Brazilian tannery Couros Bom Retiro – CBR is the most recent name to join the Brazilian Leather Certification of Sustainability (CSCB).
With a capacity to produce up to 10,000 hides per day across six units in Brazil and one in Argentina, CBR is now part of the program made up of 173 indicators that take into consideration issues such as water and energy consumption, restricted substances, productive performance, waste management and relation with collaborators.
CSCB is promoted by the Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB) with support from Brazilian Leather, a project dedicated to the promotion of leather exports and coordinated by CICB in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil).
Gilmar Harth, director at Couros Bom Retiro, highlights that one of CSCB’s differentials is the method by which it was structured – “created by the industry and for the industry”, he says, since the certification was designed with the contribution from tanneries, footwear industries and other sectors that use leather as raw material, as well as technology institutes, university and the government. “Because of that, key aspects for a sustainable and responsible production were taken into consideration, strengthening our connection with the client”, he adds.
The executive says that sustainability has been increasingly relevant to the international leather market, having major impact on decisions made by importers. “International clients are looking to buy more and more products from certified companies. With CSCB, we hope to reach that level of excellence in processes and ensure to our client that our products come from a production with social, economic and sustainable awareness”, says Harth.
In order to get the certification every tannery must go through a consultancy stage, working under the 173 indicators created by a Special Study Committee from within ABNT (the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards). It is only after completing this stage that the company is able to ask for an audit by a certifying body accredited by Inmetro. CSCB holds four levels: Bronze (for those who follow up to 50% of the indicators applicable from each of the four dimensions), silver (75%), gold (90%) and diamond (100%).
