RONA Unveils its Wood Products Procurement Policy

Corporate Social Responsibility Press Release

provided by

11.21.2008 - 11:26am ET

News from: Edelman

RONA Unveils its Wood Products Procurement Policy

RONA seeks wilderness conservation and the promotion of sustainable consumption

(CSRwire) TORONTO, ONTARIO. - November 21, 2008 - RONA inc. (TSX:RON), the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products, unveiled today its new Wood Products Procurement Policy. This is one of RONA's multiple sustainability initiatives. It reaffirms the company's goal to be the sustainability leader in its industry in Canada.

"RONA wants to play a major role in wilderness conservation as well as in the sustainability of natural resources, while supporting Canadian consumers in their efforts to adopt sustainable behaviors," said Robert Dutton, President and CEO of RONA. "Product selection is a key component by which RONA can exercise such leadership and demonstrate its desire to protect the environment and human rights," he added.

The Wood Products Procurement Policy fulfills RONA's objective to offer certified forest products to its customers. In implementing this new policy, RONA commits to doing business with suppliers who share its vision in terms of sustainability and have adopted responsible forest management practices.

RONA developed this new policy in order to help conserve Canada's Boreal Forest, one of the country's most important environmental heritage. RONA also strongly believes that natural resources have to be protected and managed responsibly so that future generations may also enjoy their benefits.

RONA's policy was developed through a holistic approach. In order to understand all inherent challenges related to the current and future context, the company conducted many consultations with stakeholders, including the forest industry, environmental organizations and scientific experts. Following these consultations and RONA's own evaluation, the company adopted an inclusive approach which recognizes all three certifications-the Forest Products marking Program (CSA), the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). RONA has also decided to give preference to the FSC certification as this standard better meets RONA's requirements in terms of relationships with indigenous communities and the conservation of biodiversity.

RONA's policy also states that it will conduct business with suppliers who do not contribute to deforestation and proactively address issues related to their activities. RONA also values suppliers who integrate the Life Cycle Assessment approach to develop and make products.

The consultations conducted by RONA have allowed the company to set measurable objectives, including the following:

To source 100% of commodity lumber (Spruce, Pine, Fir) for sale at RONA's corporate and franchised stores from certified forests by the end of 2010
To source 100% of commodity plywood panel products for sale at RONA's corporate and franchised stores from certified forests by the end of 2009
To ensure that 25% of commodity lumber for sale at RONA's corporate and franchised stores is FSC certified by the end of 2012
To ensure that 30% of wood products available at RONA's corporate stores bear a certification label by the end of 2010
By the end of 2011, RONA will require all suppliers to provide chain of custody or traceability of their fibre back to the forest area of origin.

RONA will implement a rigorous assessment program and report on an annual basis on the progress it has made in reaching the specific targets set in the Wood Products Procurement Policy. Throughout its continual collaboration with stakeholders, RONA will review this policy on an annual basis to ensure that it reflects new, arising issues.

Finally, RONA's Wood Products Procurement Policy is one of the company's sustainable initiatives that have been unveiled today at the 2009 RONA Spring Show. Indeed, RONA announced its commitment to stop selling synthetic pesticides for cosmetic use across Canada, beginning July 1, 2009. Moreover, the company will add new products to the RONA ECO and eco-responsible lines in 2009. For more information about RONA ECO and eco-responsible products visit www.rona.ca/eco.

ABOUT RONA

RONA is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products. RONA operates a network of close to 700 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores of various sizes and formats. With over 27,000 employees working under its family of banners in every region of Canada and more than 15 million square feet of retail space, the RONA store network generates over $6.3 billion in annual retail sales. For more, please visit rona.ca.
CSRwire