WWF-Pakistan leads leather sustainability initiative
WWF-Pakistan has been awarded the "Pakistan Leather Sector: Traceability, Cleaner Production and Circularity" project by the UK's Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) Programme, under the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The initiative aims to tackle environmental and human impact challenges in Pakistan's leather industry by enhancing manufacturing processes and improving transparency and sustainability.
The leather sector, a vital part of Pakistan's economy, contributes around 4% to the national GDP and supports over a million livelihoods. Despite its economic importance, the industry faces significant environmental issues, particularly from hazardous chemicals and waste, and lacks transparency in its value chain.
With global markets increasingly demanding sustainably sourced products, the project seeks to promote traceability and cleaner production practices. WWF-Pakistan is collaborating with key organisations, including PAMCO, PCSIR, ITU, and Leather Field Pvt Ltd., to implement these changes. The project focuses on developing a digital traceability toolkit, recycling waste from leather processing, and reducing pollution through cleaner production methods.
As the project begins, WWF-Pakistan is formalising partnerships and preparing for an inception workshop. This initiative aims to position Pakistan's leather industry to meet international sustainability standards.
