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Animal Welfare Standards Benchmark

We recognize standards that are already in use by the industry.

Our standards benchmark for animal welfare outlines a set of minimum requirements that existing standards and certification schemes must guarantee. Farms need to be certified to a standard that meets these requirements to be Leather Impact Accelerator approved.

SCOPE

We compare criteria across five key areas.

  • Nutrition
  • Living environment (on and off pasture)
  • Animal husbandry
  • Transport
  • Slaughter

Read the animal welfare standards benchmark

Goat in the sun.
APPROACH

LIA’s Animal Welfare Standards Benchmark offers a tiered approach.

Baseline

The minimum level of animal care that we expect from farmers.

Options one and two

Recognizes certifications with improved animal welfare measures across all Five Domains.

Option three

Recognizes certifications that deliver the highest level of animal welfare and applies only to fully grass-based systems for whole of life.

HOW IT WORKS

The benchmark gives brands confidence that our animal welfare minimum is being met.

All standards and certifications that are approved by the Leather Impact Accelerator have been assessed by a third party to confirm that they meet our benchmark. This means that brands can be confident that the farm is respecting the minimum level of best practices established by the LIA, regardless of which standard they’re using.

GET INVOLVED

Our standards benchmarks add value for everyone.

Farmers and farm groups

Farms and farm groups can use the benchmark to select a certification program that meets the best benchmark level they can achieve and start a discussion with standards holders when it comes to reviewing and amending standards.

Brands and retailers

Brands and retailers can use the benchmark to choose suppliers or producers certified to an approved standard. It also helps them to understand the level of animal welfare measures to incentivize when using our Impact Incentives. This might range from baseline to best practices, based on the average standards of animal welfare in that country.

Impact incentives
Standards and certification programs

Standards and certification program owners can use the benchmark to see how their criteria measure up to others in the industry and understand the expectations of brands and retailers. Standard owners can apply for a benchmark assessment through the LIA Benchmark Approval Process or the SCCI Benchmarking Process.

LIA benchmark approval process
Program partners

Program partners can use the benchmark to train farmers to meet an LIA-approved standard, support implementation, coordinate group verification, collect data, and register for Impact Partnership Incentives.

Impact partnership incentives
LEGISLATION

The laws around cattle production vary.

Legislation varies from country to country. All farmers and farm groups are expected to comply with any relevant legislation, and if legislation overrides and/or exceeds the requirements of the benchmark, that legislation becomes a minimum requirement.

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LEARN MORE

See how we’re using Impact Incentives to incentivize best practices

Impact Incentives give brands and retailers a tool to financially reward Leather Impact Accelerator approved farms.

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