This will “drive alignment, and facilitate better collaboration and resource sharing”, the pair said.The agreement will allow them to access each other’s resources, join members-only events and discussions, as well as “foster a stronger working relationship to reduce the impact of the leather industry”. 

Previously, the LWG signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Textile Exchange in 2018, to align their efforts for driving environmental improvement in tannery operations and leather manufacturing. Since then, the partnership has developed, as LWG joined the Responsible Leather Round Table and helped Textile Exchange to create the Leather Production Environmental Standards Benchmark for the Leather Impact Accelerator (LIA), based on the LWG Audit Standard.“Through the dedication of the technical experts that make up the LWG Technical Sub-Group, our audit standard will continue to be developed to ensure it remains relevant, valuable, and impactful within the leather industry”, said Christina Trautmann, Programme Manager of the LWG. “We can only address the challenges facing the leather industry by engaging multiple different stakeholders across the supply chain and driving alignment, and we are committed carry on working in collaboration with Textile Exchange as their benchmark is developed”, she added.