CorpComms Magazine

Kingfisher, Europe's leading home improvement retailer with brands such as B&Q and Screwfix, has campaigned since the early 1990s on the need for companies dealing in timber products to act responsibly on forestry issues. It was a founder member of the Forest Stewardship Council, striving to eliminate illegal timber from its supply chain, while chief executive Ian Cheshire is a member of the Prince of Wales' Corporate Leaders' Group on Climate Change. In August 2009, Kingfisher tasked TLG with the seemingly impossible task of achieving a ban on the import and possession of illegal timber.

It defined success as either an outright ban in the UK or the European Union. Recognising that such an ambitious target might be beyond the efforts of one organisation, Kingfisher enlisted the support of retailers IKEA, Carrefour and Marks & Spencer to launch the Timber Retail Coalition, with the stated objective to 'support measures to curb illegally harvested timber' and tackle 'global deforestation linked to climate change'.

Having identified key decision makers in Westminster and Brussels, meetings were held to press the issue. A consultative document communicating the case for a ban provided the framework for all meetings. The election manifestos for the UK's three main political parties pledged to ban the import of illegal timber. On 11 May, the coalition government pledged to ban illegal timber. On 8 July, the European Parliament passed legislation to ban the import and possession of illegal timber. 'Coalition may be the flavour of the day, but they proved it can really work to great effect,' said one judge. 'It achieved its objectives and enjoyed fantastic results.'

Shortlisted entries:

Campaigning to abolish the default retirement age - Employers' Forum on Age - Agency: Lansons Communications

Mineral madness: changing regional minerals policy - Staffordshire County Council

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