06 July 2020

Version 3.0.0 of the LWG Trader Audit Protocol becomes the mandatory protocol for the auditing of all part-processed and finished material traders.   Following the initial launch of V3.0.0 in December 2019, LWG provided a six-month introductory period, where currently certified traders could choose to be audited using either the previous version of the protocol (V2.0.3) or the new version of the protocol.  The introductory period ended on 30th June 2020, henceforth all trader audits will be conducted against Version 3.0.0 of the LWG Trader Audit Protocol.  To be eligible for this audit, Traders must:  have a...

06 July 2020

We are pleased to announce that Christina Trautmann, Operations Manager for LWG, has been invited to speak at the virtual Sustainability Seminar jointly hosted by Buckman, World Leather, and Leatherbiz scheduled for later this month.  The inaugural seminar will gather members from across the leather supply chain to discuss key drivers for sustainability, with a focus on how the global landscape is shifting as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.  LWG will outline the goals of the group and provide a perspective on the impact of the current public health crisis on our membership, which includes over...

06 July 2020

Authored by Mark Lucas, LWG Auditor  There is a myth that the Romans rendered the lands around Carthage infertile after their victory in the third Punic War by spreading salt on the land. Whilst there might have been symbolic scattering, the cost of salt in 146 b.c. would have been prohibitive. Nevertheless, the tale, although apocryphal, is indicative of how the curse of salt on the environment has been recognised for centuries.  Leather manufacture can result in substantial discharge of salt, some of which is associated with the salt used when pickling in preparation for tanning. However, the major impact is associated with preservation, which then leads to an emission...

06 July 2020

Following the launch of the LWG Webinar Series, we are pleased to announce that our next webinar will focus on the risk assessment and emergency planning for leather manufacturing facilities, within the context of the LWG Environmental Audit Protocol.   Delivered by Mark Lucas, LWG Auditor and member of the LWG Technical Sub-Group, this webinar will go into detail on creating effective risk assessments, health and safety of facility workers, H2S detection and emergency planning.   We will run the Risk Assessment & Emergency Planning webinar twice, allowing members based in different time-zones the opportunity to join the session...

06 July 2020

In an effort to ensure our group continues to respond to our members’ concerns, we issued a survey on industry-wide impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak in April 2020. Over the four-week response period, we received input from 229 LWG Member Companies, representing almost 30% of the total membership. The breakdown of responses is as below:  149 Leather Manufacturers  33 Suppliers  25 Traders  22 Brands/Retailers  Impacts & Recovery  95% of respondents reported a moderate to severe impact on business operations, including a majority advising that their order volumes have decreased by over 30%. On...

06 July 2020

The LWG Animal Welfare Group (AWG) will host an online webinar for all AWG Members on Tuesday 28th July 2020 at 09:00-10:00 BST.   The webinar will cover a couple of animal welfare related topics, including a status report on the development of the animal welfare best practice guide. There will also be some time for a Q&A at the end, where we will answer any questions you submit during the webinar.  To register for this webinar, please email the LWG Events Coordinator to request an invitation.  This webinar is principally only available to members of the AWG subgroup,...

06 July 2020

The Leather Working Group (LWG) would like to welcome companies across the leather supply chain that are new to the group in 2020.  Since 1st January 2020, we have welcomed 12 Brand/Retailer members, 5 Supplier members, and 5 Agent Trader members, including the below:  Brand/Retailers  About You GmbH  Blue Star  DK Company A/S  Georg A. Steinmann GmbH Co.KG  Next Retail Ltd  Ricosta Schuhfabriken GmbH  Sezane  Sued Mod  TOMS Shoes    Suppliers  Alanchim SRL  ALPA SpA  Burboya Boya...

02 July 2020

Did you miss the LWG Webinar on Audit Administration and Documentation?  No need to worry, as you can access our recording of the webinar delivered on 25th June 2020 in the private Member Area of the LWG website. We have also compiled all of the questions submitted during the Q&A session and provided detailed responses to each.  Log into the LWG Member Area now to view our webinar content. If you're interested in joining our next webinar on Risk Assessment & Emergency Planning, visit our Meetings page and click on the registration link for the session of your choice.

15 June 2020

The Leather Working Group (LWG) has recently received reports of fraudulent emails being sent to our members by a third-party, impersonating a member of the LWG team. The email concerned contains a request for information on outstanding invoices and subscription fees, and advises that our bank details have recently changed. The email signature comes from a “Tobby Diassy”, but it is possible that other names may also be used.  The intent of this email is to steal personal or business related information and to redirect the payment of your membership fees to an external source. Please note, the LWG has not changed our bank details. If you receive this email, please...

06 November 2020

Congratulations to APL comercio de Peles e Couros Lda on the successful completion of their 1st Trader Audit

06 November 2020

Congratulations to Guido Falcini SPA on the successful completion of their 1st Trader Audit

05 November 2020

Congratulations to Tannerie Remy Carriat on the successful completion of their 1st Audit