Session 1: Continuous Improvement
As a world leader in the leather industry, we recognize the need to evolve, grow and change in ways that drive positive impact. The first session of our conference will explore our strategy for change by continuously raising standards, driven by key areas that require action.
Presentation Slides
Opening Remarks: The vision for Leather Working Group
Ian Scher, PrimeAsia
Ian opened the LWG Member Conference, welcoming both in-person and virtual delegates. Ian took us through Leather Working Group's journey over the years, including its recent revolution into a truly mission driven organization, leading the sector in sustainability with a focus on responsibly made leather.
The LWG Audit Standard: Bridging the gap between business strategy & environmental operational activities
Guido Zilli, Gruppo Mastrotto
Drawing on the experience of Gruppo Mastrotto’s sustainability strategy, Guido Zilli detailed the improvements in performance and environmental management that have occurred through the company’s engagement with LWG and give the leather manufacturer perspective on future priorities.
Evolution of the LWG Audit Standards
Stuart Cranfield, Leather Working Group
Driven by the LWG's global membership, our auditing standards change to address important priorities across the leather supply chain. Stuart Cranfield, Head of Operations at LWG, will give an overview of our plans for further developing and optimizing the LWG Global Audit Standards in the future.
Session 2: Traceability in Focus
Traceability is one of the most critical areas to address, to date. Consumers want to know where the leather in their product comes from and that it has been sourced responsibly. This session will give a deep dive into the realities of driving transparency and developing a robust global due diligence framework for the leather industry. Both critical to facilitate better traceability, deforestation due diligence, and address other crucial issues across the leather supply chain.
Presentation Slides
Monitoring deforestation due diligence in Brazil
Lisa Rausch, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lisa presented an overview of existing cattle agreements that provide a framework for deforestation due diligence in Brazil. She also shared insights from research into rates of compliance with the agreements and guidance on how to interpret data on deforestation.
A market-based approach to due diligence & traceability
Hillary Fenrich, National Wildlife Federation
Hillary explained NWF’s market-based approach to strengthening sustainable sourcing practices in agricultural supply chains and the context of proposed international import legislation.
The tannery perspective on traceability
Ivens Domingos, Durli Leathers
Ivens explained the work of Durli Leathers to prioritize their sustainability efforts and traceability work in both Brazil and Paraguay, with information on the challenges and opportunities for implementing rigorous due diligence efforts.
Turning targets into action and solutions through the LWG Traceability Roadmap
Vanessa Brain, Leather Working Group
Vanessa presented an update to the LWG Traceability Roadmap, outlining the targets and objectives set to motivate tangible action and change to drive traceability within the leather industry
Session 3: Chain of Custody
To achieve even greater transparency within the leather supply chain, we need to ensure product sustainability claims can be verified. In this session, LWG will announce more details of their upcoming chain of custody project.
Presentation Slides
Chain of custody project launch: Developing a framework for credible product claims for the leather industry
Tim Wilson, 3P Strategy
We launched the engagement program for the first phase of LWG’s Chain of Custody development. Tim explained the innovative plans for this project to deliver the framework for verified claims, on the sustainability performance of leather to be made by LWG members.
Session 4: Responsible Chemistry
Chemicals are used in the manufacture of many products, from your cell phone to your shoes. The LWG Member Conference calls for a greater understanding of chemical management and how we can all play our part in the responsible use of chemicals within the leather industry.
Presentation Slides
Responsible chemistry within leather manufacturing
Dr. Leticia Millward, Leather Working Group
Our Standards Manager, Dr Leticia Millward, briefed delegates on how Version 7 of the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol (P7) is driving the responsible management of chemicals within leather manufacturing facilities.
How EU regulatory activities impact European leather industry
Andreas Bayer, TEGEWA
In recent years, the EU regulatory landscape has made several proposals that will impact the leather industry. Andreas gave an overview of the proposed restrictions and potential impacts of regulations on skin sensitizing chemicals, glutaraldehyde, and bisphenols; and considered future activities under the EU Textile Strategy for Sustainability and Circularity.
Sustainable chemical management with the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero programme
Elisa Gavazza, ZDHC
During this session, Elisa Gavazza, Southern European Regional Director, touched upon the most relevant news of the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero programme, such as their Wastewater Guidance V 2.0, which will launch in November 2022; the new MRSL; and the new Conformance Guidance that are going to be released shortly
Session 5: Environmental Impact
Monitoring and quantifying the environmental impact of leather as a material is crucial for setting and meeting goals for the future. Our conference will showcase how leather industry leaders are paving the way to zero through lifecycle assessments, innovation, circularity and more.
Presentation Slides
LWG sustainability initiatives: driving environmental impact reduction in the leather industry
Dr. Leticia Millward, Leather Working Group
Drawing on experience as the Standards Manager at Leather Working Group, Leticia provides an overview of how LWG has been assisting leather manufacturers in implementing sustainable manufacturing by setting standards through the audit protocol since 2005 with a focus on projects that will allow the leather supply chain to understand their environmental footprint with a view to support environmental impact reduction plans and substantiate sustainability claims.
LCAs for the Leather Industry: Data-driven approaches for a new competition scenario
Federico Brugnoli, SPIN 360
Federico explained the work that SPIN 360 is doing on LCA with LWG, discussing the latest developments on the topic and highlighting some key aspects, including LCA data and data structures; key findings for the leather industry; the role of high-quality primary data in Chemicals and Raw materials; LCA and continuous improvement; and the importance of increased awareness by the sector.
Made to Last: Circularity
Rosie Wollacott Phillips, Mulberry
With over 10 years of in-brand experience at luxury leather goods brand Mulberry, Rosie provided an insight into how luxury British fashion brand Mulberry encapsulates circularity in its sustainability strategy and translates it to customers.
Leathermaking environmental footprint reduction strategy
Kim Sena, JBS
Kim explained how quantitative impact assessment approaches such as LCAs allow for an in depth and granular analysis of the different variables that add up to the environmental impact of a given value chain.
Understanding tannery carbon footprint & energy use with ECO2L
Andreas Meyer, Verband der Deutschen Lederindustrie e.V. (VDL)
Andreas detailed how the leather industry can use benchmarks such as Best Energy Efficiency for Tanning (BEET) to understand whether one tannery is more efficient than another. To calculate these complex relationships, the German Leather Federation (VDL) has developed the ECO2L tool 2.0.
We want your feedback!
Thank you to all delegates that registered for the 2022 LWG Member Conference! We'd love it if you could send us your feedback on the event, which will help us make our future events even better!
Thank you to our sponsor!
We were so pleased to have the LWG Member Conference 2022 sponsored by Piper & Skye, a luxury leather handbag brand committed to responsibly sourced materials.
Please join us in once again thanking Piper & Skye for their contribution, helping us to make this year’s conference the best one yet!