Certification
Understanding
Leather Working
Group Standards
If your business is a leather manufacturer, trader, commissioning manufacturer, or subcontractor, you could be eligible for assessment and certification under the relevant LWG audit standard. There are four audit standards tailored to different stages of the leather supply chain – from raw material traders and leather manufacturers to subcontractors and finished material traders.
TOUCH
Leather Manufacturer Audit Standard
First launched in 2005, the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit is the flagship audit protocol designed to assess the performance of leather manufacturing facilities against environmental, social, and governance metrics. The current version (P7) was launched in 2021 to include a comprehensive ESG approach, encompassing all aspects of responsible leather manufacturing, including environmental management, traceability, chemical management, social responsibility, and governance. The LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Standard was designed to assess facilities processing leather from raw, crust, tanned material into pre-tanned, tanned, crust, or finished leather, encompassing 17 separate sections and providing Certification for two years.
Leather Manufacturer Audit Standard
First launched in 2005, the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit is the flagship audit protocol designed to assess the performance of leather manufacturing facilities against environmental, social, and governance metrics. The current version (P7) was launched in 2021 to include a comprehensive ESG approach, encompassing all aspects of responsible leather manufacturing, including environmental management, traceability, chemical management, social responsibility, and governance. The LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Standard was designed to assess facilities processing leather from raw, crust, tanned material into pre-tanned, tanned, crust, or finished leather, encompassing 17 separate sections and providing Certification for two years.
Learn more
TOUCH
LWG Trader Standard
The Leather Working Group (LWG) Leather Trader Standard is a certification designed to enhance transparency and traceability within the leather supply chain. Introduced in 2017, it assesses traders of raw hides/skins, part-processed materials, and finished leather, ensuring they handle materials responsibly and maintain clear records of sourcing and sales. Designed to bring more visibility and security to the leather manufacturing process, key features of the LWG Trader Standard include Eligibility, which stipulates that a trader must operate from a physical warehouse they control, ensuring materials are stored separately from other businesses; Audit Scope, which evaluates six key areas, including Material Data, Traceability, Operating Permits, and Waste Management; and Certification, which takes place after a successful audit and awards a trader a 12-month LWG AS Trader Certification.
LWG Trader Standard
The Leather Working Group (LWG) Leather Trader Standard is a certification designed to enhance transparency and traceability within the leather supply chain. Introduced in 2017, it assesses traders of raw hides/skins, part-processed materials, and finished leather, ensuring they handle materials responsibly and maintain clear records of sourcing and sales. Designed to bring more visibility and security to the leather manufacturing process, key features of the LWG Trader Standard include Eligibility, which stipulates that a trader must operate from a physical warehouse they control, ensuring materials are stored separately from other businesses; Audit Scope, which evaluates six key areas, including Material Data, Traceability, Operating Permits, and Waste Management; and Certification, which takes place after a successful audit and awards a trader a 12-month LWG AS Trader Certification.
Learn more
TOUCH
LWG Commissioning Manufacturer Standard
Launched in 2020 to assess the performance of companies that buy raw material and commission manufacturing work to be carried out by subcontractors before selling it on as finished leather, the LWG Commissioning Manufacturer Standard allows new members of the supply chain to engage with the LWG audit programme and provide greater supplier options to brands and retailers. This standard requires that a company must have its entire production chain audited and certified, whether they subcontract out the production to a full scope leather manufacturer (that has been audited via the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Standard) or to a series of separate companies (that have been audited via the LWG Subcontractor Audit Standard).
LWG Commissioning Manufacturer Standard
Launched in 2020 to assess the performance of companies that buy raw material and commission manufacturing work to be carried out by subcontractors before selling it on as finished leather, the LWG Commissioning Manufacturer Standard allows new members of the supply chain to engage with the LWG audit programme and provide greater supplier options to brands and retailers. This standard requires that a company must have its entire production chain audited and certified, whether they subcontract out the production to a full scope leather manufacturer (that has been audited via the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Standard) or to a series of separate companies (that have been audited via the LWG Subcontractor Audit Standard).
Learn more
TOUCH
LWG Subcontractor Standard
Launched in 2020 to give subcontractors their own route to certification, the LWG Subcontractor Standard is designed to evaluate the environmental performance of companies acting as a subcontractors (any company undertaking manufacturing operations on material that they do not own on behalf of another organisation). Valid for 24 months, this certification covers 13 sections: General Facility Details; Operating Permits; Production Data; Energy Consumption; Water Usage; Air & Noise Emissions; Waste Management; Effluent Treatment; Emergency Plans Environmental Management Systems; Housekeeping; Manufacturing; and Complaints.
LWG Subcontractor Standard
Launched in 2020 to give subcontractors their own route to certification, the LWG Subcontractor Standard is designed to evaluate the environmental performance of companies acting as a subcontractors (any company undertaking manufacturing operations on material that they do not own on behalf of another organisation). Valid for 24 months, this certification covers 13 sections: General Facility Details; Operating Permits; Production Data; Energy Consumption; Water Usage; Air & Noise Emissions; Waste Management; Effluent Treatment; Emergency Plans Environmental Management Systems; Housekeeping; Manufacturing; and Complaints.
Learn more
TOUCH
Medal ratings
Scores are based on a variety critical sections. Assessments are given medal ratings according to overall scores, with 85 to 100 percent achieving Gold, 75 to 84 percent awarded Silver, 65 to 75 percent qualifying for Bronze, and an 'Audited’ rating given to results between 50 and 64 percent. For a leather manufacturer, to achieve a Gold medal, it must score over 85 percent in all sections – any section scoring below 85 percent would result in a lower rating.
Medal ratings
Scores are based on a variety critical sections. Assessments are given medal ratings according to overall scores, with 85 to 100 percent achieving Gold, 75 to 84 percent awarded Silver, 65 to 75 percent qualifying for Bronze, and an 'Audited’ rating given to results between 50 and 64 percent. For a leather manufacturer, to achieve a Gold medal, it must score over 85 percent in all sections – any section scoring below 85 percent would result in a lower rating.
Learn more
Get in Touch
For general information and enquiries, you can contact us using the form.Other enquiries
We welcome all feedback, and we carefully investigate any information we receive. All information is kept strictly confidential, and all sources are protected.Please use the relevant link below.