World Leather magazine and a select number of sponsors and partners have launched a new, exciting awards programme for the global tanning industry, Tannery of the Year. The scheme is supported by the International council of Tanners, the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), and APLF, and is sponsored by Buckman.

This bold initiative will celebrate best practice in the production of leather throughout the world and will help promote leather as a beautiful, natural, high-performing material for footwear, furniture, accessories and automotive and aerospace upholstery. It will culminate in a prestigious, gala dinner for the leather industry in Hong Kong in March 2010.

With the focus on corporate social responsibility, the programme’s aim is to identify the two best tanneries in five regions around the world: China, the rest of Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe. World Leather magazine will publish in-depth reports into what makes these tanneries shining examples of good practice in all aspects of corporate social responsibility: environmental concerns, good relationships with employees, partners, suppliers and the local community, commitment to innovation and financial probity.

Industry experts throughout the world will nominate tanneries they know to be performing at the very highest level in all these areas, while still producing exquisite leather. From the nominated tanneries in each region, two finalists will emerge. A panel of judges will meet just before the dinner in Hong Kong to decide on the winners for each region as well as the overall Tannery of the Year. They will use the World Leather reports and other background material, but will also meet a representative of each tannery and listen to a brief presentation from each before announcing the names of the winners in a dramatic conclusion to the dinner that evening.

The awards will do much to promote leather and to inject new confidence in the tanning sector across the world.

Supported by International council of Tanners International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists WRAP APLF

Sponsored by Buckman

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