Vandecasteele Houtimport becomes first company in Belgium certified under Preferred by Nature Certification
Preferred by Nature proudly welcomes Vandecasteele Houtimport as the first company in Belgium to earn certification under the Preferred by Nature Certification Programme.
One of Europe’s leading timber stockists, Vandecasteele Houtimport has successfully achieved certification for its Chain of Custody and Due Diligence System under the Regulatory Scope of the Preferred by Nature Certification. This certification confirms that the company has implemented robust systems to ensure responsible sourcing, full supply chain traceability, and effective risk mitigation across all operations.
Founded in 1883 and now managed by the fifth generation of the Vandecasteele family, the company is built on a deep respect for both wood and the environment. Today, it stocks around 130,000 m³ of timber, storing an estimated 140 million kilograms of CO₂. Vandecasteele Houtimport has long been recognised for its commitment to sustainability and certified timber.
“Sustainability is a family tradition and lies at the heart of our business.”
Louis Vandecasteele
Owner of Vandecasteele Houtimport
“We prioritise certified wood, ensuring that its origin is rigorously verified for legality and responsible forest management. Preferred by Nature Certification supports us in assessing and reducing risks in our supply chain while helping us meet the requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation.”
Vandecasteele Houtimport maintains a wide range of certifications in stock, including Forest Stewardship CouncilTM (FSCTM), PEFC, OLB, and NEPCon LegalSource, reflecting its deep commitment to responsible sourcing and verified legality.
“This achievement is the result of a collective effort across all entities of the company,” Louis added.
“It would not have been possible without the full cooperation and alignment of our team, our suppliers, and our customers.”
At Vandecasteele Houtimport, progress is seen as a continuous journey.
“We believe that progress comes step by step — not too fast, or the system risks collapsing. All heads must point in the same direction, and continuous improvement must be part of the daily mindset,” said Louis.
The company’s 24-year commitment to the VOKA Charter for Sustainable Entrepreneurship, guided by the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, has been instrumental in shaping Vandecasteele Houtimport into a sustainability-driven company and laid the groundwork for its recent Preferred by Nature Certification.
The company continuously invests in improving its traceability systems, staff training, and operational processes to meet — and exceed — both legal requirements and sustainability expectations.
“With certifications like Preferred by Nature’s, we can take responsibility not only for our own impact but also for the wellbeing of people and the planet,” Louis concluded.
The Preferred by Nature Certification is a comprehensive sustainability framework based on globally applicable, risk-based, and outcome-focused principles. It is designed to support companies of all sizes across a range of sectors and commodities to strengthen their sustainability performance and comply with evolving regulatory frameworks, including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Applicable across Land Use, Chain of Custody, and Due Diligence, the certification is described as a “Swiss Army Knife for Sustainability,” enabling businesses to address a wide range of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges.
Learn more about Preferred by Nature Certification.
