LWG certification – An approach towards a sustainable leather industry
LWG Certification
An approach towards a sustainable leather industry
iLeatherz – Innovation and Leather
Leather Working Group (LWG), established in 2005, is a multi-stakeholder group made up of brands, retailers, leather manufacturers, suppliers and technical experts. The main objective of LWG certification is to enhance environmental sustainability throughout the leather making process.
LWG offers four different audit standards for the assessment of different operations within the supply chain:
- LWG Leather Manufacturer Protocol
- LWG Trader Audit Protocol
- LWG Chemical Management Audit Protocol
- LWG Subcontractor Audit Protocol
- LWG Commissioning Manufacturing Protocol
Under the protocol, LWG has a total of 17 indicators and a total score of 1710. Gold, Silver and Bronze are the 3 medal ratings given to the tanneries based on their overall performances. LWG certifications requires tanneries to meet high standards in environmental management, chemical usage, less water consumption, energy efficiency, waste management and social responsibility.
At present, there are only a few tanneries in Bangladesh having LWG certification:
As the world is moving towards sustainable leather, it is imperative for the tanneries to gain LWG certification allowing them enhancing their reputation in world market and collaborating with several stakeholders to improve the sustainability of the leather industry.
Indicators and Minimum Criteria for LWG Certification
Source: Leather Working Group
| SI | Description | Min Req (%) | Max Score | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Audited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General facility details | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2 | Subcontracted operations | 100 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 50% |
| 3 | Social audit | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Operations management | 100 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 50% |
| Total | 1710 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 |
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Leather Working Group
Certification Indicators Dashboard
Gold Standard
85%
Silver Standard
75%
Bronze Standard
65%
Audited
50%
Indicators and Minimum Criteria for LWG Certification
Source: Leather Working Group
| SI | Description | Min Req (%) | Max Score | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Audited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General facility details | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2 | Subcontracted operations | 100 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 50% |
| 3 | Social audit | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Operating permits | 100 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 50% |
| 5 | Production data | 100 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 25% |
| 6 | Traceability (incoming) | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Traceability (outgoing) | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Environmental management system (EMS) | 100 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 50% |
| 9 | Restricted substances, Compliance, Chromium VI management | 150 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 50% |
| 10 | Energy consumption | 100 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 25% |
| 11 | Water usage | 100 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 25% |
| 12 | Air and noise emissions | 100 | 85 | 85% | 75% | 65% | 50% |
| 13 | Waste management | 150 | 85 | 85% | 极狐科技
Certification Summary
Total Scores
Certification Levels
Highest standard demonstrating leadership in sustainable leather manufacturing.
Strong performance meeting most environmental standards.
Meets basic requirements with room for improvement.
Minimum compliance level, facility has been audited.
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