02 August 2021

Join us in welcoming new members of the Leather Working Group this month! See our new members below: New Brands/Retailers Aigle International S.A Filling Pieces B.V The Bridge S.P.A Lancel Sogedi S.A Punihani International Sessun SAS Strandbags Group Pty Ltd. TFG Brands (Damsel in a Dress, Hobbs, Phase Eight, Studio 8, and Whistles) New Suppliers Artemenko Srl Bomapell srl In addition, more companies have become certified this past month. See below the leather manufacturers, traders, subcontractors, and commissioning manufacturers that have recently joined LWG for the first time: Leather Manufacturers Aspells Deri Konfeksiyon San. ve Tic....

22 July 2021

Northampton, United Kingdom — 22 July 2021: The Leather Working Group, the world-leading certification for the leather manufacturing industry, has agreed a partnership with Textile Exchange to grant reciprocal membership of their respective organisations, to drive alignment, and facilitate better collaboration and resource sharing.  The agreement will provide each organisation with reciprocal membership, allowing them to access each other’s resources, join member-only events and discussions, as well as foster a stronger working relationship to reduce the impact of the leather...

06 July 2021

The LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol has been updated to Version 7.1 (P7.1).  Version 7.0 of the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol (P7) was published on 22 February 2021. After receiving feedback from our membership and auditing team, the LWG Technical Sub-Group (TSG) has made some minor updates. After the standard 6-month period, P7.1 will replace P6.7 on 22 August 2021.   Protocol 7.1 includes additional clarifications and minor amendments in several sections, including:  Audit Introduction  Page ii  24-Month Data Period: Clarified how the 24-month...

06 July 2021

A new administrator & sustainability project manager have joined the LWG team. We are pleased to welcome two new members of Leather Working Group staff, who have joined the core team as of 30 June 2021.   Leticia Millward has joined LWG as our new Sustainability Project Manager. Leticia will help grow the group’s technical offering by contributing to audit developments, providing technical advice and expertise, and developing special topics, such as lifecycle assessments for leather as a material. Leticia joins us after completing her PhD in Leather Technology at the University of Northampton. Leticia will work...

06 July 2021

Being a Non-profit Partner allows LWG Members to count their membership fee towards their 1% giving commitment.  The Leather Working Group has joined the  1% for the Planet network as a Non-profit Partner. This means that businesses can now count their annual LWG membership fees towards their commitment to donate 1% of their annual sales to environmental causes.   1% for the Planet is a global network of businesses, individuals and non-profit organisations dedicated to tackling key environmental issues through direct giving. The organisation aims to connect businesses with environmentally...

06 July 2021

A number of new member organisations joined the Leather Working Group between 1-30 June 2021. See our new members below:  New Brands/Retailers  Punto Deri San.ve Tic. A.S.  Bultel Bekleidungswerke  Okaidi SA (including Oxybul)  Richemont International  Nomad Goods, Inc  Apollo International Limited  Icebug AB  Ivy Leathers Ltd  Church & Co. Ltd.  Vibevej (Billi Bi)  Toteme AB  Piquadro S.p.A.  Hej Company ApS (Still...

02 July 2021

Are you our new Traceability Project Manager?  The LWG project team is looking for an experienced Traceability Project Manager to take responsibility for our work on the traceability of leather, including developing a new scope of work to verify chain of custody.   Our Traceability Project Manager will act as the group’s expert on all topics related to international regulations on traceability, chain of custody, and due diligence, and they will manage the LWG Traceability Working Group (TrWG).  This is a full-time role with a remote team based in the UK, that may require occasional travel into the...

02 July 2021

Are you our new Data Analyst?  The LWG project team is looking for a Data Analyst who will take responsible for the management and analysis of the LWG audit data, as well as identify and develop the automation of systems to increase efficiency and digitalise our processes.   Our future Data Analyst should be degree-educated in engineering or computer science (or a related field), have several years of experience in a similar role, and have excellent knowledge of Excel, Tableau, and Power BI.   This is a full-time role with a remote team based in the UK, that may require occasional travel into the office. For more...

09 June 2021

**PLEASE NOTE: THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THIS ROLE HAS NOW CLOSED**   Apply now to become an approved auditor for the Leather Working Group Are you an experienced independent environmental auditor or consultant in the field of leather technology? Do you have a good working knowledge of the Leather Working Group and the LWG Audit Standards? If yes, apply to become LWG-approved auditor today! Due to the continued growth of our membership, we are currently seeking to approve two new auditors to carry out audits using our proprietary audit standards for leather manufacturers, traders, subcontractors, and commissioning manufacturers. In particular, we are looking to approve...

18 June 2021

Leather manufacturers will be required to submit 24 months of data under the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol 7 (P7) In previous versions of the LWG Audit, tanners were required to submit 12 months of data to achieve their LWG certification. Under Protocol 7, the period for assessment has been increased from 12 months to 24 months. Monthly data for 4 key sections will need to be submitted during an audit: Production Data, Energy Consumption, Water Usage, and Effluent Treatment. Phasing in the requirement The period for assessment has been increased from 12 months to 24 months from P6.7 to P7. As this is a new requirement, announced on 22 February 2021, it will be phased...

08 June 2021

Learn more about restricted substance compliance in tanneries this June Sign up for one of the next LWG webinars on 23/24 June to learn more about our restricted substances requirements in the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol 7.0 (P7). The webinar will be hosted twice across different time-zones, to allow for stakeholders across global leather industry to attend the session that suits best, and will be delivered by Mark Lucas, Principal Environmental Auditor with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and long-time LWG Auditor and Technical Manager. Join us to learn more about: New requirements in the Restricted Substances, Compliance &...

08 June 2021

The LWG Traceability Working Group (TRWG) met for their Q2 meeting on 25 May 2021, to discuss the key drivers and ultimate end goals for facilitating better traceability in the leather supply chain. A consortium of brands, certified leather manufacturers and NGOs, the group was launched in late 2020 as a dedicated forum for stakeholders across the global leather industry to consider common issues, identify solutions, and drive change through the LWG Audit Standard. At the Q2 Meeting, the TRWG identified some of the key drivers for achieving traceability within the leather supply chain, which included: Anticipating and meeting legislative requirements Increased demand from...