1 December 2021
The Leather Working Group (LWG) has launched updated versions of two existing LWG Audit Standards.
LWG Trader Audit
Originally launched in 2017, the LWG Trader Audit Protocol (TAP) was designed to assess traders of leather at various points in the supply chain. The assessment provides greater transparency into the trading of part-processed and finished material. The TAP was last updated to Version 3.0 in late 2019, which allowed traders of finished leather to gain certification for the first time.
TAP 4.0 aligns more closely with Version 7 of the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol (LMAP), which became mandatory in August 2021, with a particular focus on traceability. TAP 4.0 will become mandatory for all trader audits on 1 June 2022, after a 6-month introductory period
Trader Audit Consultation
As part of the LWG's commitment to transparency, we are opening a 60-day stakeholder consultation, for our membership to submit comments on the proposed new Trader Audit. The deadline to submit your feedback is 30 January 2022.
To submit your feedback on Version 4.0 of the LWG Trader Audit Protocol (TAP 4.0), click here.
LWG Subcontractor Audit
The LWG Subcontractor Audit Protocol (SCAP) was made available for the first time in late 2020, designed to assess and certify companies that act as subcontractors on behalf of other organisations. If successfully completed, subcontractors can obtain their own 2-year certification, instead of being assessed individually through a 'Mini Audit'.
The Mini Audit does not confer any form of certification, and means subcontractors must undergo multiple assessments each year when their customers are audited via the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol or the LWG Commissioning Manufacturer Audit Protocol.
The current Mini Audit process for subcontractors will be phased out in August 2022, and the LWG Subcontractor Audit will become mandatory for all subcontractors supplying LWG-certified leather manufacturing facilities.
Version 2.0 of the LWG Subcontractor Audit incorporates more elements of P7, the latest version of the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol. Subcontractors will be assessed using similar criteria as leather manufacturers, including traceability requirements and the newly added social audit requirement.
SCAP 2.0 will become mandatory for all trader audits on 1 June 2022, after a 6-month introductory period
Subcontractor Audit Consultation
We are opening a 60-day stakeholder consultation for the updated Subcontractor Audit. The deadline to submit your feedback is 30 January 2022.
Category: Audits