The Leather Working Group (LWG) has officially launched a public consultation for its new Leather Production Standard, which will replace the current LWG Protocol 7 in 2026.
The consultation, which began on 26 June 2025, will run until 26 August 2025, giving stakeholders across the leather industry two full months to provide input.
This consultation focuses on the core environmental sections of the new Standard and is open to all stakeholders, including brands, tanneries, leather suppliers, trade associations, NGOs, and other interested parties.
Feedback is crucial to help LWG develop a transparent, inclusive, and globally credible standard for responsible leather production.
The new Leather Production Standard is part of a broader move by LWG to separate its standard-setting from its audit tools.
Unlike previous protocols, the new Standard is not a checklist of audit questions. Instead, it is a clear, easy-to-read document outlining LWG’s expectations and ambitions for sustainable leather production.
The audit questions themselves will be shared separately in a new assessment tool, alongside detailed guidance notes for leather manufacturers.
The draft covers key areas related to environmental management and responsible production, including:
Production Data
Subcontractors
Environmental Management Systems
Health, Safety and Emergency
Operating Permits
Chemical Management
Product Safety
Water Usage
Wastewater Management
Energy
Waste and By-product Management
Air Emissions
While this round of consultation focuses only on the environmental components, LWG confirmed that sections on social responsibility and due diligence will open for consultation at a later stage.
LWG emphasized that this draft should not be interpreted as final or binding for future audits. The final audit process, along with its tools and questions, will be shared separately after consultations are completed and feedback is reviewed.
Public consultations allow LWG to gather diverse perspectives, ensure broad acceptance, and strengthen the credibility of the standard. After the consultation closes in August, all submitted comments will be reviewed by LWG and industry experts. Each point will be categorized as:
– Accepted
– Accepted with modification
– Rejected
Responses to the feedback will be published (anonymously) along with the final version of the Standard.
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