On May 19, 2021, Sustainable leather foundation will debut the SLF Transparency Dashboard™. This innovative tool addresses three critical areas of concern in a transparent, accessible, and inclusive way. Read on to learn more.
As the Managing Director of Sustainable Leather Foundation, Deborah Taylor addresses a problem echoed within the industry – how do we communicate to consumers more effectively about the leather industry?
Her work has led her to engage in constructive discussions with various stakeholders across the leather value chain. She recalls, “...there were some recurring themes in the leather industry around lack of cohesion, confusion over standards (and what they meant), and the need to communicate more effectively to the consumer”.
It was as a result of these conversations that the Sustainable Leather Foundation came to be, encompassing the need to:
- address sustainability risks that include environmental, social, and governance concerns collectively and comprehensively;
- reduce the need to duplicate effort and resources in order to meet the requirements of different value chain partners, and/or different standards; and
- efficiently and effectively communicate with consumers about the work done by the industry.
The SLF Transparency Dashboard™ offers improved visibility on critical areas of risk under environmental, social, and governance modules. Using a ‘traffic light system of progress,’ the Dashboard allows organisations to present their efforts at all stages of their compliance journeys.
The Dashboard gives consumers and external value chain stakeholders a mechanism for displaying information consistently and transparently. A key benefit of the Dashboard is the ability for organisations to map their current certifications, that address a particular module, without the need to duplicate effort for another verification body.
Sustainable Leather Foundation also provides its Audit Standard, which covers the existing ESG areas and gives a more holistic overview of where compliance partners need to address specific sustainability gaps. Depending on the needs of an organisation, SLF can perform a full audit scope under SLF’s Audit Standard. By taking a modular approach, companies can address the problems based on their capability, capacity, and environment.
This information is accessible to all. But for businesses to benefit from the detail behind the Dashboard front, they should opt for the additional feature available to Partners of SLF. “An added layer of transparency is available exclusively for Partners of SLF, and this additional information will enhance the ability of brands and retailers to have a full understanding of their value chain suppliers, enabling metrics and other data to be understood. This provides the ability to make claims and also to work more closely to support value chain partners for any areas of improvement or concern,” elaborates Deborah.
Using QR codes and POS materials, consumers will have access to verifiable, factual, clear, and understandable information.
Deborah believes that consumers need the data contained in the Dashboard to be translated into bite-size information that instils trust in their purchasing decisions.
The SLF Transparency Dashboard™ is just one of the many ways that the Sustainable Leather Foundation supports the leather value chain.
For more information, please contact: [email protected]
A webinar will officially launch the SLF Transparency Dashboard™ on Wednesday, May 19, from 2.00 – 3.00 pm (UK).
You can register for the event by clicking here: https://www.sustainableleatherfoundation.com/slf-transparency-dashboard