As part of its ambition to become the world’s most sustainable automotive brand, British luxury car manufacturer Bentley has become the first automotive brand to join the Leather Working Group (LWG).

Bentley joins 190 other brands and retailers who have also become members in support of the group’s efforts to drive excellence in the environmental, social and governance aspects of the leather industry. The LWG develops audit certification standards to assess the environmental performance of leather manufacturing facilities and promotes responsible practices in the  supply chain.

Founded in 1919, the Northampton, UK-headquartered prestigious luxury car manufacturer recently launched its Beyond100 strategy, which sets out goals to become carbon neutral by 2030 and lead the way in sustainable automotive luxury by reducing the overall environmental impact of production processes. 

“We are thrilled to have Bentley onboard the LWG,” said the group’s programme manager Christina Trautmann. “This is a positive first step for the automotive sector to address challenges within its material supply chain. We are keen to engage with automotive OEMs and hope this will encourage others to engage with our programme.”

“The use of leather and coachbuilding are hallmarks of our hundred-year-old history,” added Mark Cooke, Bentley’s head of production purchasing. “Our cutters and trimmers are experts in their fields and the fact that so many of our heritage models still exist with their original interiors demonstrates the longevity of leather as a core material to us. As the first automotive member of the LWG, we look forward to working with the group to actively shape the future of sustainably-sourced leather in our sector.”

Bentley is now onboarding its leather suppliers through LWG certification, via the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol 7.0 (P7), to ensure its leather supply chain is operating in a responsible manner. 

www.leatherworkinggroup.com