Partnership for Sustainability
The sustainability of leather necessarily derives from the commitment of the entire reference chain to this objective.
The tanning industry only operates in part of the supply chain, and consequently analysing and measuring the sustainability of leather requires a strong and active involvement of all the other actors that compose it.
This includes the suppliers of raw hides, the companies that produce the chemical aids for the tanning process, the producers of machinery and tanning technology, the suppliers of water and waste treatment services, the platforms and certification bodies of the various aspects of sustainability, local, national and international public institutions, customers, the third sector (opinion movements, non-governmental organisations) and civil society. Dialogue with these latter subjects is taking on significant and growing importance, as they allow us to acquire new ideas for discussion, reflection and action outside the specific context of the leather supply chain.
From this perspective, in addition to being a member of the main international associations of the tanning industry and participating in numerous sectoral and multi-sectoral working tables focused on sustainability, UNIC currently has various collaborations in place, both with consolidated supply chain partners and with these ’new stakeholders.’
In 2018, UNIC and NWF National Wildlife Federation signed a collaboration agreement for the development of activities and projects on the issues of combating deforestation
In July 2021, UNIC, ICEC and WWF US signed a partnership on several environmental issues: combating deforestation, responsible water management, human rights and atmospheric emissions
In December 2021 UNIC signed Terra Carta, an initiative of the then-Prince Charles of England to promote the defence of nature
In February 2022 UNIC became a member of the United Nations Global Compact Network
UNIC has been a member of SARCA (Southeast Asian Reptile Conservation Alliance) since 2017, a multi-stakeholder initiative of operators in the reptile leather supply chain, which aims to define responsible and transparent supply chains. From 2018 to 2022, SARCA was an initiative managed by the consultancy firm BSR. Since 2022, SARCA member companies have expressed the desire to establish SARCA as its own entity whose new organisational structure will be defined by the end of 2024.
UNIC has been collaborating with ZDHC Zero Discharge Hazardous Chemicals since 2015, a multistakeholder initiative on the safe management of chemicals in the fashion industry. After being members for many years, UNIC is currently a Trainer Provider for ZDHC.
At a sectoral level, UNIC is a member of the main international associations of the tanning industry, including:
COTANCE Confederation of National Associations of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community– Representative body of the European leather industry; this non-profit organisation promotes the interests of the European tanning industry internationally.
ICT International Council of Tanners – Global organisation for the leather industry, founded in 1926
At the sectoral standardisation level, UNIC participates in:
Technical Commission UNI 013 ’Leather, hides and leather goods’, of which it is currently chair
Working Group CEN 289 “Leather” , of which it is the secretariat
Working Group CEN 473 “Circular Economy”, of which it is a member
Working Group CEN 411 “Biobased products”, of which it is a member
Technical Committees ISO 120 “Leather”, of which it is a member
In Italy, at an industrial level, UNIC is a member of:
Confindustria – The main association representing manufacturing and service companies in Italy, with a voluntary membership base of over 150,000 companies of all sizes.
Confindustria Moda – Confederation that brings together the companies associated with Assopellettieri, AIP (Italian Fur Association), ASSOCALZATURIFICI and UNIC Italian Tanneries.
In Italy, UNIC has always collaborated with the following organisations and associations operating in the leather supply chain:
Experimental Station for the Leather and Tanning Materials Industry (SSIP) – National Research Body of the Chambers of Commerce of Naples, Pisa and Vicenza. It has supported all Italian companies in the tanning sector with research and development, training, product and process certification, analysis, controls and consultancy since 1885.
Assomac – Confindustria association, member of Federmacchine, which brings together and represents Italian manufacturers of machinery and technologies for the leather, footwear, leather goods, fur, automotive, furniture and clothing sectors.
Federchimica – National Federation of the Chemical Industry, which currently includes over 1,450 companies, for a total of over 94,000 employees, grouped into 17 Industry Associations, which in turn are divided into 38 Product Groups.
UNPAC – National association founded in 2009, which brings together Italian companies producing chemical-tanning aids.
The Italian Association of Leather Chemists has its roots in the early 1900s; its members include leather chemists and technicians, graduates or diploma holders employed in the tanning and dyeing industries and in all those companies that revolve around the tanning industry.