JBS underlines leather circularity in sustainability report

01/10/2025
Meat supplier JBS, also the world’s biggest tannery group, has highlighted the contribution of its leather division in its 2024 sustainability report, presenting JBS Couros as an important part of the company’s circular economy strategy.

The division processes more than 40,000 hides daily across four continents and supplies leather to the automotive, furniture, and footwear industries. In addition, it channels other byproducts into other value streams, producing around 6,000 tonnes of collagen peptides and 6,000 tonnes of gelatine annually from splits.

According to the report, this approach, including the use of advanced tanning processes reduces waste, lessens reliance on virgin raw materials, and maximises the value of each hide. “By maximising the use of every hide, we are creating value that extends well beyond the meat industry,” JBS states.

The company links these initiatives to its wider environmental commitments, including a 30% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity by 2030 and a net-zero target for 2040.