Industry bodies sign traceability initiative
COTANCE launched the initiative on alignment of leather traceability schemes in September 2022, set up to define the minimum essential elements of traceability and evidence of verification.
Bringing together the main leather-relevant certification scheme owners, and CEN TC 289 (raw hides, skins and leather) standardisation experts, the terms of reference for the scheme were officially signed at the recent Lineapelle fair by the Sustainable Leather Foundation, the Leather Working Group and certification body ICEC. Other founding partners Oeko-Tex and Textile Exchange were not present at the Milan show but will sign at the nearest opportunity.
COTANCE Secretary General, Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano, said: “I am very thrilled with this development, because if we succeed to bring this initiative to a successful conclusion, we will provide the industry with leather traceability tools that will exclude typical standards and audit fatigue in tanneries and avoid unproductive costs for the leather value chain.”
The terms of reference govern the converging activities of the joined parties and foresee the enlargement of the group to relevant intergovernmental organisations, such as UNIDO or UNECE, NGOs and Livestock sector organisations. World Wildlife Fund and National Wildlife Federation have already expressed their interest in participating.
