LEATHER PRODUCTION AND POLLUTION IN INDIA

We offer a feature exploring the impact on the garment and footwear industry of the illegal practices of leather production in India, which is the world’s second largest exporter of leather? Despite the work that companies should be doing to get used to comply with the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which requires them to take responsibility for human rights and environmental violations throughout their supply chains from 2027,recent investigation showed that European brands continue to import leather from polluting tanneries, taking advantage of opaque supply chains and prioritising profit over environmental concerns in India. The Indian Supreme Court issued a slew of directions to the Tamil Nadu government to rein in the pollution, and for timely payment of compensation. We wonder how companies are dealing with it and making changes to stop buying for unreliable suppliers. Why are they not trying to comply with the European directive yet? What other measures are the Indian sector and the government taking to avoid such situations?