minor corrective action request was set, following the shortcomings noted at<br />

the administrative employee post of the forest base (bad knowledge of the<br />

procedures, inadequate organization, and shortcomings of the IPE and<br />

medicine monitoring). That major post should not be neglected by <strong>TRC</strong> because<br />

the administrative employee is the intermediary of many certification procedures<br />

on field.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 84 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Nb<br />

47<br />

Minor corrective actions requested<br />

Complete the administrative employee’s training with<br />

the procedures which concern him in particular: IPE<br />

management, medicine and medical equipment<br />

management, management and monitoring of<br />

industrial accidents and more generally, of what<br />

concerns hygiene and safety.<br />

Comments concerning the minor CAR:<br />

See CAR 10 comment.<br />

Realization delay<br />

suggested<br />

Demand Number<br />

2 months 4.2<br />

11.4.2 - Major Corrective Action Requests<br />

No nonconformity was expressed during that audit.<br />

11.5 - Scope retained for the certification<br />

11.5.1 - Geographical limitation at the level of the entity<br />

The certification applies to all UFA 00-004.<br />

11.5.2 - Limitation at the level of the forest products<br />

All the timber forest products declared exploited on UFA 00-004 (long poles)<br />

11.6 - Proposals regarding the certification decision<br />

11.6.1 - Explication on all rating, weighting systems or other systems used<br />

decisions taking<br />

No notation system was used to weight the referential criteria and requirements,<br />

each criterion of the referential having to be met by the forest entity. A<br />

nonconformity is therefore expressed at the level of a criterion, the former is<br />

noted when:<br />

- more than a third of the criterion keys are not met;<br />

or<br />

- the audit team considers that the key(s) noted as not met lead(s) to a criterion<br />

not met.<br />

11.6.2 - Clear description of all recommendations and conditions associated to<br />

the certification decision<br />

Groundless<br />

11.6.3 - Conclusion of the audit team<br />

The company reached, on UFA 00-004, the conformity level required to obtain<br />

the <strong>FSC</strong> certificate.<br />

However, the company must be reminded that that level of conformity should be<br />

maintained in the future and that the efforts expended to reach that level should<br />

be continued with rigour. The company’s attention is drawn to the need to<br />

promote at any level the frame of mind allowing to maintain <strong>FSC</strong> requirements.<br />

The monitoring audits should set out to check the permanence of all the<br />

monitoring and correction systems set up within the scope of the step, and<br />

maintaining the forestry work quality.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 85 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Written on 17 th December 2007<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Product Manager,<br />

Audit Manager,<br />

Nicolas BARRIERE<br />

Alain VALETTE<br />

11.7 - Decision and associated conditions<br />

Following the complementary audit carried out from 18th to 23rd November 2007 for<br />

UFA 000 004, the Forest Wood certification Committee met on 12 th February and<br />

delivered the following decision:<br />

Decision:<br />

Following the examination of the AR071205 1.2 version referenced<br />

audit <strong>report</strong>, the Forest - timber certification committee decides<br />

unanimously to grant a conditional certificate to the <strong>TRC</strong> company,<br />

under suspensive condition to meet minor corrective actions<br />

requests specified in the <strong>report</strong>.<br />

Moreover, the certification committee insists on the importance of a<br />

better definition, on scientific bases, of the conservation sets and<br />

wishes to be informed as soon as possible and for the next<br />

committee of the advance of the surveys in progress on this subject.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 86 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

12 - Surveillance Audit n° 1<br />

12.1 - Base of evaluation<br />

12.1.1 - Date of the surveillance audit<br />

From 10 th to 18 th , February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

12.1.2 - Composition of the audit team<br />

Audit Manager:<br />

Auditors:<br />

- Forest Management <strong>FSC</strong> qualified auditor on behalf<br />

of <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification / Eurocertifor, forest<br />

expert, independent consultant.<br />

- Forest Management <strong>FSC</strong> qualified auditor on behalf<br />

of <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification / Eurocertifor, forest<br />

expert specialised in environment, independent<br />

consultant.<br />

- Forest Management <strong>FSC</strong> qualified auditor for<br />

<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification / Eurocertifor, Forest<br />

Engineer specialised in social aspects, Employee.<br />

12.1.3 - Standard(s) used<br />

During the audits, we referred to the checklist (ref. SF<strong>03</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> GF Cameroon<br />

checklist version 1.3) excerpt from <strong>FSC</strong> forest management standards adapted<br />

to Cameroon (ref. RF<strong>03</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> GF Cameroon v1.3).<br />

The latest version was updated on the 10/<strong>06</strong>/08, and is available on the website<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.com or at <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification France<br />

on request.<br />

12.2 - Data collection’s approach<br />

12.2.1 - Description of the audit’s program<br />

The audit program was the following:<br />

Monday, 9 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

Douala 8.00 a.m. Auditors’ preparation meeting<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 87 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Audit Team<br />

AV<br />

JP<br />

AV<br />

+ JP<br />

EN<br />

10.00<br />

to<br />

11.30<br />

a.m.<br />

11.30 a.m.<br />

Scoping opening meeting in the presence of<br />

- Mr Herbert REEF, REEF Share-holder,<br />

Netherlands<br />

- Mr José Quaresma, <strong>TRC</strong> General Manager;<br />

- Mr Jacques Huleux, Forest Management and<br />

Certification Manager<br />

- Mr Arnaud Tchokomeni, Manager of the Forest<br />

Management Department<br />

- Fasu, Traceability Manager<br />

- Mr William Lawyer, Responsible for Quality and<br />

Internal Audits<br />

- Mr Koupwa Théophile, SEPFCO Manager<br />

- Mr Jean Effalla, Deputy General Manager<br />

- Mr Erik Jan Sprangers, Financial and<br />

Administrative Manager<br />

- Mr Okon II Gilbert, Personnel Manager<br />

- Mr Njumboket Inoussa, Socio-economic Manager<br />

- Mrs Judith Tchouateu Fasu, Traceability Manager<br />

Adjustments to the audit program and documentary<br />

review (internal audits and procedures)<br />

3.30 p.m. Meeting with the traceability Manager<br />

4.30 p.m.<br />

2.00 p.m.<br />

3.00 p.m.<br />

4.00 p.m.<br />

7.00 p.m.<br />

Visit of the Industrial Estate factory: traceability<br />

monitoring and general state of the sawmill (changes<br />

observed since OLB audit in November); interview<br />

with various actors of the monitoring and traceability<br />

process<br />

Meeting with the traceability Manager and Ndogbong<br />

sawmill Manager: collection of information concerning<br />

the monitoring of processing activities.<br />

Visit of Ndogbong <strong>TRC</strong> factory. Work session with<br />

the Manager of the Industrial Estate Sawmill<br />

Visit of <strong>TRC</strong> sawmill in the industrial estate, and<br />

interview with the various actors of the monitoring of<br />

the traceability process<br />

Auditors’ summary meeting<br />

11.00 a.m. Work session with Personnel Manager<br />

4.00 p.m. Departure for Bangangté<br />

9.00 p.m. Arrival and Night in Bangangté<br />

Wednesday, 11 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

AV<br />

AV<br />

+<br />

JP<br />

Douala<br />

9.00 a.m.<br />

11.00 a.m.<br />

Work session with traceability Manager (approval of<br />

yield figures, review of <strong>FSC</strong> and OLB CARs)<br />

Work session with Jacques HULEUX and William<br />

LAWYER: answers to CARs and recommendations.<br />

Preparation of the necessary documents for the visit<br />

of <strong>FM</strong>U 004.<br />

3.00 p.m. Auditors’ departure to Ndokagnak<br />

6.30 p.m.<br />

Arrival in Ndokagnak and briefing meeting with <strong>TRC</strong><br />

site Manager of <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004; interview with Mr. Cyril<br />

DUFOUR, ONF (RIL) trainer.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 88 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

EN<br />

Thursday 12 th February, 20<strong>09</strong><br />

AV<br />

JPG<br />

AV<br />

+<br />

JPG<br />

EN<br />

UFA 00<br />

004<br />

11.00 p.m. Auditors’ summary meeting<br />

5.30 a.m. Departure to Ndokbassaben<br />

8.30 a.m.<br />

Arrival in Ndokbassaben and work session with<br />

Ndokbassaben FFC<br />

11.00 a.m. Departure to Ndjikinemeki<br />

12.30 a.m.<br />

Arrival in Ndjikinemeki and work session with<br />

Ndokbou FFC<br />

1.00 p.m. Departure to Nyokon<br />

2.00 p.m.<br />

Arrival in Nyokon. Work and approval session with<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> socio-economic Manager<br />

4.00 p.m. Work session with Nyokon FFC<br />

5.30 p.m. Departure to Nkongsamba<br />

9.30 p.m. Arrival and night in Nkongsamba<br />

7.00 a.m.<br />

7.00 a.m.<br />

1.00 p.m.<br />

4.00 p.m.<br />

- Visit of the ongoing exploitation (respect of forest<br />

management, RIL training, markings’ control and<br />

so on), documentary checking, Interview with<br />

workers,<br />

- Interview with workers (Administrative agent,<br />

cutters, truck drivers)<br />

- Interview with the Forest Economy agent in<br />

charge of the control and marking on <strong>TRC</strong>004<br />

site.<br />

- Visit of the forest base and timber yards<br />

Visit of the future life base (which should be used as<br />

from April 20<strong>09</strong>) in the presence of Eléonore Schmidt<br />

and Manuel Domingues<br />

Visit of ACA 1-4 (exploitation 2008) and 1-5<br />

(exploitation 2007): traceability control, respect of<br />

reduced impact logging methods, analysis of<br />

procedures for cutting areas closure and postexploitation<br />

assessment, assessment of the good<br />

implementation of RIL procedures. Presence of<br />

Jacques Huleux, Arnaud Tchokomeni, traceability<br />

department and post-exploitation monitoring<br />

department.<br />

Visit of the building site and of engineering structures,<br />

ACA 2-1. Presence of Jacques Huleux, Arnaud<br />

Tchokomeni, traceability department and postexploitation<br />

monitoring department.<br />

Meeting with the site Manager and Mrs Eléonore<br />

Schmidt, consultant, advisor for certification actions<br />

5.30 a.m. Departure to Ndokagnak<br />

10.00 a.m. Arrival in Ndokagnak and visit of Ndokagnak base<br />

11.00 a.m. Departure to <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004<br />

Arrival in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 – Visit of the former base and<br />

the three sites of the camp that are being built.<br />

11.50 a.m. Interview with the workers in charge of the building<br />

and the Manager of the mechanics’ base of the new<br />

camp.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 89 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Friday, 13 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

AV<br />

JPG<br />

AV<br />

+<br />

JPG<br />

EN<br />

Audi<br />

t<br />

Tea<br />

m<br />

UFA<br />

00 004<br />

2.30 p.m.<br />

Work session with the administrative agent of <strong>FM</strong>U<br />

00 004<br />

4.00 p.m.<br />

Return to Ndokagnak base and work session with the<br />

staff store Manager.<br />

6.45 p.m. Work session with workers’ representative<br />

6.15 a.m.<br />

7.00 a.m.<br />

7.00 a.m.<br />

Departure to <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004<br />

Arrival in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 – boundaries’ control for<br />

currently exploited ACA, stumps’ control, Visit of the<br />

ongoing exploitation<br />

Departure to Iboti: Closure of ACA 1.2: operation of<br />

grounds fixation and erosion fighting on batters of fills<br />

along the road to Iboti. Presence of Jacques Huleux<br />

and Arnaud Tchokomeni.<br />

12.00 a.m. Return to Ndokagnak base<br />

8.30 a.m.<br />

Work session with Yingui FFC president<br />

(Cantonment of Ndem and Ndocktouna)<br />

9.50 a.m. Work session with Yingui DHC doctor<br />

11.00 a.m. Visit of Ndokagnak infirmary<br />

1.00 p.m. Auditors’ departure to Douala<br />

4.00 p.m. Auditors’ arrival in Douala<br />

4.45 p.m.<br />

Saturday, 14 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

Auditors’ work session<br />

Douala 9.00 a.m. Auditors’ departure to KUMBA<br />

12.00 a.m. Auditors’ arrival in KUMBA<br />

AV Kumba 1.30 p.m. KUMBA Traceability and controlled wood<br />

Analysis of the industrial site’s conformity and<br />

assessment of how ongoing CARs are being<br />

JPG<br />

answered (environmental aspects): visit of the<br />

2.30 p.m.<br />

garage, the log yards, the sawmill, the waste yards,<br />

the sharpening unit, the unloading station, the<br />

infirmary, the store and so on.<br />

EN<br />

2.30 p.m. Visit of the industrial site and interview with workers<br />

4.30 p.m. Work session with the administrative agent<br />

Sunday, 15 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

UFA<br />

11 001 6.00 a.m. Auditors’ departure to KUMBA <strong>FM</strong>U 11 001<br />

10.30 a.m. Auditors’ arrival in OKOROBA base<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 90 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

AV<br />

JPG<br />

EN<br />

Audi<br />

t<br />

Tea<br />

m<br />

10.30 a.m.<br />

10.30 a.m.<br />

1<strong>03</strong>0 a.m.<br />

1.30 p.m.<br />

Visit of the ongoing exploitation (respect of forest<br />

management, exploitation methods, surveillance of<br />

ACA boundaries, stumps control, markings control<br />

and so on) documentary checking, personnel<br />

interview (work laws, health and safety and so on).<br />

Visit of the forest base<br />

Presence of Eleonore Schmidt and Patrice NGOKOY<br />

Visit of ACAs 1-2 and 1-3. RIL, road opening,<br />

engineering structure, ACA closure, HCVF<br />

procedures. Presence of Jacques Huleux, Arnaud<br />

Tchokomeni, traceability department<br />

Work session with local communities of OSSELE and<br />

OKOROBA<br />

Approval meeting with site Manager<br />

Kumba 2.30 p.m. Return to Kumba<br />

6.00 p.m. Arrival in Kumba<br />

6.30 p.m. Summary meeting with auditors<br />

Monday, 16 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

Audit Team<br />

Bonaberi<br />

Industria<br />

l Site<br />

7.00 a.m.<br />

9.30 a.m.<br />

Auditors’ departure to Bonaberi<br />

Arrival in the industrial site of Bonabéri and meeting<br />

with the traceability Manager and the site Manager:<br />

collection of information on processing monitoring<br />

11.00 a.m. Auditors’ departure to Douala<br />

11.30 a.m.<br />

2.00 to 6.30<br />

p.m.<br />

Tuesday, 17 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

Audi<br />

t<br />

Tea<br />

m<br />

AV<br />

+<br />

JPG<br />

Douala<br />

8.00 a.m.<br />

10.00 a.m.<br />

Auditors’ work session, listing of all documents<br />

required from the company, first draft<br />

Auditors’ summary meeting, documentary review<br />

Visit of Douala Harbour<br />

Work session with the certification manager and<br />

collection of complementary information<br />

EN<br />

11.00 a.m. Work session with the social Manager<br />

EN 2.00 p.m. Approval meeting with the personnel Manager<br />

3.00 p.m.<br />

Work session with the certification Manager and<br />

collection of complementary information. Definition of<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> and OLB Corrective Action Requests<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 91 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Audi<br />

t<br />

Tea<br />

m<br />

4.00 p.m.<br />

Wednesday, 18 th February 20<strong>09</strong><br />

Audi<br />

t<br />

Tea<br />

m<br />

EN<br />

8.00 a.m.<br />

Debriefing meeting with management<br />

Consolidation of corrective action requests<br />

9.15 a.m. Approval meeting with personnel Manager<br />

10.00 a.m. Work session with the Deputy Manager<br />

2.30 to 5.30<br />

p.m.<br />

5.30 p.m.<br />

Debriefing meeting and closure of <strong>FSC</strong> surveillance<br />

audit, <strong>FSC</strong> scoping, <strong>FSC</strong> CW extension audit and<br />

OLB complementary audit in the presence of:<br />

- Mr José Quaresma, <strong>TRC</strong> General Manager;<br />

- Mr Jacques Huleux, Forest Management and<br />

Certification Manager<br />

- Mr Jean Effalla, Deputy General Manager<br />

- Mr Koupwa Théophile, SEPFCO Manager<br />

- Mr FRAGONARD Arthur, Rotary Cutting Factory<br />

Manager<br />

- Mr TCHOUPO Serge, Deputy Production<br />

Manager of Ndogbong sawmill<br />

- Mr Arnaud Tchokomeni, Assistant Manager of the<br />

Forest Management Department<br />

- Mr William Lawyer, Internal Audit and Quality<br />

Manager<br />

- Mr Erik Jan Sprangers, Financial and<br />

Administrative Manager<br />

- Mr Okon II Gilbert, Personnel Manager<br />

- Mr NGOKOY N. Patrice, <strong>FM</strong>U 11 001 Exploitation<br />

Manager<br />

- Mr RUI DA TRIUDADE COSTA, <strong>FM</strong>U 11-001<br />

Site Manager<br />

- Mr Njumboket Inoussa, Socio-economic Manager<br />

- Mrs Judith Tchouateu Fasu, Traceability Manager<br />

- Mr EBONDA Georges, IE Sawmill Yield Manager<br />

End of the <strong>FSC</strong> surveillance audit, the <strong>FSC</strong> CW<br />

extension audit, and the OLB complementary audit.<br />

Total number of worked days for the surveillance audit:<br />

Declaration of the number of worked days spent assessing the forestry<br />

organisation<br />

- Scoping and preparation work: 3 days<br />

- Time spent assessing the recording documents, interviewing people and<br />

stakeholders and visiting sites: 15 days<br />

- Time spent travelling to/back from the region of the assessed forest: 4,5<br />

days<br />

- Layout and debriefing 4,5 days<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 92 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

12.2.2 - Site Visit(s)<br />

Control points were chosen according to the weaknesses of the company,<br />

notably identified during the OLB audit of November 2008. Other points were<br />

assessed, such as forest traceability or points that could bring further<br />

information concerning the corrective actions requests and recommendations<br />

expressed during the previous <strong>FSC</strong> audit.<br />

Place Controlled Points Justification<br />

<strong>FM</strong>U 004<br />

- RIL training, markings control and<br />

so on, documentary checking,<br />

interview with workers<br />

- Interview with workers<br />

(Administrative agent, cutters,<br />

dump truck drivers)<br />

- Interview with the Forest Economy<br />

Agent in charge of control and<br />

marking on <strong>TRC</strong> 004 site.<br />

<strong>FM</strong>U 004<br />

Villages<br />

neighbouring the<br />

<strong>FM</strong>U<br />

Visit of the forest base<br />

12.2.3 - Documentary Review<br />

- Visit of timber yards<br />

- Visit of the ongoing exploitation<br />

(respect of forest management)<br />

- Visit of the future life base (which<br />

should be finalised as from April<br />

20<strong>09</strong>)<br />

- Visit of the former cutting area and<br />

closed ones<br />

- Social conflit resolution status<br />

- Project to support the<br />

development of local resident<br />

communities<br />

Checking that <strong>TRC</strong> certification<br />

procedures are respected and the<br />

implementation of the ongoing<br />

CAR.<br />

Respect of procedures and<br />

overall state<br />

Respect of forest management<br />

procedures, interview with<br />

workers<br />

Social interviews<br />

Respect of the procedure for<br />

cutting areas’ closure<br />

Assessment on whether the<br />

conflict management procedure is<br />

respected<br />

Assessment of actions taken by<br />

the company<br />

Exploitation, forest management, environmental and internal audits<br />

- Internal audit <strong>report</strong>. Anti-erosion fighting device, <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004, from October<br />

28 th to November 2 nd , 20<strong>09</strong><br />

- Internal audit <strong>report</strong> and debriefing <strong>report</strong>. <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004, from January 20 th to<br />

25 th , 20<strong>09</strong><br />

- Monitoring form for the implementation of corrective actions requested<br />

during the internal audit of January 20<strong>09</strong><br />

- Identification of High Conservation Value Forests within <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004, WWF<br />

Doctor ATANGA, August 2008<br />

- High Conservation Value Forests within <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004, Version 6, January<br />

20<strong>09</strong>.<br />

- Hygiene and Safety Procedures (9 procedures)<br />

- Forest Management procedures (13 procedures)<br />

- Environmental Impact Assessments and EMS of <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004, December<br />

20<strong>06</strong><br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 93 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- Assessment of the implementation of EMS in <strong>FM</strong>U 004, <strong>TRC</strong>, December<br />

2008<br />

- Rescuers training of to first aid, <strong>TRC</strong> social department December 2008<br />

- Work rescue team training <strong>report</strong>, <strong>TRC</strong> 2008<br />

- Closure authorisation for cutting area 1.5 in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004, MINFOF, 17 th<br />

June 2008<br />

- Botanical inventory mission <strong>report</strong> in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 AAC 1.4, September 2007<br />

- Monitoring and assessment protocol of forestry exploitation’s impact on<br />

plants with high conservation value, NTFPs and promising stalks, Forest<br />

Management Department<br />

- Inventory of phytosanitary products used by the company: SARPAGRUM<br />

AF200B, concentrated SARPAGRUM, SARPALO<br />

- Evacuation simulation <strong>report</strong> in case of emergency arising on the site of<br />

<strong>FM</strong>U 00-004 December 2008<br />

- Monitoring <strong>report</strong> on safety instructions – <strong>FM</strong>U 004, from 28/10 to<br />

02/11/2008<br />

Social Aspect<br />

- Minutes of the meeting concerning the classification and exploitation of <strong>FM</strong>U<br />

00 004 held on 31 st October 2007, at ONIMAR Motel, Ndjikinimeki.<br />

- Minutes of the consultation meeting between the administration and resident<br />

communities of <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 about road issues held on 31 st October, 2007 in<br />

Ndjikinimeki<br />

- Assessment of the implementation of the environmental management plan –<br />

<strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 Campsite<br />

- Correspondence from workers’ representatives of <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 dated 28 th ,<br />

January 20<strong>09</strong>, concerning the grievances prior to moving in the campsite<br />

- Correspondence from the Forest Management and Certification Manager to<br />

workers’ representatives, dated 16 th January, 20<strong>09</strong>, concerning the draft<br />

internal rules for <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 campsite<br />

- Draft internal rules for life in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 campsite<br />

- Minutes from workers’ visit of the campsite, dated 18 th July 2008<br />

- Expert’s <strong>report</strong> of Maître NGUEMNANG Jean Paul concerning the dismissal<br />

of two <strong>TRC</strong> workers’ representatives dated 13 th August, 2008<br />

- Correspondence MINFOF n° 410/NDT/MINFOF/DPLT/SPF o f 28 th March,<br />

2008, notifying the start-up of construction works for a bridge and a<br />

campsite in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004<br />

- Correspondence n° <strong>06</strong>10/L/MINFOF/SG/DF/SDIAF/SA of 13 th March, 2008,<br />

concerning the authorisation of wood felling in cutting areas 1-1, 1-5 and 2-1<br />

for the building of the bridge crossing the Makombé river and the settlement<br />

of a campsite in ACA 4-4.<br />

- <strong>TRC</strong> correspondence to Littoral DP MINOF, concerning documents’<br />

transmission for the monitoring of construction works of the bridge and the<br />

campsite in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 dated 19 th March, 2008,<br />

- Information note to all workers of <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 concerning -<br />

Environmental Impact Assessments campsite project, dated 19 th January,<br />

2008.<br />

- <strong>TRC</strong> correspondence to MINFOF concerning the settlement of a campsite in<br />

<strong>FM</strong>U 00 004, dated 26 th July, 2007<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 94 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- Minutes of the meeting held on 19 th April, 2008 with the staff of <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004,<br />

to reactivate the social dialogue<br />

- Correspondence from the workers concerning the preliminary grievances<br />

before entering <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004’s campsite, dated 24 th January, 2008<br />

- Environmental impact survey of the workers’ campsite construction project<br />

in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004.<br />

- - Environmental Impact Assessments specifications for the construction<br />

project of a workers’ campsite in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004.<br />

- <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 workers’ memorandum dated 24 th January, 2008<br />

- Social and environmental feasibility survey for the building of a workers’<br />

campsite in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004, dated 4 th February, 2008.<br />

- Specifications of the social and environmental survey for the building of a<br />

workers’ campsite in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004.<br />

- Construction plans for the accommodation of <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 campsite<br />

- Minutes of the total conciliation of workers made redundant on <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004<br />

site<br />

- Statement from the Hygiene, Safety and Environment Manager, and the<br />

Social Manager, Dated 24 th March, 2008<br />

12.2.4 - Consultation with stakeholders since last audit, and during this audit<br />

Prior to the surveillance audit, we received comments from the following<br />

stakeholders:<br />

Administration<br />

- Mr Henri Charles AKAGOU ZEDONG, Inventory and Forest Management<br />

Division<br />

Research Organisation<br />

- Mr Paolo Cerutti, CIFOR Researcher, Yaoundé<br />

Local Communities<br />

- Mr BISSEMOU Joël, President of the monitoring committee for the project of<br />

the province road n°16 Ndjikinimeki-Yabassi.<br />

- Mr Oscar BELIAS, General Secretary of FFC n°3 (Ndo ckbassaben)<br />

During the audit, we held interviews with the following stakeholders:<br />

- Mr MALOUME MAMA, Head Doctor of Yingui DHC<br />

- Mr OBIENGNI Thomas Dupont, Ndjikinimeki Mayor (on the phone)<br />

Local Communities<br />

Ndockbou FFC<br />

- Mr YETENA André, FFC member<br />

Ndocktouna and Ndem FFC<br />

- Mr EKOKO Isaac, Representative of villages’ headmen and FFC President;<br />

Nyokon FFC:<br />

- Mr KIARI Jules, Nyokon FFC President<br />

- Mr BITCHA Johnny, Nyokon FFC Member<br />

- Mr BELOMBO Bruno, Nyokon FFC Member<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 95 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

- Mr MBIRWANG Thomas, Nyokon FFC Member<br />

- Mr BITEP KIARI Bertrand, Nyokon FFC Member<br />

- Mrs AMBANG Esther, Nyokon FFC Member<br />

- Mr PIAH Thomas, Nyokon FFC Member<br />

- Mr NGAGNI Emmanuel, Nyokon FFC Member<br />

- Mrs KITHABO Julienne, Deputy Mayor of Makénéné commune<br />

Administration<br />

- Mrs GUIMBANG Rose, Administration Forest Agent, in charge of traceability<br />

controls in <strong>FM</strong>U 004.<br />

12.2.5 - Interviews with key employees during this audit<br />

During this audit, we interviewed the following members of staff:<br />

Douala Site<br />

- Mr EFFALLA, Deputy General Manager<br />

- Mr Gilbert OKON II, Human Resources Manager<br />

- Mr Arnaud TCHOKOMENI, Site Engineer for <strong>FM</strong>U 0004<br />

- Mrs Pauline ZEH-MBIAM, Social Manager<br />

- Mr Inoussa NJUMBOKET Socio-economic Manager<br />

<strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 Forest Site<br />

- Mr Manuel DOMINGUES, Site Manager<br />

- Mr Georges AZANGUE, Exploitation Manager<br />

- Mr Jean Yves BOUKONG, Monitoring Manager<br />

- Mr MOUNGANG Alain Mathurin, Administrative Agent<br />

- Mr Cypra EBAI – Driver of Truck 05/23<br />

- Mr Ernest VINA - Cutter<br />

- Mr Jean Yves BOUKONG - Engineer<br />

- Mr Olivier BIKOY – Post Exploitation Team<br />

- Mr Adolphe MAKA - Post Exploitation Team<br />

- Mr Paul NLEND – Building site Cutter<br />

- Mr Eben EBENEZER – Road Team Headman<br />

- Mr Oscar ZANGA – Bull Driver<br />

- Mr MBIE Bienvenu, Cutter (prospector), Workers’ Representative<br />

- Mr OLOM Prosper, D7 Driver, Workers’ Representative<br />

- Mr NSOKE Maurice, Prospector, Deputy Workers’ Representative<br />

- Mr ATANGANA MBARGA, Prospector, Deputy Workers’ Representative<br />

Ndockagnack Base<br />

- Mr OKO BALEMBA Jean Louis, <strong>TRC</strong> staff store Manager<br />

- Mr FOSSOUO Charles Amély, <strong>TRC</strong> Nurse<br />

<strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 new Mechanics base<br />

- Mr TOUCK BATOUM Michel, mechanics workshop Manager<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 96 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

<strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 Campsite construction team<br />

- Mr DJONTU Pierre, campsite construction team Headman<br />

- Mr EPOH Moïse Joël, Carpenter<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> Dibeng Fence<br />

- Mr DJAKTOING DJAOKAMLA, Guard<br />

- Mr DOURMOUSSOU WAIDANDI, Guard<br />

- Mr BAYANG Emmanuel, Guard<br />

- Mr IGRE MENKREO, Guard<br />

The main goals of the interviews with the various actors were to assess the<br />

awareness and mastery of procedures following from the requirements, and to<br />

inform the auditors on the social climate in <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

Overall, strong tensions remain within the company, partly due to the economic<br />

crisis that prevented the payment of yield bonuses in November 2008, and the<br />

uncertainties linked to the settlement in the new forest base. Numerous<br />

employees left the company, on the <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 site in particular (see below).<br />

12.2.6 - Other Audit Techniques<br />

Not applicable<br />

12.2.7 - Change in the management of the certified organisation<br />

Since last audit, assignments’ changes were carried out. The overall structure<br />

of the company is maintained. As for the general organisation, there are a few<br />

major changes:<br />

- Mr Fernando ALVES replaces Mr PINTO as Exploitation Manager for <strong>FM</strong>U<br />

11 001<br />

- Mr Georges AZENGUE (Yield Engineer) and Mr Jean Yves BOUKONG<br />

(Monitoring Engineer) were assigned to the management of <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004<br />

- Mr William LAWYER is now responsible for internal audits as well as safety<br />

with the assistance of a person in charge of forest safety, and another in<br />

charge of factory safety.<br />

TURN OVER 20<strong>06</strong><br />

TURN OVER 2007<br />

FORECASTED TURN OVER 2008<br />

8 260 000 000 FCFA<br />

11 <strong>03</strong>0 000 000 FCFA<br />

13 540 000 000 FCFA<br />

EMPLOYEES 2008 1 393<br />

Logging Sites Yield 117 460 m 3<br />

Long Poles Purchase 11 290 m 3<br />

Entries Sawmills / Factories 79 929 m 3<br />

Sawn Timber 28 936 m 3<br />

Material Productivity 36,20 %<br />

Entries Rotary Cutting Factory 26 690 m 3<br />

Veneering Yield 10 234 m 3<br />

Material Productivity 38,30%<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 97 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Significant Evolutions<br />

Installation of the head office in the Industrial Estate<br />

Rotary Cutting in Bonaberi<br />

12.2.8 - Surveillance audit debriefing<br />

The debriefing of the surveillance audit took place in Douala, on 19 th February,<br />

20<strong>09</strong>, in the presence of the <strong>TRC</strong> management team. The audit’s conclusions<br />

were accepted by the company, who acknowledged the observed lapses.<br />

Those lapses are the consequence of a loss of speed, owing to the significant<br />

developments carried out the previous year to the detriment of the consolidation<br />

of what was already acquired. As the audit’s preliminary conclusions were<br />

communicated to the hierarchy as soon as the audit team returned to Douala,<br />

measures were announced during the debriefing meeting. One of the important<br />

decisions following from this audit was the appointment of Mrs Eléonore<br />

SCHMITT as permanent delegate for REEF Netherlands for questions related<br />

to certification.<br />

12.3 - Observations from the audit team<br />

12.3.1 - Actions taken to answer Corrective Actions Requests previously<br />

expressed<br />

DAC<br />

N°<br />

CAR title<br />

Demand<br />

N°<br />

Actions taken by the certified<br />

organisation to withdraw the<br />

CAR<br />

Withdrawn<br />

/<br />

Maintained<br />

Withdrawal<br />

Date<br />

18<br />

47<br />

Supply the final<br />

convention and the<br />

classification decision<br />

Complete the training of<br />

the administrative agent<br />

to the procedures related<br />

to: IPE management,<br />

medicines and medical<br />

material management,<br />

industrial accidents’<br />

monitoring and<br />

management, and more<br />

globally, all that is related<br />

to hygiene and safety.<br />

1.1<br />

4.2<br />

This corrective action request will<br />

be maintained until the final<br />

convention is delivered to the<br />

entity. However, it is <strong>public</strong><br />

knowledge that the delivery of<br />

such document can be a lengthy<br />

formality in Cameroon. <strong>TRC</strong><br />

proved its good will by officially<br />

writing to the Ministry, and<br />

nothing else can be done to<br />

speed up the procedure.<br />

The training was carried out. The<br />

administrative agent was<br />

interviewed. His knowledge of<br />

the requirements of his post has<br />

improved. The procedure related<br />

to his post was improved.<br />

Minor<br />

maintained<br />

Withdrawn 18/02/<strong>09</strong><br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 98 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

12.3.2 - Assessment of the global conformity level of the forestry organisation<br />

Until recently, there were two management levels within the company (i) in <strong>FM</strong>U<br />

00 004, procedures matched the requirements of <strong>FSC</strong> standards, and (ii) in<br />

other sites, a quality manual summarised the practices in force. The company<br />

transposed the <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 procedures to other sites, and adapted them into<br />

the “<strong>TRC</strong> procedures”, which are split into 5 documents - forest management,<br />

HSE, human resources management, quality, traceability - which allow the<br />

implementation of the same procedures on all sites. Special cases are dealt<br />

with through specific procedures. A preliminary consultation with operational<br />

staff on all sites allowed adapting all the procedures during this operation.<br />

Beyond the alteration of the confidence level among the staff, the development<br />

of the company through the extension/installation of new sites did not allow<br />

consolidating the experience that would have maintained the evolution trend<br />

trigged when the certification was awarded. The observations made and the<br />

communication throughout the audit made all the management team aware of<br />

the situation and allowed them to take the necessary steps to catch up with the<br />

required conformity level.<br />

Results from the company’s monitoring activities remain too superficial and give<br />

the impression that the monitoring is only used to prepare audits rather than to<br />

work thoroughly to improve actions’ efficiency. In January 20<strong>09</strong>, the company<br />

carried out an internal audit related to the implementation of certification<br />

procedures. This audit helped identify a number of corrective actions to be<br />

carried out. A form for those actions’ monitoring provides a clear vision of the<br />

implementation status at the end of January 20<strong>09</strong> and shows that most of those<br />

measures were implemented at the time of the audit, as observed by the audit<br />

team.<br />

Although it was improved by defining responsibilities and lead-times for the<br />

implementation of each task, the monitoring-assessment lacks objectives. It is<br />

essential to create monitoring and piloting tools with detailed objectives and<br />

indicators. On the other hand, the department for monitoring-traceability and<br />

products’ identification is efficient within the company.<br />

The company implemented a procedure for the monitoring of post-exploitation<br />

that covers most of the company’s exploitation activities. A department with 5<br />

employees is responsible for this monitoring. Assessment <strong>report</strong>s are regularly<br />

issued and transferred to the forest management and certification department.<br />

Corrective actions are implemented when dysfunctions appear. However,<br />

results are not yet analysed to obtain a synthesis of activities results and to<br />

assess the efficiency of the actions carried out.<br />

More specifically, after observing various non-conformities in former cutting<br />

areas (see CAR 38 following from the complementary audit n°1), the company<br />

implemented operational and monitoring measures to limit erosion in the most<br />

sensitive areas, in partnership with Dschang University. Within the scope of this<br />

process, two sites were identified along the road to Iboti (significant fills<br />

downstream from the road ahead of the catchments area).<br />

In 2007, a contract signed with Iboti FFC planned the involvement of local<br />

populations in the revegetation of those batters, based on Pennysetum and<br />

Pannicum. For technical reasons, those results were not satisfactory. In 2008,<br />

the company carried out the same works by its own, adapting plantation<br />

techniques, but the failure rate remained significant. In collaboration with<br />

Dschang University, a new project is being studied. It includes the batters’<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 99 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

fixation with an exotic plant (the Vetiver) and then the introduction of local<br />

species to rebuild the forest crown.<br />

All the HCVFs were identified and mapped. The committee’s request expressed<br />

when the certification was awarded is therefore satisfied.<br />

The available documents identify 5 conservation values out of the six existing<br />

ones. The definition of HCVFs was carried out based on a solid scientific<br />

background 1 . Occasionally, HCVFs’ definition and their combination with daily<br />

operations could be further detailed. There are no specific measures for the<br />

monitoring of HCVFs, which are actually monitored via <strong>report</strong>s related to (i)<br />

post-exploitation, (ii) bridges destruction, (iii) soils protection, (iv) multiresources<br />

inventory, (v) conflicts management and so on. The document related<br />

to HCVFs 2 suggests monitoring indicators, but those actually are monitoring<br />

tools (<strong>report</strong>s’ consultation, see above). There should be an HCVFs’ monitoring<br />

tool detailing all the conservation values, indicators, monitoring frequency, and<br />

possibly threshold values and so on.<br />

The standard control of <strong>FSC</strong> brand use was carried out and lead to a positive<br />

result.<br />

12.3.3 - Potential change in the field of application of the certificate<br />

No change is required concerning the field of application of the certificate.<br />

12.4 - Proposal concerning the certification decision<br />

12.4.1 - New recommendations<br />

Y<br />

Z<br />

AA<br />

AB<br />

AC<br />

Plan and communicate sufficiently on workforce needs related to the<br />

recruitment procedure for local staff.<br />

Interviews with local communities and the company evidenced the fact<br />

that the workforce needs (related to the procedure for the recruitment<br />

of local staff) are often expressed by the company through FFCs and<br />

are not communicated well enough and in due time. This would avoid<br />

misunderstandings and possible tensions within the communities.<br />

Open a register for wood treatment and chemical products use (dates,<br />

quantities used, product used, sites, volumes treated, IPE, and so on).<br />

Continue the efforts to ensure PPEs are worn on posts. On the road<br />

opening site, the D7 driver did not wear hearing protection.<br />

Maintain the partnership with Dschang University to implement the<br />

relevant measures to fight against erosion on Iboti roads’ batter, while<br />

seeing to the control of the impact of exotic plants that might be<br />

introduced (such as Vetiver) and the strict respect of criteria 10.4.<br />

Progressively detail the HCVFs definition by integrating the main<br />

waterways (forest galleries), wet areas, cliffs and so on and by<br />

adapting daily management measures according to sites’ sensitivity<br />

(notion of gradients’ constraints)<br />

1 Identification of High Conservation Value Forests in <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004, WWF Dr ATANGA EKOBO,<br />

August 2008.<br />

2 The High Conservation Value Forests in <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004, Version 6, January 20<strong>09</strong>.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 100 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

AD<br />

AE<br />

AF<br />

AG<br />

AH<br />

AI<br />

Improve the identification of waste wood volumes resulting from<br />

exploitation operations and implement waste monitoring measures.<br />

See to the regular control of emergency evacuation procedure and the<br />

correction of any observed lapse.<br />

See to the scrupulous monitoring of sanctions procedure and the filling<br />

of all planned boxes.<br />

Monitor the operational consequences of industrial accidents’ surveys.<br />

Make all the staff aware of the need to implement staff management<br />

procedures, especially site managers.<br />

While analysing sanction forms, some cases of unjustified and<br />

hazardous sanctions were observed (lapse between the technical<br />

opinion of the administrative agent, the sanction suggested, and the<br />

final sanction suggested by the site manager). Several cases of final<br />

sanction refusal were <strong>report</strong>ed. Work legal texts in force and the<br />

internal rules are not exhaustive as to faults’ types. However, from the<br />

interviews carried out, it seems that some faults are qualified<br />

differently, according to the day, and the person concerned. In that<br />

respect, sites management teams’ abilities must be reinforced (site<br />

managers and administrative agents). Obviously, all the staff will have<br />

to be made aware of the themes dealt with.<br />

Overall in the company, both in factories and in forest sites, we<br />

observed that workers’ management hardly considers some of the<br />

legal prescriptions and even internal procedures developed and<br />

implemented to limit confusion and abuses. This staff management<br />

leaves aside the administrative managers recruited to assist site<br />

managers in their daily tasks.<br />

Several cases of sanctions tied to the yield bonus were <strong>report</strong>ed in the<br />

company. It should be reminded that workers’ sanctions should not be<br />

tied to their bonus, as bonuses are set according to a fixed threshold<br />

for a given activity sector and in proportion to the professional<br />

classification. This bonus is fully paid to a worker if the set yield<br />

threshold is achieved and the worker is present during the entire<br />

period. It is therefore not justified to cut the bonus down if those two<br />

conditions are fulfilled. A few days’ suspension would be sufficient.<br />

This would have an impact on the worker’s effective participation and<br />

hence, on his/her bonus.<br />

Identify formally the territorial Take Charge Units of <strong>TRC</strong> sites and<br />

assess the monitoring of Workers living with AIDS/HIV treatment.<br />

As part of the collaboration between <strong>TRC</strong> and the GFBC AIDS/HIV<br />

Program, voluntary detection campaigns were organised. The<br />

participation rate is of approximately 30% (50 people more than in<br />

2008). Knowing the HIV prevalence rate within the company after the<br />

detection campaigns, the actions can be reinforced. As part of this<br />

collaboration with the AIDS program, confirmation tests were supplied<br />

to the social department in order to make the procedure more efficient.<br />

The company takes charge of 50% of the inherent medical cost, but<br />

cases revealed at the level of the social department are not numerous,<br />

which constitutes a weakness in the treatment and monitoring of<br />

TVVS. The detected and declared HIV positive cases were directed<br />

towards the relevant Take Charge Unit for each site (Nylon Take<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 101 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

AJ<br />

AK<br />

Charge Unit (IZ), Bonassama Take Charge Unit and CEBEC hospital<br />

(Bonabéri), Eséka Take Charge Unit, Kumba Take Charge Unit, Manfé<br />

Take Charge Unit). The collaboration with those Take Charge Units<br />

can allow an assessment of how efficient the company is in taking<br />

charge of the Workers living with AIDS/HIV.<br />

Extend the training of educative pairs to other sites and increase<br />

awareness among workers concerning the fact that the company can<br />

take charge of Workers living with AIDS/HIV.<br />

As for now, the training of educative pairs is limited to Douala industrial<br />

sites and <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004. This choice was made considering that Douala<br />

was close. Awareness-building actions were carried out within the<br />

company by the social department with trained educative pairs in<br />

collaboration with GFBC HIV/AIDS program.<br />

Assess workers’ involvement in the family clusters’ program and<br />

identify actions that would help increase the number of workers<br />

registered for the program.<br />

Thanks to the family clusters’ program, the company sets up cash flow<br />

facilities for workers and their family, for the costs of illnesses or<br />

accident not linked to their work. After several months of existence, it<br />

seems the registration is globally slow. There is confusion in workers’<br />

mind between the notions of family cluster and child benefit.<br />

The low registration rate is also caused by a significant turn-over<br />

among the staff on the company’s sites. Staff transfers from site to site<br />

make it difficult to take charge of the families, mostly those who didn’t<br />

register for the family cluster program.<br />

For the time being, this notion is almost perfectly operational in <strong>FM</strong>U<br />

00 004, but not in other sites.<br />

12.4.2 - New Minor Corrective Action Requests<br />

In the current context, <strong>TRC</strong> certification deserves the greatest attention and<br />

rigour.<br />

Some commitments were not fully respected. In addition, the company was<br />

disrupted by the crisis, the social outburst of February 2008, and the<br />

implantation of the factory in the industrial estate.<br />

Therefore, the audit team <strong>report</strong>ed numerous lapses related to:<br />

- The consideration of social and ecological environment<br />

- Compliance with <strong>TRC</strong> procedures<br />

- Overall, legality and complete respect of <strong>FSC</strong> requirements listed point by<br />

point.<br />

N° Minor Corrective Action Requests expressed<br />

Keep an updated list of chemical products used within<br />

48<br />

the company (treatment products and glues as well)<br />

Complete the closure procedure for cutting areas and<br />

49<br />

systematically implement it<br />

50 Pursue efforts to generalise RIL practices in the <strong>FM</strong>U<br />

Suggested<br />

Realisation Leadtime<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

Demand Number<br />

6.6.1<br />

1.5<br />

6.2<br />

5.3<br />

6.5<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 102 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

N° Minor Corrective Action Requests expressed<br />

51<br />

52<br />

53<br />

54<br />

55<br />

56<br />

Control the impacts linked to the sedimentation<br />

phenomenon in waterways during civil engineering<br />

construction works<br />

Complete and apply the annual monitoring procedure<br />

for HCVFs in order to assess the efficiency of forest<br />

management measures<br />

Develop and produce the monitoring balance for<br />

HCVFs<br />

Produce a summary of the indicators’ monitoring<br />

results.<br />

Improve the indicators for the monitoring of forest<br />

management<br />

Set up a training schedule based on monitoring<br />

results, and including all the company’s actions<br />

Set up a supervision tool for the monitoring<br />

57<br />

(frequency, modality, indicator, objective, monitoring)<br />

Increase workers’ awareness of emergency<br />

58 measures, chiefly concerning chemical products<br />

dumping<br />

Sensitise all workers, including the management<br />

59<br />

team, to the strict application of procedures<br />

Define the company’s intervention policy concerning<br />

the support to local resident communities (and<br />

60 communes) and clarify the concrete and operational<br />

modalities for the implementation of started/pending<br />

actions in a concerted manner.<br />

Define indicators (performance and impact) for the<br />

61 implementation of the social policy (initiatives started<br />

as part of the actions supporting rural development)<br />

62<br />

63<br />

64<br />

65<br />

Continue the implementation of measures planned in<br />

the EMS<br />

Harmonise the professional classification of<br />

administrative agents operating on all the company’s<br />

sites<br />

Approve the job descriptions and implement an<br />

efficient system for staff assessment<br />

Maintain the mediation with Ndockbassaben local<br />

communities in order to clear misunderstandings<br />

Suggested<br />

Realisation Leadtime<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

Demand Number<br />

6.5<br />

9.3<br />

9.4<br />

6 months 9.4.5<br />

6 months 8.5<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

6 months<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

8.1<br />

4.1<br />

4.2<br />

6.6.3<br />

7.3<br />

8<br />

8<br />

6.6.8<br />

6 months 1.1.4<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

6 months<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

Next surveillance<br />

audit<br />

4.1.4<br />

4.1.5<br />

5.4.2<br />

4.1.5<br />

5.4.2<br />

8.5<br />

6 5.1<br />

7.1<br />

8.2<br />

1<br />

4.3<br />

1<br />

4.3<br />

1<br />

4.3<br />

Comments on Minor CARs<br />

Minor CAR 48:<br />

There is no updated exhaustive list of the chemical products used in the<br />

company (see complementary recommendation).<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 1<strong>03</strong> of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

There is a list of chemical products, but it is not up to date (insert new products),<br />

which is why this CAR is minor.<br />

Minor CAR 49:<br />

The current procedure includes the systematic dismantling of civil engineering<br />

structures (bridges, pipes and so on) which are likely to block water draining<br />

once the cutting area is closed. As observed, this procedure is not implemented<br />

in a fully satisfactory manner, chiefly when the dismantling concerns old tracks<br />

that were re-opened for exploitation, which is why this CAR is minor (see<br />

example AC 1.4, track 89= former Ndiki track).<br />

Minor CAR 50:<br />

Some lapses were observed, notably concerning reduced impact skidding and<br />

hauling, which may still be improved in sharp slope areas where soils are still<br />

systematically exposed, and even at times, according to the sharpest slope line.<br />

Overall, excavations remain significant. However, the width and the location of<br />

skidding tracks are to be improved. Reduced impact exploitation is globally well<br />

implemented, but some improvements remain to be carried out, which is why<br />

this CAR is minor.<br />

Minor CAR 51:<br />

Although roads are built in a satisfactory manner, some technical inadequacies<br />

were noted concerning water passages, and waterway preservation. Bridges’<br />

making is not satisfactory as it doesn’t allow the full monitoring of sedimentation<br />

risks. There is a need for a procedure for the monitoring of erosion<br />

phenomenon and sedimentation in waterways during civil engineering building<br />

operations: (i) procedures complying with international good practices in this<br />

area, (ii) reinforcement of staff training on track opening and civil engineering,<br />

(iii) works’ monitoring indicators and procedure, (iv) identification of points of<br />

non-conformity, with regards to the code of good practices, on the network of<br />

main and secondary tracks, which are to remain open, (v) identification of<br />

monitoring and management measures for non-conformities.<br />

Minor CAR 52:<br />

The document referring to HCVF 3 supplies monitoring results, but in fact, those<br />

are the documentary resources needed for the monitoring (post-exploitation<br />

<strong>report</strong>s, bridges’ destruction <strong>report</strong>s, soils’ protection annual <strong>report</strong> and so on).<br />

This document does not clearly define monitoring indicators for the objective<br />

measurement and verification of implemented actions’ efficiency. The company<br />

developed the monitoring tools but a global monitoring spreadsheet is<br />

necessary to follow up exploitation impact on HCVs, which is why this CAR is<br />

minor.<br />

Minor CAR 53:<br />

HCVF monitoring <strong>report</strong> is not available and was therefore not made <strong>public</strong>.<br />

Minor CARs 54- 55- 56- 57:<br />

See comment below.<br />

Minor CAR 58:<br />

Operators were not sufficiently sensitised and trained to taking emergency<br />

measures in case of hydrocarbon accidental dumping (if the tank falls over, for<br />

instance) or other incidents likely to cause pollution.<br />

3 Forests with High Conservation Values within <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004, Version 6, January 20<strong>09</strong>.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 104 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Minor CAR 59:<br />

The audit team spotted lapses caused by the non-application of some<br />

procedures which were developed by the company to suitably meet the<br />

requirements. Staff, and chiefly management teams, should see to the<br />

implementation of procedures under any circumstances, so as to maintain the<br />

conformity level required by <strong>FSC</strong> standards’ requirements.<br />

Minor CAR 60:<br />

Currently, there are two company intervention levels: intervention at local level<br />

through FFCs, and intervention at communes’ level.<br />

Concerning intervention at local communities’ level through FFCs, several<br />

activities were carried out by the company. It consists in actions for abilities’<br />

reinforcement (training to agricultural yield, breeding, micro projects’<br />

management and so on) and actions supporting micro projects identified and<br />

accepted as part of the consultation with communities. Although the trainings<br />

carried out by the forest management department seem to have had an effect<br />

on beneficiaries (concerning the improvement of production techniques), the<br />

information received during the training is not spread out to the communities.<br />

Overall, the actions now undertaken with FFCs do not go beyond that frame. As<br />

for trainings, efforts have to be made to broaden the diffusion of techniques and<br />

information received by FFC members.<br />

After approximately 15 months, there appears an inadequacy between the<br />

means used (human and material) and the results achieved for the first<br />

generation projects. This assessment should contribute to a reorientation of<br />

choices, notably for second generation projects, mostly consisting in pig<br />

breeding. The company’s choice was to support communities in the installation<br />

of one pigsty per FFC. Once again, those pigsties will have a community<br />

aspect, but the practical management methods (example of animals giving<br />

birth) are not formally developed nor defined, which may lead to conflict within<br />

the communities and even with the company.<br />

From the communication between the company and local communities through<br />

the FFCs, there appeared an ambiguity that should be clarified. The company<br />

chose to use FFCs as the authority for consultation with the company, which is<br />

ambiguous as FFCs’ powers are clearly defined by the decision that established<br />

them, but debates are limited concerning other questions that could be clarified<br />

in a protocol/convention with local communities. FFCs acting as consultation<br />

and participative management authorities have competences that go way<br />

beyond the strict competences planned by the law, mostly concerning the<br />

sustainable management approach. The responsibilities of the company and<br />

the communities should be clarified as part of participative management. This<br />

observation leads to tackle the question of a clear and detailed frame for the<br />

consultation between the company and communities, with priority to the<br />

strategy for the support of resident communities’ development. Until now, the<br />

latter was not objectively defined.<br />

Concerning the intervention at communes’ level, two actions were <strong>report</strong>ed: the<br />

signature of collaboration conventions (delegation contracts for works<br />

coordination with Ndjikinimeki commune) and the drawing up of a master<br />

arrangement with Yingui commune.<br />

This second section is orientated towards the partial contribution to the<br />

concretisation of micro-projects such as the building of a classroom in<br />

Ndockwanen high school, the building of latrines in Ndikoko high school<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 105 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

(Ndjikinimeki arrondissement). Note that those interventions, as part of the<br />

conventions signed with the communes, will have to be focused and resulting<br />

from the priorities expressed via the local development plans, or at least from<br />

carefully elaborated choices answering the local communities’ concerns. On the<br />

other hand, the socio-economic achievements, which expenses were shared<br />

with the communities, cloud the company’s contribution and the current sociopolitical<br />

context. It would be judicious to clarify responsibilities for stakeholders<br />

and chiefly local communities, which will be supported in their development, and<br />

to communicate about decisions made in agreement with stakeholders (mostly<br />

at local communities’ level).<br />

As a conclusion, this CAR is minor given that the company initiated actions to<br />

support the development of local communities, but now interventions should be<br />

revised as part of a clearly defined policy.<br />

Minor CAR 61<br />

Regardless of the type of project to be implemented by the company for local<br />

communities’ development, this should be part of a global policy clearly<br />

developed and possibly communicated to stakeholders (chosen project type,<br />

reasons, implementation schedule, finance resources, performance indicators,<br />

impact indicators, and so on).<br />

For instance, the technical and human capital of the Medical Center of Yingi<br />

district was improved thanks to <strong>TRC</strong> support. After one year, this support<br />

notably led to a significant increase in the attendance rate (performance<br />

indicator) of this sanitary structure from neighbouring communities (distant from<br />

10 to 15 km) and a decrease in the transfer of patients to Douala (impact<br />

indicator) for health reasons (implying a reduction of various related expenses).<br />

It is undeniable that such initiatives have a quick and instant impact in a context<br />

stricken by isolation and poverty.<br />

Equally, the company could select priority projects to be carried out after an<br />

analysis of local development plans or socio-economic diagnosis <strong>report</strong>s. It is<br />

obvious that the chosen projects can only be carried out according to the<br />

amount available in the pool.<br />

Minor CAR 62<br />

The assessment of the environmental management plan’s implementation<br />

shows that several measures presented in the EMS are not thoroughly<br />

implemented yet. Ongoing efforts should be pursued so that all the measures<br />

defined in the EMS can be progressively implemented. Several actions were<br />

initiated but not fully implemented, which justifies the minor character of this<br />

CAR.<br />

Minor CAR 63<br />

The category allocated to administrative agents depends on the importance<br />

granted internally to the post. All administrative agents match a single<br />

elaborated definition of their remit appearing on the job descriptions that are not<br />

approved yet. The required level for this position and the place in the hierarchy<br />

would imply that those posts would be suitably valued, which isn’t the case in<br />

the company.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 1<strong>06</strong> of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Minor CAR 64<br />

Job descriptions are one of the main tools for staff assessment. Those<br />

documents are developed for superior managers of the company only (see<br />

document dated 30 th January 20<strong>09</strong>).<br />

Overall, this CAR aims at ensuring that the current personnel management<br />

team has sufficient means and power available to play its role in staff<br />

management and to comply with legal work requirements and <strong>FSC</strong>-applicable<br />

international conventions under any circumstances.<br />

The functional and structural flowchart of the company must be reviewed and<br />

the responsibilities of the personnel department team will have to be clarified.<br />

Minor CAR 65<br />

CERAD consultancy was appointed as mediator by the company during the<br />

conflict between <strong>TRC</strong> and Ndockbassaben community. After this mission, some<br />

recommendations were expressed (see preliminary <strong>report</strong> from the analysis of<br />

the conflict between <strong>TRC</strong> and Ndockbassaben village, dated 30 th August,<br />

2007).<br />

It is obvious that this mediation mostly contributed to appease stakeholders<br />

while orientating them towards a clarification of the communities’ concerns.<br />

However, it now appears that the approach promoting dialogue, consultation<br />

and solution-seeking has not been thoroughly applied. The possible implication<br />

of the administration in the conflict resolution, to the detriment of the means<br />

chosen, would simply aggravate the situation<br />

On the other hand, it should be emphasized that in the current context of a<br />

divided community in Ndockbassaben (situation foreseen by the mediator after<br />

his mission), there could not be a serene participative initiative of any kind.<br />

Negotiation must urgently resume as part of the mediation initiated, so as to<br />

clear misunderstandings and to refocus the relations between the company and<br />

Ndockbassaben communities with a sound and sustainable perspective.<br />

This CAR is minor as the approach initiated by the company to deal with the<br />

topics, according to the process suggested by the mediation, is not finalised.<br />

12.4.3 - New Major Corrective Actions Request<br />

N° Major Corrective Actions Request Expressed<br />

66<br />

Set up the consultation with staff representatives and<br />

all workers, and deal objectively with the concerns<br />

expressed.<br />

Suggested<br />

realization lead-time<br />

3 months<br />

Demand Number<br />

4.3<br />

4.4.4<br />

4.4.5<br />

Comments on the major CAR:<br />

Considering the observations made concerning the negotiations between<br />

workers and Management, drifts were <strong>report</strong>ed in the application of conventions<br />

87 and 98 of WIO and even of some national legal work measures.<br />

From the analysis of the documents relating chronologically the facts from the<br />

idea to the settlement of the problematic workers campsite in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004, it<br />

appears that the concerns shared with various levels of management were not<br />

considered as such.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 107 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Beyond standard complaints appearing in the notebook for this purpose, the<br />

writing of the memorandum concerning the campsite in <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004 can be<br />

considered as the result of accumulated frustrations and the workers’<br />

experience of such situations (Iboti and Mossé campsites). Although workers<br />

and mostly workers’ representatives can be reproached for not using the formal<br />

means of transmission of concerns to hierarchy planned by the company’s<br />

internal uses, this memorandum has dully been handed out to the consultant<br />

appointed for the environmental and social feasibility survey in January 2008.<br />

This memorandum is attached to the <strong>report</strong> of the aforementioned mission.<br />

The approach implemented to deal with such situations led to the dismissal of<br />

two workers’ representatives, to the resignation of another two, and to the<br />

deterioration of the global atmosphere within the company. This simply shows<br />

that the consultation and dialogue means recommended in criteria 4.3 of forest<br />

management standards were not prioritised.<br />

The decision to dismiss two workers’ representatives after the <strong>public</strong>ation of the<br />

memorandum of <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004’s workers contributed to reinforce the frustration<br />

of the remaining workers’ representatives, who no longer felt free to negotiate or<br />

share concerns with Management.<br />

The draft internal rules for the campsite were developed and submitted to<br />

workers and to workers’ representatives in particular for their comments. It does<br />

not deal with all the concerns expressed in the memorandum. For instance,<br />

paragraph (d) of art.3 of the draft internal rules is one of the points that led to a<br />

ration’s request. We could imagine that married workers with children old<br />

enough to be sent to school would now have three households (campsite,<br />

Yingui for wives and Douala where children go to school).<br />

A meeting was held on 19 th April, 2008 with workers of <strong>FM</strong>U 00 004, organised<br />

for the social dialogue to resume. The agenda was “the management of a crisis<br />

linked to workers’ representatives, the campsite project justifications, and<br />

debates concerning the moving in of workers into the campsite”. It did not allow<br />

tackling thoroughly and serenely the existing unrest.<br />

Given all the consequences it could create and the fact that it is general and<br />

recurrent, this corrective action request is essential, and the sustainability of<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> certification approach depends on the actions taken. This is therefore a<br />

major corrective action request.<br />

12.4.4 - Conclusion of the audit team<br />

In the past, the company showed capacity to innovate and progress. Structural<br />

measures taken by the company following from the observations expressed<br />

during present audit confirms this reactivity.<br />

However, lapses were observed, including one that is major, which proves that<br />

the conformity level is not sufficient with regards to <strong>FSC</strong> standards requirements<br />

and the system that was implemented to meet them. The company must reach<br />

conformity within three months and achieve the requested level for the<br />

certificate to be maintained. A complementary audit will be carried out in this<br />

lead-time in order to assess the answers brought and the actions implemented.<br />

Nevertheless, the audit team continues awarding its full trust to <strong>TRC</strong> and is<br />

confident that the situation’s realization and the General Management’s<br />

declaration following the audit’s results’ debriefing will lead to the necessary<br />

improvements to maintain the <strong>FSC</strong> certificate.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 108 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

Drafted on 5 th March, 20<strong>09</strong>, reviewed on 4 th May 20<strong>09</strong> and on 19 th May 20<strong>09</strong><br />

Forest Product Manager,<br />

Audit Manager,<br />

Héloise D'HUART<br />

Alain VALETTE<br />

12.5 - Certification decision<br />

After analysis of the conclusions of the audit team and after revision of the<br />

Corrective Action Request, the Wood and Forestry department requests the<br />

company to close the Major CAR in the 3 months following the surveillance<br />

audit n°1. A complementary audit on site will be ne eded to assess the action<br />

taken by the company to in compliance with <strong>FSC</strong> requirements.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 1<strong>09</strong> of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 10-18/02/20<strong>09</strong><br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : <strong>PR080202</strong><br />

Version : 2.1<br />

13 - Appendices<br />

13.1 - Pairs review following the initial audit and the two complementary<br />

audits<br />

To be translated<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 110 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

13.2 - Answers to Stake-Holders<br />

These comments are classified by theme (grey lines)<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

Population<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 14 What means have been taken to<br />

consult the communities<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 18 Criterion 3.1: Incompatibility between<br />

the concepts of “native populations"<br />

and “controlled territories”<br />

A permanent instance of population<br />

consultation was set up. Within that<br />

scope 11 FFCs representing all the<br />

riparian villages were created.<br />

Through these FFCs, the<br />

populations are regularly informed of<br />

the different activities linked to the<br />

UFA management. These FFCs<br />

function very actively. The<br />

consultation schedule with the FFCs<br />

plans a monthly meeting with <strong>TRC</strong>.<br />

The communities were consulted systematically during all the<br />

audits. The consultations results and the assessment of <strong>TRC</strong>’s<br />

consultation mechanisms is specified in the <strong>report</strong>.<br />

Non modifiable <strong>FSC</strong> criteria.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 19 3.2 criterion keys: non operational: the<br />

negative impacts are only identified<br />

and the measures are simply<br />

documented.<br />

An impact survey is carried out with an environmental and social<br />

management scheme. The implementation of that survey<br />

recommendations and the management scheme allow to reduce<br />

or compensate the identified impacts. Similarly, the defined<br />

procedures are applied and allow to limit the negative impacts of<br />

forest management operations<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 111 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 22 Expectations in terms of road The exploitation evolves on the Checked during the audits<br />

construction in the villages<br />

basis of a division of the UFA in<br />

cutting areas (30 years to cover the<br />

area), it is not possible for the road<br />

construction to progress at another<br />

rhythm. The Douala-Yingui road was<br />

reopened and is regularly<br />

maintained by <strong>TRC</strong>, as well as all<br />

the Yingui roads. <strong>TRC</strong> does not<br />

have the right to open roads other<br />

than those needed for the<br />

exploitation of the Yearly Cutting<br />

Area in progress and those needed<br />

for timber evacuation. The Yingui<br />

road was reopened within that<br />

scope.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 23 Need in furniture Inadequate question<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 24 need in schemes monitoring The FFCs set up by <strong>TRC</strong> allow to do a monitoring of the projects<br />

implemented by <strong>TRC</strong> (see <strong>report</strong>).<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 25 Does not give its opinion on the<br />

management implemented on the<br />

UFA because not enough hindsight<br />

and encourages the involvement of all<br />

the parties<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 26 The different people who run certain<br />

structures do not know their role<br />

The <strong>public</strong> summary of the management scheme is distributed to<br />

all the stakeholders including the riparian communities.<br />

Consultations are regularly carried out with the communities<br />

through the FFCs;<br />

The FFCs were trained and are regularly consulted to make clear<br />

the roles of all the parties involved<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 31 Wonders if <strong>TRC</strong> took into<br />

consideration the populations’<br />

grievances because did not have the<br />

knowledge of the “specifications”<br />

See answer to point 14.<br />

The "specifications" notion is no longer in the law.However, the<br />

company consulted the riparian communities to take their need<br />

into consideration.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 112 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 35 One must make the youths taken on All <strong>TRC</strong> employees are declared at Checked during the audits<br />

by <strong>TRC</strong> subscribe to the CNPS (for the CNPS, including those from the<br />

their old-age pension) instead of riparian villages.<br />

employing them as temporary workers<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 37 Setting up of CSP If CSP means FFC see answer point<br />

14<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 38 Willingness to include the<br />

development notion of the "gender"<br />

approach (distribution between the<br />

different categories of population:<br />

youths / old, men / women) in the<br />

management referential<br />

The referential takes into consideration all the social classes and<br />

includes the gender aspects too<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 40 specifications see point 31<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 41 Make sure of the effective setting up If it consists here in the RFA Checked during the audits<br />

of the management Committees (CSP management committees, the joint<br />

)<br />

order plans that the economic<br />

operator attends as observer. <strong>TRC</strong><br />

wrote to all the concerned Mayors in<br />

order to be informed about the<br />

opening of these committee<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 44 Finds that <strong>TRC</strong> consults the<br />

populations in a cavalier manner: CPF<br />

launched in 2 days, no explanation of<br />

the step in the villages-<br />

meetings.<br />

Since the setting up of the FFCs, the<br />

meetings with the villages intensified<br />

a lot and the relationship with the<br />

riparian populations improved a lot.<br />

noted as the audits are in progress<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 113 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 45 Main Mosse - Ndokbassa road: <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> is not opposed to the roads Checked during the audits<br />

is opposed to the road crossing the construction however cannot accept<br />

UFA<br />

that a <strong>public</strong> works company<br />

ventures into creating a road without<br />

pre-established plans in the UFA<br />

because it is “easier” to use an<br />

exploitation track rather than repair<br />

the former road or to open a new<br />

one, task for which it nevertheless<br />

signed a contract with the<br />

Cameroonian State. Nevertheless,<br />

considering the anthropogenic<br />

pressure and socioeconomic results<br />

from surveys carried out by <strong>TRC</strong>,<br />

that zone was excluded from the<br />

UFA to the populations’ benefit<br />

during the definitive constitution.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 46 “Exiles” problem: want to bury their<br />

dead in the villages of their ancestors<br />

(which they had to leave in the 60s)<br />

That problem was solved during the<br />

UFA definitive constitution, as it is<br />

the zone cited above.<br />

Checked during the audits<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 47 The term Forest Farmer Committee is<br />

pejorative<br />

That name is given by Cameroonian<br />

forestry law<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 48 Problem of communication with the<br />

populations to explain the respect of<br />

environmental and accompanying<br />

standards<br />

See answer to point 14. Summaries<br />

of various documents (management<br />

scheme, certification procedures,<br />

results of the impact survey) were<br />

distributed in all the FFCs.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 49 Specifications respected see point 31<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 50 CNPS registration of the recruits All <strong>TRC</strong> employees are declared at Checked during the audits<br />

the CNPS<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 114 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 51 Requests the setting up of a sawmill <strong>TRC</strong> does not plan the setting up of<br />

to create jobs<br />

a sawmill there.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 52 Problem with the main Mosse -<br />

Ndikinimeni road<br />

See answer to point 45.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 53 Insufficient consultation problem See answer to point 14.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 54 Road problem See answer to point 45.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 56 pejorative “CSP” term see point 47<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 57 Association of all the parties The forests farmers committees set up also serve as consultation<br />

framework with the company to tackle the local communities’<br />

concerns<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 58 See point 42 orally (insufficient<br />

consultation problem)<br />

See answer to point 14.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 63 Orally: Road problem See answer to point 45.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 64 Orally: insufficient consultation<br />

problem<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 65 Orally: problem with the main Yabassi<br />

- Yingui road<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 66 Confrontation with Manuel (site<br />

manager of UFA 00 004)<br />

See answer to point 14.<br />

As far as we know, there is no<br />

problem in the Yabassi zone. <strong>TRC</strong><br />

regularly ensures the reshaping of<br />

the main Yabassi Yingui road<br />

through which its timber is<br />

evacuated.<br />

Checked during the audits<br />

The comment lacks precision<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 115 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

15/11/2007 73 The NGO underlines that, according The proportion of the population who Checked during the audits<br />

to socioeconomic surveys, the is interested in "Moabi" tree as<br />

“moabi” appears as a major tree for NTFP is relatively low. The surveys<br />

the local populations as NTFP: why rather showed that these<br />

fell it in that case <strong>TRC</strong> suggests to populations mostly exploit the feet of<br />

consider stopping felling the “moabi” the "Moabi" trees in the near vicinity<br />

trees.<br />

of the villages. <strong>TRC</strong> suggests to<br />

consider with them a participative<br />

management system for that<br />

species.<br />

15/11/2007 77 <strong>TRC</strong> is not opposed to the creation of<br />

the Mossi - Ndokbassaben road<br />

however explains that it is the<br />

administration which stops the<br />

scheme.<br />

See answer to point 45.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 116 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

15/11/2007 78 They explain that, on the social level, Beyond the AFR payment, the Checked during the audits<br />

the main identifiable obstacle to a company cannot, on behalf of the<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> certification is the absence of Cameroonian State, act upon the<br />

visible economic consequences for real use of that godsend for the<br />

the local populations.Facilities such as socioeconomic development of the<br />

wells, schools or health centres are riparian communities. The<br />

practically nonexistent in the riparian implementation of the rural<br />

villages. The economic development development schemes cannot be<br />

microprojects are embryonic.<strong>TRC</strong> done without the participation and<br />

explains that the company pays the approval of the beneficiaries and the<br />

annual forest royalty and that it is up Administration. <strong>TRC</strong> is committed to<br />

to the local administration and the participate to the convention set up<br />

Cameroonian State to take care of by YINGUI’s new Mayor, for the<br />

building these facilities.They share, elaboration of a development<br />

partly, that view: the company must scheme for the region. <strong>TRC</strong> wrote to<br />

not do everything and place the all the Mayors in order to really take<br />

villagers in a situation of dependency. part (as provided for by the law) in<br />

Nevertheless, we think that <strong>TRC</strong> must the AFR different management<br />

play a more active role to ensure that committees. <strong>TRC</strong> set a Support fund<br />

the AFR is used correctly by the local for the development of the UFA’s<br />

administration for the villagers’ riparian village communities,<br />

benefit.<br />

financed by “GREEN SOURCE<br />

Foundation”. That “foundation” is<br />

funded by a debit of 500FCFA per<br />

m3 of timber exploited in the UFA<br />

(since 01/01/07).<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 117 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

15/11/2007 79 They wish that <strong>TRC</strong> should formalize For the populations, <strong>TRC</strong> started the see point 14 too<br />

further its relationship with the following actions: Local<br />

villagers by establishing appointments (about 25 people up to<br />

specifications. The writing of these now, including 1 forest engineer).<br />

specifications should associate the Refurbishment of Yingui’s health<br />

local administration. During our centre. Strengthening of Yingui's<br />

mission, in September 2007, we noted health centre by taking in charge 2<br />

that the Monitoring Committees male nurses (including 1 laboratory<br />

created by <strong>TRC</strong> only have a small assistant). Taking part in Yingui’s<br />

operating budget (per diem, transport Town Hall refurbishment. Creation of<br />

allowance to the meetings -) however communittee fields in each village<br />

no investing budget for concrete (16). Reinforcement of the agrosylvo-pastoral<br />

capacities through the<br />

schemes. They recommend to <strong>TRC</strong> to<br />

rely on these Monitoring Committees FFCs.<br />

to write contractual specifications.<br />

Financing of identified schemes could<br />

be first taken on by <strong>TRC</strong> (via REEF<br />

foundation) however progressively<br />

taken care of by the local<br />

administration (via the AFR).<br />

15/11/2007 80 They admit that <strong>TRC</strong> took initiatives<br />

for the UFA riparian communities<br />

however it seems to be very<br />

premature to judge the effectiveness<br />

and impact of these measures. Yet,<br />

the <strong>FSC</strong> certification is a performance<br />

certification which should only be<br />

issued when forest management will<br />

in concrete terms benefit to the<br />

riparian populations.<br />

Fauna & flora<br />

There are already concrete results:<br />

employment for about 25 riparians,<br />

economic effects for about 5000<br />

people through the setting up of<br />

microschemes. <strong>TRC</strong> thinks that the<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> certification for UFA 00-004,<br />

would give salutary impetus to the<br />

company and would allow it to set<br />

up other initiatives in favour of<br />

sustainable management in all its<br />

activities.<br />

The support initiatives to improve the standard of living of the<br />

local communities riparian to the UFA were really set by the<br />

company. To start with, these initiatives experienced very few<br />

commitments from the communities (apart from members of the<br />

FFC board), however the assessments and continuation of the<br />

actions started allowed in particular to give rise to more interest<br />

or progressive commitment from these communities. The initiated<br />

schemes need a reinforcement of the communities’ capacities,<br />

which is done, as well as a real commitment from the latter too<br />

(which is not everywhere the case).<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 118 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 7 Did <strong>TRC</strong> classify the UFA as HVFC <strong>TRC</strong> produced a text describing the<br />

(because the UFA is located in the high value conservation attributes in<br />

Ebo-Ndokbou area, very rich UFA 00-004. That text is available<br />

ecologically and with certain rare on the <strong>TRC</strong> website.<br />

animal species)<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 8 What are the procedures planned and<br />

implemented to maintain the zone’s<br />

biodiversity<br />

In addition to the surveys prior to the<br />

elaboration of the management<br />

scheme, complementary surveys<br />

concerning biodiversity in the UFA<br />

were carried out in partnership with<br />

different specialists: Dr ATANGA<br />

EKOBO from WWF for fauna, Dr<br />

PEGUY TCHOUTO from<br />

MBALMAYO's National School of<br />

Forestry and Water Ressources and<br />

Dr ONANA from Cameroon's<br />

National Herbarium for flora and<br />

biodiversity in part. The results of<br />

these surveys allowed to elaborate<br />

specific procedures for all of <strong>TRC</strong><br />

activities in the UFA. These<br />

procedures allow to include the<br />

considerations<br />

and<br />

recommendations of the different<br />

surveys carried out and to protect<br />

biodiversity at best.<br />

An identification and definition work of HVFC attributes was<br />

actually carried out in that UFA in collaboration with the<br />

stakeholders (local communities and national and international<br />

organizations).<br />

These surveys were monitored, and the resource people were<br />

consulted during the audits<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 119 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 9 Are zones within the concession going<br />

to be protected<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 10 Are specific measures going to be<br />

taken to protect rare, protected and<br />

endangered species<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 11 Is a buffer zone planned in the area<br />

around Ebo forests and Mounts<br />

Nlonako<br />

A protection set made up of two<br />

zones (1859 ha altogether) is<br />

defined in the management scheme<br />

according to the results of the first<br />

fauna survey carried out jointly by<br />

WWF and Nature+. The criteria of<br />

choice of these zones were dictated<br />

on one hand by their biodiversity<br />

wealth and on the other hand<br />

because they are far away (low<br />

impact of poaching).<br />

The surveys mentionned at points 7<br />

and 8 allowed to identify rare and<br />

endangered species. Specific<br />

procedures were elaborated and are<br />

applied for the protection of these<br />

species. For each yearly cutting<br />

area, pre-exploitation multiresources<br />

surveys allow to identify new<br />

species to be protected and lead to<br />

the evolution of procedures to adapt<br />

them to new data<br />

The proposition of UFA 00-004<br />

definitive constitution as well as<br />

EBO park new definition put the two<br />

zones more than 1.863 miles away<br />

from one another. That intermediate<br />

zone is assigned to agroforestry.<br />

Mount NLONAKO forest reserve is<br />

not bordering UFA 00-004.<br />

Following the audits, precisions were asked on the identification<br />

of the HVFC attributes, by complementary surveys.New HVFC<br />

zones were redefined following complementary and specific flora<br />

and fauna surveys and are correctly described (as well as their<br />

conservation measures) in the <strong>TRC</strong> HVFC document.<br />

The conservation measures were assessed, and were subjected<br />

to stakeholders’ consultation<br />

Checked during the audits<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 120 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 12 Besides the biological survey were An environmental and social impact Checked during the audits<br />

there environmental and social impact survey was carried out by the<br />

surveys, and if so, are they <strong>public</strong> CARFAD and approved by the<br />

administration. The environmental<br />

management scheme which follows<br />

from it was translated into<br />

procedures. That management<br />

scheme was communicated to the<br />

riparian populations through the<br />

Forests Farmer Committees. All<br />

these documents are made <strong>public</strong><br />

on the <strong>TRC</strong> website.<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 13 Concern about poaching in Ndokbou See tab “Detailed comment nb 13” Checked during the audits<br />

forest: what measures did <strong>TRC</strong> take<br />

or implement to handle that problem<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 33 Question on the struggle against See answer to point 13.<br />

Checked during the audits<br />

poaching<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 121 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 34 And what about non ligneous Within the scope of the Checked during the audits<br />

products<br />

socioeconomic surveys and during<br />

complementary surveys on flora,<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> assessed the level of use of<br />

the NTFP by the riparians. The<br />

populations’ capacities were<br />

reinforced on legal aspects of the<br />

exploitation and on the promotion of<br />

these products. The concerted step<br />

scheme plans trainings on NTFP<br />

tree nurseries implementation with<br />

the aim of diversifying sources of<br />

income and bringing alternatives to<br />

poaching. These trainings have<br />

actually started and the concerned<br />

species are those having a certain<br />

interest for the communities<br />

(example: the njansang<br />

(“Ricinodendron heudelotii”), and so<br />

on)<br />

15/11/2007 74 They explain that poaching is major in<br />

the UFA and that the measures taken<br />

by <strong>TRC</strong> are too recent to be able to<br />

make sure of their effectiveness. The<br />

NGO does not understand why CAR<br />

30 (to be checked) could be removed<br />

so quickly by Eurocertifor.<br />

15/11/2007 75 <strong>TRC</strong> admits that the first survey on<br />

fauna was badly carried out however<br />

it has since been carried out again.<br />

The results show that the presence of<br />

gorillas and endangered species is<br />

more definite in the national park than<br />

in the UFA.<br />

See answer to point 13.<br />

The auditors are aware of the gravity of poaching on the zone;<br />

the audit team insisted on that point, and collected contributors’<br />

opinion on that point. The WWF itself in particular was very<br />

satisfied with the steps started. The steps seem to us to<br />

constitute a varied and coherent scheme: monitoringsuppression-awareness.<br />

The fauna survey was carried out again in effect, under the<br />

supervision of Dr ATANGA from WWF.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 122 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

15/11/2007 76 Moreover, they think that the survey A new HVFC document was carried Following corrective action request 34, the work on the HVFC<br />

on high value forest conservation out, largely spread (visible on the was completely reviewed, which allowed to remove that CAR.<br />

carried out by the FORM firm is very <strong>TRC</strong> website) which already The work has nothing much in common with the Form document<br />

poor and not translated in concrete provoked positive reactions while (many references, consultations, appended surveys, clear keys)<br />

terms in the exploitation guidelines waiting for the impending validation<br />

and procedures.<br />

meeting.<br />

Management<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 20 Bongossi is the most exploited<br />

species in UFA 00 004 however it is<br />

not managed, which allows the logger<br />

to fell to administration MLD: can one<br />

talk about sustainable management if<br />

the main species is not included in the<br />

management scheme<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 27 Would appreciate that the forest<br />

management scheme should be<br />

known by everybody<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 42 Make sure of respecting the<br />

boundaries with the different types of<br />

forests around the 00 004<br />

Following the <strong>FSC</strong> initial audit, the<br />

minimum logging diameter of<br />

BONGOSSI was put up from 23.4 to<br />

27.3 inches. The management<br />

scheme must now be reviewed (end<br />

of first five-yearly block and new<br />

surface area) and these species will<br />

be included in the management<br />

scheme to be in harmony with the<br />

measures taken following the <strong>FSC</strong><br />

initial audit.<br />

Concerning Bongossi, <strong>TRC</strong> put up the logging diameters<br />

following the remarks expressed by the auditors during the<br />

scoping. The present logging diameters of Bongossi are not<br />

those on the management scheme approved by the<br />

administration.These “<strong>FSC</strong> Diameters” are mentionned in the<br />

company’s procedures.<br />

It is an <strong>FSC</strong> requirement (8.5) It is an obligation of the <strong>FSC</strong> referential (8.5)<br />

Only one type of forest surrounds<br />

UFA 00-004, there are agroforestry<br />

zones. As it is said above, the<br />

boundaries are regularly monitored<br />

(point 32)<br />

Checked during the audits<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 123 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

15/11/2007 69 They explain that, on a silvicultural See answer to point 20.<br />

It is completely true that the forest renewal rate of objective<br />

level, the main obstacle that we can<br />

identify to a <strong>FSC</strong> certification is the<br />

low rates of forest renewal (RFR) of<br />

the main species exploited that is to<br />

say bongossi (RFR 28%), tali (18%)<br />

and okan (24%). These species<br />

management cannot henceforth be<br />

described as sustainable because no<br />

volume commercially sufficient will<br />

remain as soon as the next rotation<br />

starts. They criticize <strong>TRC</strong>, as welle as<br />

many other companies, for having<br />

species is low. <strong>TRC</strong> made <strong>public</strong> these rates (which do not<br />

appear in the management scheme before certification) and<br />

changed the diameters to improve things. It is fit to remind here<br />

that according to principle 5 the management of a certified forest<br />

should be economically viable: if one harvests bongossi at a<br />

diameter which does not allow full forest renewal of stands, this<br />

will not be the case. The <strong>FSC</strong> MD used is therefore a<br />

compromise. The species promotion and the scientific surveys<br />

(on the fructification diameter and the average yearly growth) can<br />

be admitted as partially compensating a low forest renewal rate.<br />

taken advantage of a flaw in<br />

Cameroonian law (order 222) to<br />

exclude these species from the<br />

management scheme.<br />

15/11/2007 70 <strong>TRC</strong> explains to have already<br />

increased the felling diameters after<br />

Eurocertifor’s first audit however this<br />

remains very insufficient.<br />

The present data do not<br />

automatically require a change in<br />

minimum diameters. <strong>TRC</strong> set<br />

permanent sample plots and<br />

phenologic paths supervised by Dr<br />

PEGUY and the National Herbarium.<br />

The results of these surveys will<br />

allow to have extra data and a<br />

scientific basis on the management<br />

diameters of several species. It is to<br />

be noted that the mentioned species<br />

are neither rare nor endangered and<br />

that for the moment a management<br />

approach of the complete unit<br />

seems more appropriate<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 124 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

15/11/2007 71 They suggest to <strong>TRC</strong>:- to have an See answer 70About promoting Checked during the audits<br />

“honest” commercial communication secondary species, <strong>TRC</strong> already<br />

towards its clients and to admit that started to promote (sheet piles in<br />

today’s marketed species are OKAN, Nonskid in "SOUGUE" and<br />

overexploited.- to have an active LIMBALI, fence for horses in NIOVE,<br />

policy of research and promotion of sawings in "EVEUSS" and<br />

secondary species to stop "EKOBEM"). <strong>TRC</strong> thinks that the<br />

overexploiting key species.- To think <strong>FSC</strong> certification will allow to offer to<br />

about an innovative forestry: rather the consumers wishing for a certified<br />

than felling all the trees above the product, a greater variety of timber<br />

MLD/MMD keep from it enough species.<br />

percentage to improve the forest<br />

renewal rate.<br />

15/11/2007 72 <strong>TRC</strong> pays attention to these<br />

suggestions and explains that the<br />

management scheme is not frozen:<br />

new surveys are regularly carried out<br />

and the procedures updated. <strong>TRC</strong><br />

also explains the work which is carried<br />

out to fight against erosion (the UFA<br />

having a very hilly landscape):<br />

reforestation, road planning, reduction<br />

of impacts at felling and forwarding.<br />

Illegality<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 4 <strong>TRC</strong>’s illegal activity in Ebo forest: can<br />

an <strong>FSC</strong> certificate be issued if the<br />

company has illegal activities in other<br />

forests<br />

A particular procedure concerning<br />

soils protection was elaborated with<br />

the assistance of Professor<br />

BOKONG, teaching at DSCHANG<br />

University, department of soil<br />

sciences. In the 2008 cutting area<br />

(1-4), the most hilly zones were<br />

banned from any exploitation and it<br />

will be the same on all the cutting<br />

areas. In the document concerning<br />

the HVFC, these zones are included<br />

in the HVC 4 for which protective<br />

measures are taken.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> has no activity in EBO forest.<br />

These points were monitored and validated during the audit in<br />

November 2008, by field visits and interviews of the operators<br />

and scientists involved.<br />

Indeed, <strong>TRC</strong> has no production activity in that forest (which is not<br />

listed as UFA). There should be more factual information on the<br />

illegal activities quoted.<br />

In general, a company cannot have a certificate if it practises<br />

activities which can give rise to controversy in other forests or<br />

activities.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 125 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 28 Problem with Ndem community forest: <strong>TRC</strong> plans no collaboration with<br />

fraudulent exploitation (wild felling) Ndem community forest, even if for<br />

and contentious files (management the moment, the management of<br />

scheme not repected): that CF does that forest did nothing but generate<br />

not bring anything to the population. Is conflicts within the community. On<br />

worried that that CF (and its former the other hand, <strong>TRC</strong> intends to<br />

office which is questionned) goes into assist Yingui’s municipality in<br />

partnership with <strong>TRC</strong><br />

consultation with the successful<br />

community bidder of that CF in a<br />

communal forest scheme which<br />

could be a source of income for the<br />

populations and therefore take part<br />

in the fight against poverty.<br />

15/11/2007 68 They explain having had access to<br />

pieces of information proving that<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> bought timber coming from a<br />

cutting area sale (CAS) located in Ebo<br />

national park. <strong>TRC</strong> denies and<br />

explains having stopped since 20<strong>03</strong><br />

the supply from the CAS.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 32 Question on the fight against wild<br />

sawing<br />

After having noted irregularities in<br />

the exploitation of that CAS, <strong>TRC</strong><br />

interceded continually with the<br />

administration in order that that<br />

activity not in conformity near the<br />

UFA should stop.<br />

A boundaries surveillance procedure<br />

against illegal activities (including<br />

wild sawing) was elaborated. The<br />

boundaries surveillance is carried<br />

out at least four times a year. The<br />

riparian communities, through the<br />

FFCs, as well as the forests<br />

administration are associated with<br />

that step. With the administration’s<br />

agreement, <strong>TRC</strong> established a<br />

guarded gate on the main Yingui-<br />

Douala road which filters all the<br />

vehicles going through and<br />

transporting illegal sawing.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> documented that event, the elements which were presented<br />

to the auditors seem reliable<br />

Checked during the audits<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 126 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 36 Is the AFR paid back The list of payments, amounts and Checked during the audits<br />

due dates is visible by everybody on<br />

the <strong>TRC</strong> website.<br />

15/11/2007 67 They underline that UFA 00 004 is<br />

always in temporary agreement<br />

whichseems an obstacle to the<br />

certification. <strong>TRC</strong> answers that it is<br />

not contrary to <strong>FSC</strong> rulesand that the<br />

definitive agreement is expected for<br />

the end of year 2007 (the second<br />

meetingof constitution took place in<br />

September 2007).<br />

Referential / process<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 18 Criterion 3.1: Incompatibility between<br />

the concepts of “native populations"<br />

and “controlled territories”<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 19 3.2 criterion keys: non operational: the<br />

negative impacts are only identified<br />

and the measures are simply<br />

documented.<br />

All the meetings took place and <strong>TRC</strong><br />

already received a letter from the<br />

Minister of Forestry and Fauna<br />

which informs them that “UFA 00-<br />

004’s constitution process is (totally)<br />

finished on field" and that “the file<br />

relating to it follows the statutory<br />

procedure”, that is to say it is<br />

transmitted to the Prime Minister’s<br />

signature. In that letter it is also<br />

indicated that the UFA surface area<br />

is now: 94,917 ha.<br />

The auditors confirm that the documents to which <strong>TRC</strong> refers<br />

were controlled and that following contacts made at the ministry,<br />

the process is nearing completion.<br />

Non modifiable <strong>FSC</strong> criteria.<br />

An impact survey is carried out with an environmental and social<br />

management scheme. The implementation of that survey’s<br />

recommendations and of the management scheme allow to<br />

reduce or compensate the identified impacts. Similarly, the<br />

defined procedures are applied and allow to reduce the negative<br />

impacts of forest management operations, the implementation of<br />

which is monitored during the audits.<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 127 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 3 10/05/<strong>06</strong> CED remark: key 1.1.6 (the<br />

absence of noncoformity does not<br />

mean that all the legislation is really<br />

respected) + law texts list (E3)<br />

Respecting the law is a complex subject, moreover often left in<br />

the hands of lawyers, and it is nearly impossible to prove that all<br />

the laws of a country are respected.Such a step would take<br />

several months of work for our clients and an excessive time to<br />

control it during our audits, we consider that the different keys of<br />

criterion 1.1 address correctly the global respect of the<br />

criterion.The aim is to control that the forest manager respects<br />

the law however, the audit is not reduced to that.In the same<br />

way, it is probable that appendix E3 does not list all the<br />

applicable laws, however there again, there is no question of<br />

being exhaustive but rather of giving the legislative basis that the<br />

manager should respect and that we monitor during the<br />

audits.Moreover, during the revision of our referential, the key<br />

was changed as follows (to take into consideration that<br />

complexity):“1.1.6 There is no proof of offences, relatively<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 1 Make a good and transparent<br />

management of the stakeholders<br />

05/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 17 Taking into consideration the pieces<br />

of information transmitted by the<br />

stakeholders (example: GPS points<br />

transmitted for another file)<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 55 Complains about having had the<br />

documents of the meeting too late<br />

significant and frequent, against legal requirements”<br />

New measures were taken:<br />

- information mail before the audits- monitoring mail if the<br />

process is postponed because of complementary audit- appendix<br />

of answers to stakeholders with the <strong>public</strong> certification <strong>report</strong>,<br />

updated at each audit (if necessary)<br />

The elements supplied were taken into consideration during our<br />

audits and the <strong>FSC</strong> audited us regularly to check it. Simply at the<br />

level of communication (answer to people who made remarks to<br />

us) we fell behind with the file in question. It should be noted<br />

however that our auditors can have a different point of view on<br />

the elements transmitted by the stakeholders, some of them<br />

being not acceptable or having no impact. A precise answer is<br />

systematically expressed in the appendix of our <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong>s.<br />

Documents distributed in the villages by <strong>TRC</strong> (one has<br />

acknowledgements of receipt). The representatives of the<br />

riparian communities were met during the audits in the course of<br />

the process<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 128 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 2 Speed of the process There is no rule on the subject, companies are free to bring<br />

themselves up to standard according to the means that they<br />

implement. In the case of <strong>TRC</strong>, the company made a scoping in<br />

May 2005, and its latest audit dates from November 2007, that is<br />

2 and a ½ years of process, which is a generally noted average.<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 5 Should the other forests under <strong>TRC</strong><br />

management not be submitted to the<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> “Partial certification” and<br />

“controlled wood” text<br />

01/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 6 If so at pt 5, is one going to take into<br />

consideration the <strong>TRC</strong> activities on<br />

the SEPFCO concessions<br />

05/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 16 Question on the confidentiality of the<br />

auditors’ names<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 21 Orally: question on the certification<br />

cost (provision of certification)<br />

SEPFCO’s UFA 00-001/002<br />

exploited in partnership by <strong>TRC</strong>, as<br />

well as <strong>TRC</strong>’s UFA 11-001 are OLB<br />

certified. <strong>TRC</strong> chose to firstly certify<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> UFA 00-004 and to produce<br />

pure (and not mixed) <strong>FSC</strong>, therefore<br />

at the moment, a controlled wood<br />

certificate is not necessary.<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> opted for the production of "pure <strong>FSC</strong>" products, that is to<br />

say with <strong>FSC</strong> certified raw material, timber coming exclusively<br />

from the certified UFA 00 004.<br />

On other forests, there should not be any activity giving rise to<br />

controversy (these forests were already subjected to an <strong>FSC</strong><br />

scoping, it was possible to note that the management practised<br />

on these forests respect that requirement)<br />

see point 5 answer<br />

We decided to keep the auditors’ names confidential because:-<br />

the <strong>FSC</strong> authorizes it, however above all- we have without any<br />

doubt the most competent auditors as far as forest management<br />

in Central Africa is concerned and we do not wish to divulge that<br />

information to our competitors.We understand that that can be<br />

surprising however certification is also an economic activity with<br />

its own constraints and difficulties that we must manage and we<br />

will keep maintaining that information confidential.<br />

Question not concerning the certification process concerned by<br />

the consultation<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 129 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 29 What level of the certification process<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> is in initial audit (therefore final consideration) however had<br />

are we at<br />

to set things concerning the consultations and taking<br />

expectations into consideration. The initial audit aimed to check<br />

it. Afterwards, <strong>TRC</strong> undertook two other complementary audits, in<br />

order to check all their steps.<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 39 The referential should be conform to<br />

the draft of the assessment monitoring<br />

manual (Ref PD23/99 Rev (F))<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 43 Have several experts in the audit<br />

team<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 59 Orally: How explain <strong>TRC</strong> / BVQI<br />

“complicity”<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 60 Orally: are the remarks and <strong>report</strong>s of<br />

the populations going to be taken into<br />

consideration<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 61 Orally: request that the keys should<br />

be more detailed<br />

All the populations’ remarks and<br />

<strong>report</strong>s are surveyed during the<br />

frequent meetings with the FFCs. A<br />

particular procedure was moreover<br />

elaborated in order to guarantee the<br />

populations’ commitment in the UFA<br />

management.<br />

The referential and the audit procedures meet <strong>FSC</strong> requirements<br />

as far as certification process is concerned.<br />

During the 4 audits which <strong>TRC</strong> was subjected to, 6 auditors<br />

participated to the audit among whom were:<br />

- a forest expert (audit manager)<br />

- an expert on social and environmental questions<br />

- a developer specialist of the Congo Basin<br />

- a specialist of forest exploitation<br />

- a specialist of environment and ecosystems<br />

- a specialist of timber processing<br />

There is no “complicity”, <strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification (ex-BVQI) is<br />

an independent structure, <strong>FSC</strong> accredited, and which is in<br />

relation with <strong>TRC</strong> within the scope of the certification process of<br />

the latter.<br />

Checked during the audits<br />

This is impossible because the requirements would become<br />

inaccessible and unverifiable and the answers to the<br />

requirements would become over restricted and standardized<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 130 of 132


<strong>Bureau</strong> <strong>Veritas</strong> Certification<br />

92046 Paris La Défense Cedex<br />

www.certification.bureauveritas.fr<br />

<strong>FSC</strong> Forest Management Certification<br />

Certification Public Summary Report<br />

<strong>TRC</strong> - <strong>FM</strong>U 00-004<br />

Last audit : 18-23/11/2007<br />

L.A. : Alain VALETTE<br />

Réf. : AR 080202<br />

Version : 1.0<br />

Date comments Com. N° Comment received Company’s answer Answer<br />

<strong>09</strong>/<strong>06</strong>/20<strong>06</strong> 62 Orally: request that the keys should<br />

be more detailed<br />

see point 61<br />

<strong>PR080202</strong> <strong>FSC</strong> <strong>FM</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>TRC</strong> <strong>v22</strong> [<strong>03</strong> <strong>06</strong> <strong>09</strong>].doc Page 131 of 132

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