The Brazilian leather sector has a new historical reference in the field of sustainability: the first Gold-level recognition of the Brazilian Leather Certification of Sustainability (CSCB) was recently given to the Curtume Courovale by BCM in the South of Brazil.
Curtume Courovale is the second company to be certified in 2018 (the first was Fuga Couros, Silver-level), which attests to their positive practices in the economic, societal, and environmental tripod in accordance with the norm ABNT NBR 16.296 and audited by an INMETRO accredited organisation.
INMETRO is the signing organ of the mutual recognition agreement in the IAF (International Accreditation Forum) and the ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) framework.
The award ceremony was held at Courovale by BCM with the participation of collaborators, managers, and directors in addition to local press and representatives from the Centre for the Brazilian Tannery Industry (CICB).
José Fernando Bello, the executive president of the CICB, highlighted the importance for Brazil to have its own certification that's promoted around the world in trade fairs and through clients. Director of the Curtume Courovale, Rafael Emílio Collet, together with business managers Solange Pauletti and Verônica Meurer, reinforced this sentiment, affirming that "the CSCB is our principle cause" as it aims to strengthen the industry with continued improvements.
For the next three years there is a schedule of audits, evaluations, and recertification to maintain the Gold-level or reach the Diamond-level, assuring Courovale's commitment to continual improvements to their processes. Currently, 18 Brazilian tanneries are in the process of preparing for audits to ensure they meet the norm (ABNT NBR 16.296 - Leathers - Principles, criteria, and indicators for sustainable production).
In addition to being the first company to be Gold Certified, Courovale is also the first to be certified since the signing of a partnership agreement between Brazil and Italy for certifications. The document was signed in Hong Kong on the eve of the APLF fair (the sector's largest fair) between the CSCB and ICEC (the Italian Quality Certification Institute for the Leather Sector), with major repercussions in specialized media. The agreement recognises both certifications mutually, which should further promote certified tanneries in the international scenario.
