Leather and Deforestation: Understanding Your Supply Chain
Identifty deforestation risks in your leather supply chain using the Eurofins | BLC mapping tool
Deforestation is one of the most high-profile challenges for the leather industry. The sustainability challenges of cattle farming are widely reported and customers are demanding to know what action companies are taking to address the risks in your supply chain.
The recently published Forest 500 annual report highlights 500 companies that can have a significant impact on deforestation. It also calls out 140 ‘laggards’ – companies whose policies or progress do not go far enough to tackle deforestation. Leather has been highlighted as the commodity where companies are least likely to have a deforestation policy.
The best way to establish an effective and achievable deforestation policy – against which you can measure and report your progress – is to understand your supply chain. If you are not sure of your supply chain, you may not know the extent of your risk and you may be unable to drive change in your operations.
If you do not know your leather supply chain well, we can help to identify and map your suppliers. At Eurofins | BLC, in some cases, we are able to trace leather all the way to the slaughterhouse. We can quantify the deforestation risk of your suppliers and can offer advice on how to manage this risk.
If you do know your supply chain and you know it includes one of the organisations identified as a ‘laggard’, we can work with you to create a realistic and achievable deforestation policy.
Through our supply chain mapping tool, Eurofins | BLC can help you to understand your supply chain, understand the deforestation risk, and be confident that you have an effective sourcing policy.
Is deforestation affecting your leather supply chain?
If your business is keen to identify any deforestation risks, see how our supply chain mapping tool can help by contacting one of our sustainability consultants via our enquiry form below or email [email protected].
24 February 2020