Brazilian timber legality service update
The BVRio Brazilian timber Due Diligence and Risk Assessment service has been updated this month with two revised service options for timber importers.
The tool, which was created in 2015 has been used by custom officials, environmental agencies, traders, and companies to create more than 20,000 reports. Using large databases and satellite imagery, the system is able to track environmental infractions, slave labour, illegal deforestation and tax non-compliance to identify the risk of irregularities in 99% of cases.
The system is updated in real time, conducting over 2 billion data cross checks, and performs over 150 analyses per individual timber consignment.
According to a recent report by Brazilian research institute Imazon, between 2019 and 2020, 55% of logging in the key timber producer Brazilian state of Pará happened without authorisation. Estimates of a total figure for the whole of Brazil vary, but illegal logging is still thought to be widespread, and so Due Diligence checks on timber legality remains a vital process for importers.
“The system provides me with information that helps me assess the risk of doing business with a particular company. It’s a great risk analysis tool”. Fordaq Latin America sales agent.
The service has been updated with two different service options allowing customers to use the in-built supply chain analysis report generation tool themselves, or to pass their documentation to BVRio to conduct the analysis for them, both services now benefit from new bulk purchase options. The resulting comprehensive supply chain analysis reports cover every transaction in the supply chain from the original source to the final buyer. The single document checker remains free to use on the website.
BVRio’s, Land Use Analyst, Isabela Núñez del Prado commented on the system, “Updated in real time, the system keeps pace with changing information from the Brazilian Government about permits and infractions, and gives importers the confidence to place orders with the many legitimate traders of Brazilian timber, knowing that the entire supply chain can be checked with 99% accuracy.”
“Today we use the BVRio compliance tool to complement our DD procedures, by verifying the tax assessment notices (both federal and state), slave labour red flags, and the chain of supply routing from the forest to our factory in Belém. These checks are also verified via by IBAMA website (embargo and debts).” Robbie Weich, Group Compliance Officer, Tradelink Wood Products Ltd.
