Ruth Soundarajah manages the Timber Windows Accreditation Scheme at the British Woodworking Federation.

"Managing the Timber Windows Accreditation Scheme involves promoting both the scheme itself and the products of its members. There's such a variety of tasks in my job, from working with Scheme members to co-ordinating standards with the British Standards Institute, controlling a yearly budget, to dealing with PR and marketing agencies and attending exhibitions. I also play a part in public affairs issues such as the legislation that affects the timber windows sector, and I help to maintain an accurate picture of timber windows and their benefits in the minds of the consumers and architects who buy or specify them.

“I'm a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and my marketing career so far has taken me through a range of different business-to-business and business-to-consumer sectors. I've also worked in market research, online marketing, direct marketing and in building promotional alliances. I like working for a trade association as you're seen as fairly independent, yet it's the central point of contact for your sector, and this helps in representations to legislators.

“The British Woodworking Federation is an Investor In People. This means they are very willing to plug you into the right circuits to make you fruitful in your job through training and development. We also get other benefits like health insurance and a pension scheme.

“The time to get involved with the timber industry is now. People are working together towards improving ethical procurement - the decisions we make today will count for the environment of tomorrow. Personally I'm happy about the progress that's being made: I can sleep at night as I know that the sustainable production of timber is at the top of the industry's agenda. I think, though, that the industry should tell consumers more about the renewable, sustainable material we work with. We tend to target the mass buyers of timber products. But at the end of the day we all go home and become consumers with our own views and lives. It would be good to see the public actively recognising the environmental as well as the aesthetic value of timber and wood products.”