The topic of sustainability has a high level of importance nowadays, and that also applies to us. That's why we have set ourselves new goals to address this by 2025. In particular, our focus is on sustainable materials and the values of the Leather Working Group member initiative, which focuses on evaluating the environmental impact of leather production.
"With our new sustainability goals, we want to make it clear once again that sustainability for us is an investment in the future and for the next generations." - Georg Picard
Sustainability and responsibility - two topics that have been close to our hearts here at PICARD for many decades. With the new goals, we are working to become even more sustainable, step by step. The revised logo is intended to emphasize once again that sustainable thinking and action, with regard to people and nature, determine the daily work at PICARD. One of the new goals is to act sustainably with regard to the selection of suppliers. Already today, 90% of PICARD's leather suppliers are certified by the Leather Working Group (LWG) - by 2025, this figure is to be 100%. The goal of the LWG is to ensure compliance with sustainable and ecological business practices in the leather industry. Furthermore, by 2025, all leather-free products are to be made only from sustainable materials.
By 2021, our family-owned company has already set an example of responsibility for people and nature: "We have always focused on recyclable or very durable materials and have also had a sustainability officer in the company since 2018. Now everyone should see that our heart really beats green," says Georg Picard, our Managing Director at PICARD Lederwaren GmbH & Co KG. For several years we have our own GREEN LINE collection, which is constantly expanded every season with a new series - it consists of 100% sustainable materials. In addition, since 2019 we are a member of CADS - Defined Standards For Shoe Production - which is committed worldwide to ensuring that shoes and leather goods are produced sustainably, free of harmful substances, environmentally friendly and with social responsibility. But people are also always at the center of all our entrepreneurial activities, so we have always attached great importance to fair and socially responsible working conditions.
It's clear that sustainability is a top priority for us worldwide. That is why we produce our own electricity at our plant in Obertshausen with solar panels on the roof, and a small bee farm with a large flower meadow has been maintained on the undeveloped meadow plot opposite the main building since 2016. The production plant in Bangladesh has received many awards. Here, we not only attach importance to occupational safety and the health of the employees, but also to the prospects on site with our further education programs, as well as the PICARD school. Through training in craft enterprises, we want to help reduce youth unemployment.
"As a leather goods manufacturer, we are aware of our responsibility and role model function - and therefore always keep the ecological, economic and social effects of our actions in mind. With our new sustainability goals, we want to make it clear once again that sustainability for us is an investment in the future and for the next generations," says Georg Picard.