WWF-UK FTN was previously known as the WWF 95+ Group. Founded in 1991, almost 60% of the material traded by its group members bears Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. 

Pearson's director of purchasing, Alan Miller, said the company had decided to join the group as it felt it needed to be seen to play its part in important environmental issues.

"As a company our main product is intellectual property, so the main impact tends to be in the supply chain and we feel we have to act responsibly," he said.

As a major paper user, Pearson purchases some 400,000 tonnes of paper a year. Miller said by joining the group it will be provided with an independent and credible source of information on responsible paper sourcing.

Miller said the move to join the group was a good starting point and said the matter of responsible sourcing was a serious issue, both for the company and its shareholders.

With regards to any possible move towards FSC-certified stock, Miller said Pearson did use some recycled paper for publishing purposes.

"Its something we have been looking at. If the quality of recycled stock meets our standards and prices are what we can afford, we would seriously look at the issue," he said.

The 61 companies that comprise the WWF-UK FTN include Boots, Homebase, Jewson, Travis Perkins and Bovis. Together they buy around 11bn of timber and paper products per year, representing around 20% of the total UK consumption of forest products.

Story by Andy Scott