The brands of the Volkswagen group want more sustainability in the production of their cars: this is how the German group joined the Leather working group (LWG) to improve the responsible sourcing of leather and raw materials.

“Volkswagen Group takes responsibility for sustainable and transparent supply chains. Becoming a member of the LWG is an important step. The organization’s expertise will help us become even more ecological in the use of leather.”said Dirk Grosse-Loheide, Volkswagen purchasing manager and member of the extended executive committee.

Volkswagen: more transparency

Even if the trend toward recycled materials and other “vegan” leather, genuine leather remains a sign of quality in the eyes of motorists and Volkswagen customers. Within the German Porsche Group, he is responsible for assessing sustainability risks when purchasing leather, as well as implementing measures to improve procurement processes.

This new approach is part of a policy on responsible raw material group, materialized in a report published in 2021 detailing its methodology and activities to achieve this goal. This report focuses on 16 high-risk raw materials, such as lithium and cobalt from batteries and leather.

Indeed, leather can affect human rights and the environment, and to preserve them, Volkswagen wants more transparency and compliance with standards.

Volkswagen: stronger leather

Thus, the German group has been created since last year specific characteristics leather materials: suppliers are now required to respond. These specifications require both disclosure of the country of origin of the raw material and a specific leather durability certificatewhich, for example, can be issued by LWG.

With these characteristics, Volkswagen demands from its suppliers respect the welfare of animals to treat the production and processing of leather responsibly. For example, strict criteria for water use and prevention of water pollution in the tanning process must be followed and Volkswagen Group brands do not use leather that contributes to illegal deforestation.

The Leather Working Group (LWG) is a UK-based organization that ensures transparency and uniform environmental and social standards for leather supply chains around the world. It also offers certification for leather manufacturers. The LWG’s approximately 2,000 members include players from across the leather supply chain, from tanneries and the leather industry to trade and buyer associations.