Leather Working Group statement

Over 35,000 people have called on Timberland, Nike, Adidas, Clarks, and Geox to commit to a moratorium that would stop the destruction of the Amazon for cattle. We know that deforestation for cattle is the largest single cause of deforestation in the world and that deforestation of the Amazon keeps Brazil as the 4th largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world.

Since Greenpeace released their report, the Federal Prosecutor in Brazil has taken legal action against many of the companies in Brazil that are responsible for this destruction; the International Financial Corporation, the financial arm of the World Bank, has cut funding to Bertin, one of the biggest exporters in Brazil; and three of the largest supermarket chains in Brazil, including Carrefour and Wal-Mart, have taken action.

However, these brands have failed to commit publicly to end their connection to Amazon deforestation. It is the responsibility of each company to ensure the materials they use are not slaughtering the Amazon. Given the gravity of the situation we are asking these well known brands to work with Greenpeace immediately on a solution that protects the Amazon and our climate.

A few of the shoe companies are suggesting that they can address their role in deforestation and climate change through an existing industry group called the Leather Working Group (LWG). Greenpeace understands that footwear companies, once they make a commitment to protecting the Amazon, will engage the LWG industry group as part of the solution, but as with regular business practices each company must individually commit and verify to its customers that it is not to using leather that is destroying the Amazon.

Until Nike, Timberland, Adidas, Clarks, and Geox publicly commit to protecting the Amazon, Greenpeace needs your help. Please contact these companies now and ask them if they can guarantee that your shoes are not slaughtering the Amazon.