Strengthening the position of the Italian leather industry as a sustainability leader in the leather marketplace. Implementing new strategies to improve environmental performance. Favoring dialogue to share the results with the global leather industry. UNIC – Italian tanneries – the association officially representing the Italian tanning industry, ICEC – The Italian Quality Certification Institute for the Leather Sector and WWF – The World Wildlife Fund, have joined forces and launch a new program filled with initiatives that aim at “enhancing ESG practices”. What does it mean? Partners will strive to increment sustainable practices within the leather industry in an open, collaborative and science-based way. The agreement has to do with deforestation and traceability of materials, as well as environmental protection and water management.
For leather and for the environment
“Sustainability has always been a key issue for the Italian tanning sector – commented Fabrizio Nuti, president of UNIC –. In the last several decades our companies have reached remarkable and measurable results in all the aspects which compose the sustainability of leather production, including circularity and social areas, but we are also very much convinced it is a continuous improvement process. UNIC actively supports Italian tanneries in these challenges and the partnership with WWF, one of the most important environmental organizations worldwide. It will certainly strengthen the development of strategies, activities and tools that can furtherly guarantee our high level of commitment on this concern.”
WWF’s enthusiasm
“The Italian leather sector is perfectly positioned to continue their contribution to global leather sustainability – says Mauricio S. Bauer, WWF USA –, especially when it comes to sourcing criteria of bovine hides and skins, decoupling tropical deforestation from leather supply chains. Italian leather companies provide a fundamental leverage in transforming the cattle sector in threatened geographies and WWF believes this collaboration with UNIC and ICEC is a new important chapter in this journey.”
The partnership
This partnership between UNIC, ICEC and the WWF will promote solutions that aim at creatin certifiable progress towards sustainability. The goal is to help companies in speaking with all involved parties: from non-for-profits to the academic world, via both the public segment and financial institutions. “We are strongly convinced that creating a system and putting the different skills and knowledge together is fundamental to implement sustainability for the benefit of the whole planet – commented Paola Arosio of ICEC -. This partnership with WWF is a further step in this direction and testifies that we can win this challenge only by dialoguing and collaborating together”.
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