LWG updates its protocol
Multi-stakeholder body the Leather Working Group (LWG) has published version 7.0 of its protocol for auditing tanneries. It will replace version 6.7 of the protocol in August 2021.
LWG said the version will feature “more robust criteria” as well as new social, traceability and chemical management requirements.
On chemical management, LWG said its requirements are aligned with the restricted substances list that brand-driven membership organisation the Apparel and Footwear International RSL Management (AFIRM) group has put in place for leather.
The existing traceability section in the LWG protocol has undergone “significant revision”, it said, with additional due diligence measures to tackle deforestation risk. And, on social responsibility, it said that it will recognise third-party social audit certifications for the first time. “We recognise this is a critical element of responsible sourcing,” it said, adding that the importance of social responsibility in LWG audits will increase in future.
Stricter requirements for the treatment of effluent are also part of version 7.0 of the protocol.
Chairman of the LWG executive committee and Prime Asia’s vice-president for procurement, Ian Scher, explained: “This new protocol represents the most important evolution in our certification requirements to date. Protocol 7 will set a unique and unmatched bar in terms of providing an all-encompassing surety of supply for those who source from accredited leather manufacturers under our programme.”
