LINCOLNSHIRE, IL - Wood industry chain of custody and responsible sourcing practices are the subject of a free webcast original broadcast Wednesday, March 28 at WoodworkingNetwork.com. The one-hour webcast is now available on demand.

Featured presenters include Pat Bowling, VP of communication of the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) and Kathryn Fernholz, executive director of environmental analysts Dovetail Partners Inc. Their presentations are followed by a Q&A session  hosted by Woodworking Network's editor Rich Christianson, moderator of the event.

AHFA, the association for manufacturers and sellers of residential furnishings, explores its recently published Responsible Sourcing Manual, designed to help home furnishings companies establish comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.

AHFA's member task force in developing and reviewing the manual included:

•  Ann Clepper, marketing manager for Legacy Classic
•  Roger Jones, vice president of global logistics for Century Furniture
•  Rod Miller, director of environmental affairs for La-Z-Boy
•  Leanne Teasdale, sourced products manager for Flexsteel Inds.
•  Grace Weaver, manager of international trade/regulatory compliance for FBN Logistics.

Many of the home furnishings industry's leading companies source from hundreds of factories around the globe. Even smaller companies may be doing business with a dozen or more overseas resources. Managing these supply chains and ensuring that they comply with current and emerging labor and environmental standards has fueled a growing interest in CSR programs.

Dovetail Partners recently published a report helps clarifying chain of custody requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). The report also discusses options for group chain of custody certification.

Recent changes made in the certification standards include FSC-revised criteria for group chain-of-custody that expands opportunities for small businesses in the U.S. and can reduce costs from 50-80% for qualifying companies.

The free webcast is now available on demand.