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Subject(s)
Leather
Speakers:
- Vanessa Podmore, Leather Working Group
- Rick Lambell, Beyond Sustainable Retail Group
- Ashraf Uddin, Bangladesh Labour Foundation
- Camille Mori, Prime Asia
This event was part of our ETI Insights series.
Human rights risks in the leather supply chain are widespread and deeply rooted, particularly at tannery level and in upstream stages such as slaughter and livestock production. While environmental impacts have received growing attention in recent years, social risks, including occupational health and safety hazards, low wages, weak worker representation, and limited access to remedy, remain unevenly addressed. Traditional audit- and certification-led approaches often struggle to capture the full scale, context and severity of these risks, creating gaps that can leave workers vulnerable and expose businesses to regulatory, reputational and operational risks.
Addressing these challenges requires a shift towards risk-based, rights-holder-centred human rights due diligence, grounded in transparency, prioritisation and continuous improvement. This session explored the context and collaborative process behind ETI’s leather due diligence guidance, drawing on insights from brands, manufacturers, civil society and industry initiatives. Speakers reflected on the importance of engaging workers and suppliers meaningfully, building long-term partnerships, and using collective action to address systemic issues that no single actor can resolve alone. Overall, the discussion reinforced that credible due diligence in leather depends not on compliance alone, but on shared accountability and sustained collaboration across the value chain.
Explore resources
Getting Started on Leather Due Diligence: A good practice guide for brands and retailers