LVMH 2018  .  Environmental Report

33

developed by SAGA and the American players. In addition, LVMH actively works on the development of the FurMark certification with the International Fur Federation, which will serve as an umbrella for all existing certifications and will have a more direct and active control of the existing standards.

Exotic leathers LVMH is also extremely attentive to its supplies of exotic leathers, such as crocodile leathers. As part of a global approach on the conditions under which animals are raised and animal well-being, LVMH is far ahead of the regulations governing supplies of crocodile leathers by launching a brand new stand- ard. These new criteria have been developed and validated by a committee of technical experts, including the independent NSF International organization. The new certification has already been awarded to three farms that supply Singa- pore-based Heng Long, a tannery wholly owned by LVMH. It strengthens the traceability requirement already met by the tannery. Around 20 farms that supply Heng Long and are situated in Australia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and the United States will be certified by the end of 2020. This new standard is based on four pillars:

the preservation of the species and respect for local communities; the well-being of the animal through the stages of its life;

the working conditions of the men and women on the farms; the protection of the environment.

In order to control the entire supply chain for croc- o dile leathers, a first important step was initiated by the Group in 2011 with the acquisition of Heng Long, a tannery of high-quality crocodile leathers.

Heng Long is the first and only tannery of exotic leathers in the world to be Leather Working Group (LWG) certified since 2017 for its respect for the environment and the working conditions of its teams. It is recognized and appreciated by the world s largest luxury goods groups and supplies the Group s Houses and other players in the sector.

For six years, the tannery has worked hand in hand with its partner farms and with scientific experts and veterinarians to improve the conditions in which the crocodiles are raised. The results of the research projects conducted and the texts of the Crocodile Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) served as the bases for the new LVMH standard. The audit protocol was created by a committee of internationally recognized experts, including NSF International, which led and facilitated the process thanks to its expertise in the development of animal breeding conditions. The first three farms to supply Heng Long have already

Vicuña, a species saved by Loro Piana.