People matter...
More than ever before, today’s society are conscious not just of the the environmental impacts of business but also the social impacts. In an increasingly aware, ethical economy, companies are recognising the urgent need to diligently ensure their value chain partners, throughout the whole supply chain for their products, operate in a socially responsible manner.
The leather industry operates with complex global supply chains that include countries and communities where working conditions can sometimes be challenging. The ability to guarantee fair working practices is fast becoming a high priority to ensure:
- Decent working conditions
- No exploitation of people
- Fair living wages
- Health and safety of workers.
In addition, by working towards societal improvement, a company will consider not just their immediate employees, but the extended community and their customers.
Using social responsibility as an opportunity to give back to society can also take the form of special projects that could benefit local communities or the local environment and can result in improved staff retention and higher productivity, which in turn can yield more profitability.
Social Responsibility and the Sustainable Leather Foundation
As part of our integrated Transparency Dashboard™ and Audit Standard, our social module is concerned with all aspects of social responsibility, including the wider Corporate Social Responsibility aspects in local communities and environment.
For consumers this means that if you are purchasing a product made by manufacturers or producers listed on our dashboard and that have achieved the social module, you can be assured that the company(ies) concerned are operating at the highest standards.
Our work at the Foundation is to support the leather value chain to demonstrate sustainable improvement and best practice across all areas, not just now but also for the future.