Bridge of Weir on track to achieve net zero leather manufacturing by end of 2025
To coincide with the launch of our 2024 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report, we are proud to announce that we are on the verge of achieving our landmark target: zero impact leather manufacturing.
As detailed in the ESG Report published by our parent company Scottish Leather Group (SLG), we are now 90% of the way towards achieving 100% zero greenhouse gas emissions for our operations.
This progress puts us on course to achieve net zero leather manufacturing (Scope 1 and 2) by the end of 2025, a goal we originally set in 2018 - a full twenty years ahead of Scotland's national net-zero ambitions.
SLG’s 2024 ESG Report also highlights that we are on track to hit another crucial milestone: zero waste to landfill by the end of 2025. Currently, 89% of our waste is recycled or recovered, up from 77% last year, with further improvement being targeted through a renewed focus on the supply chain.
James Muirhead, CCO at Bridge of Weir, said:
“Since 2003, Bridge of Weir has continuously invested in strategic initiatives designed to optimise and improve productivity, quality, and sustainability. It is because of this that we are an industry leader. As the publication of the 2024 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report by our parent company Scottish Leather Group shows, we are now rapidly accelerating towards achieving our target of 100% zero greenhouse gas emissions for our operations. Net zero leather manufacturing is within sight. Alongside our longstanding commitment to traceability and transparency, not to mention our status as a manufacturer of the world’s lowest carbon leather for the automotive sector, this latest milestone gives our customers further evidence of Bridge of Weir’s position as the leader in the supply of sustainable Fine Automotive Leather for the world’s luxury car brands.”
These latest milestones underscore our unwavering commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence and follow an important year for the business. In September 2023, we officially opened our £14m Super Tannery after seven years of development, which has reduced energy and water use by 82% and 42%, respectively.
Earlier this year, we also launched two revolutionary tanning technologies, BioTAN and FreeTAN, marking another significant step forward in the development of next-generation, bio-based and biodegradable leather, and key technical sustainability accelerators on its zero-impact journey.
Over the last two decades, we have made multi-million-pound investments aimed at further increasing our leadership in sustainable leather production, with forward-thinking initiatives such as its patented Thermal Energy Plant (TEP) and Water Treatment & Recycling Plant (WTRP).
Over the next year, we will continue to pursue innovative operations to achieve our sustainability targets, including the development of an onsite solar plant which will directly supply 25% of its operating electricity.
View and download our 2024 ESG Report, or alternatively you can watch our summary film of our key progress over the last 12 months.