UNIDO wants technical advisory group members for carbon footprint tool
The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) is to set up a technical advisory group as part of its work to compile a guide for assessing the environmental footprint of leather and has issued a formal call for expressions of interest in joining the group.
Earlier this year, UNIDO said it was working to create principles for carrying out assessments of leather’s environmental impact with the aim of establishing guidelines that all companies will be able to use in their calculations.
UNIDO has argued that a lack of consistency in exercises such as lifecycle assessment (LCA) studies has led to false comparisons. It is working with specialist consultancy to create harmonised guidelines that will enable companies everywhere to use the same corporate carbon footprint tool to make their calculations. It has said leather’s durability as well as its technical performance will be an important factor in the calculations.
It now wants to establish a technical advisory group (TAG) to provide feedback and peer-review assessment of the guidelines.
UNIDO has asked interested parties with knowledge of the leather industry to express an interest in being part of the TAG by June 30. It will welcome applications from academia and research institutions, public authorities, United Nations organisations, non-government organisations, the meat industry and trade associations, as well as from producers and users of leather, and representatives of leather chemicals and leather technology companies.
TAG members will attend a series of meetings over the summer and complete their review by early September, in time for a formal presentation of the guidelines at Lineapelle in Milan later that month.
No remuneration is available, but UNIDO said members of the group would benefit from being part of the peer review process, participating in meetings, networking with like-minded professionals and keeping up to date with latest trends and innovations.
Full details of the requirements for being part of the TAG and of how to respond are here.
