Why is supply chain transparency important and how do you build it?
Supply chain transparency is having full visibility within the leather supply chain in terms of incoming materials is increasingly important. This is to verify that the upstream inputs are not presenting risks downstream to the retailer or brand. These supply chain risks might include the utilisation of hides from cattle raised on deforested land, unacceptable animal management and welfare systems and the use of toxic chemicals as examples.
Having transparency around these risks provides for proactive management and policy enforcement thereby minimising exposure and brand damage through NGO targeting.
How to Build Supply Chain Transparency
At BLC, we understand that full supply chain traceability relies on good relationships and effective communication with suppliers and vendors, upstream auditing and monitoring and procurement policies that are aimed around mitigating risk.
To support your business, BLC has a variety of supply chain tools and services, including:
- Footwear supply chain mapping
- Adding value to your business through increased supply chain visibility
- Supplying a global supply chain mapping tool and training
- Identifying and managing supply chain risks
- Mitigating modern slavery and human trafficking risks
How does supply chain transparency work in the leather industry?
As the leather industry is global entity, it can often prove challenging to identify exactly where a leather hide was originally sourced from. In many cases, leather hides will often be exported from countries which are large producers or raw material and wet blue, and will travel many thousands of miles to a different continent to be finished and made into leather goods.
Systems are available to support with achieving supply chain transparency in the leather industry. In particular, there are systems available to physically stamp hides to provide information regarding animal management and slaughter.
BLC Leather Technology Centre Ltd. (BLC) are currently undertaking a research project with Applied DNA Sciences (ADNAS) to create a DNA traceability system. For more information on this DNA traceability project, view the BLC website.
