2Sustain

A week ago, Nike announced that it will not source leather from cattle raised in the Amazon rainforest. The company is also now requiring suppliers to create a leather tracking system for the purpose of improving supply chain transparency and traceability.

Today, Treehugger.com is reporting that Timberland will be expanding its CSR strategy to include a similar pledge, one that commits to a moratorium on obtaining leather from newly deforested areas in the Amazon.

Both Nike and Tmberland are responding to a report titled “Slaughtering the Amazon,” which was released by Greenpeace last month. The report shines a spotlight on the cattle sector in the Brazilian Amazon which, according to Greenpeace, is the largest driver of deforestation in the world, responsible for one in every eight hectares destroyed globally. In addition, the report also alleges that some leather sourced from Brazil originates from illegal cattle ranches that contribute to the deforestation.

According to Treehugger, Greenpeace responded to Timberland’s pledge by saying:

Timberland has raised the bar for environmentally and socially responsible leather sourcing policies in the Amazon. They have taken an important step by not only committing to avoid leather from cattle raised in newly deforested areas, but by working with existing suppliers such as Bertin, to move the Brazilian cattle sector towards supporting a moratorium on any new cattle expansion into the Amazon rainforest.