SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, is delighted to announce that it has joined the Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) as a contributing partner.

The Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) tackles the leather industry's duties toward a sustainable future as an industry-led and consumer-focused organization. Its innovative Transparency Dashboard, which is tied to a certification standard, examines the compliance and performance of leather manufacturers and associated facilities, is at the center of the initiative.

Paul Bridge, deputy vice president of Softlines – head of footwear services at SGS, said that they’re delighted to become a contributing partner to the SLF, an organization that is passionate in its ambition to provide a transparent, inclusive, and holistic approach to sustainability across the leather industry.

Bridge added that as sustainability leaders, their aim is to allow a better, safer, and more interconnected world for all stakeholders, and they welcome the opportunity to guide the industry on its own sustainable journey.

SGS' corporate Sustainability Ambitions 2030, which created a framework for the firm to continue to improve the bar of its sustainability performance, aims to make a positive influence in three areas: a better planet, a better society, and better governance.

Deborah Taylor, managing director of SLF said that for them at SLF, having this commitment from SGS through their cooperation confirms that they are on the right track for delivering a sustainable future for the leather sector.

Taylor added that working with industry experts and specialists at SGS is a key step in the correct path for them as a young Foundation still in its first full partnership year. They have a vision for how to provide a true value-added service, but they also recognize that this vision will require support and access to global expertise and infrastructure. SGS has not only partnered with them, but the business will also collaborate with them to provide on-the-ground support for training, testing, and auditing around the world.