iLeatherz
Innovation and Leather
LWG Certification – An Approach Towards a Sustainable Leather Industry
Iftakharul Hoque Nasif
Senior Writer at iLeatherz
Leather Working Group
Certification Indicators Dashboard
Leather Working Group established in 2005 also known as LWG 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.
About LWG Certification
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.
Certification Requirements
LWG certifications requires tanneries to meet high standards in:
LWG Certified Tanneries in Bangladesh
At present, there are only a few tanneries in Bangladesh having LWG certification:
Apex Tannery
Riff Leather
SAF Industries
Superex Leather Ltd.
ABC Leather Ltd.
The Importance of 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 Their Minimum Criteria for LWG Certification
| SI | Description | Max score | Potential score | Actual score | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Audited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General facility details | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2 | Subcontracted operations | 100 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| 3 | Social audit | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 4 | Operating permits | 100 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| 5 | Production data | 100 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 25 | ||
| 6 | Traceability(incoming) | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 7 | Traceability(outgoing) | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 8 | Environmental management system (EMS) | 100 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| 9 | Restricted substances, Compliance, Chromium VI management | 150 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| 10 | Energy consumption | 100 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 25 | ||
| 11 | Water usage | 100 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 25 | ||
| 12 | Air and noise emissions | 100 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| 13 | Waste management | 150 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| 14 | Effluent treatment | 150 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| 15 | Health, safety & Emergency preparedness | 150 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| 16 | Chemical management | 150 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| 17 | Operations management | 100 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 | ||
| Total | 1710 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 |
Source: Leather Working Group
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.