Social Responsibility

Version 7.0 of the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol (P7) introduces a new section on social auditing for the first time. Social responsibility is a key element of sustainability, and the decision to include social compliance as an LWG audit requirement was driven directly by the evolving needs of the LWG membership.

Rather than develop our own audit standard, we will recognise leading social audits from third-party providers. We believe that this will help to support the various initiatives currently working towards industry alignment of social audits and reduce the duplication of efforts in this space. The LWG currently recognises the following social audits and verifications:

• Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) | Social Accountability Accreditation Services
• Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP)
• Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA)
• Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)
• Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (FSLM), Sustainable Apparel Coalition
• SA8000 Standard, Social Accountability International
• UNIC Code of Conduct and Social Accountability

In addition, the auditor who carries out the social audit should meet the requirements of the standard. The lead auditor should be qualified and experienced in social compliance auditing and APSCA registration (or equivalent) is preferred.

In P7, the Social Audit section is a non-critical scoring section – meaning it contributes to the overall score of the audit, but it is not an essential requirement to pass. As a new section, this element is being phased in to allow leather manufacturers time to prepare well in advance and have their social audit before their P7 audit. The LWG intends to increase the importance of this section, planning to make it critical in P8, which will be released according to our roadmap, expected as early as Q3 2022.