British luxury car manufacturer, Bentley, has become the first automotive company to join the Leather Working Group (LWG) as part of its goal to become the world's most sustainable automotive brand.

Bentley joins 190 other brands and retailers as members in support of the group's efforts to drive excellence in the environmental, social, and governance aspects of the leather industry. The Leather Working Group (LWG) creates audit certification criteria to evaluate the environmental performance of leather production facilities and supports ethical supply chain practices.

Founded in 1919, the prestigious luxury car manufacturer with headquarters in Northampton, UK, recently unveiled its Beyond100 strategy, which outlines goals to become carbon neutral by 2030 and to lead the way in sustainable automotive luxury by reducing the overall environmental impact of manufacturing processes.

Christina Trautmann, the group's program manager, said that they’re thrilled to welcome Bentley to the LWG. This is a great first step for the automobile industry in addressing material supply chain problems. They are eager to work with automakers, and they hope that this will motivate more to join their program.

Mark Cooke, Bentley's head of production purchasing, said that the use of leather and coachbuilding are trademarks of their hundred-year-old tradition. Their cutters and trimmers are masters in their areas, and the fact that so many of their classic models still have their original interiors shows to them the durability of leather as a core material. They look forward to collaborating with the LWG as the first automotive member to actively influence the future of sustainably sourced leather in their industry.

Bentley is now certifying its leather suppliers using the LWG Leather Manufacturer Audit Protocol 7.0 (P7) to guarantee that its leather supply chain is operating in a responsible manner.