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UID:6aa508ec60709
DTSTART:20250416T090000Z
SEQUENCE:0
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DTEND:20250416T103000Z
LOCATION:Online\, 
SUMMARY:Webinar – Understanding traceability and due diligence in the lea
 ther supply chain: Perspectives from Pakistan and Bangladesh
CLASS:PUBLIC
DESCRIPTION:Register for the eventThe leather industry plays a vital role i
 n the economies of both Pakistan and Bangladesh. In Pakistan\, leather is 
 the third-largest export sector\, contributing approximately 4% to GDP. In
  Bangladesh\, the sector is the second-largest source of foreign exchange 
 and a livelihood for over a million people. Despite its economic significa
 nce\, the industry faces critical challenges related to environmental sust
 ainability\, ethical sourcing\, and compliance with evolving global trade 
 regulations.One of the major issues in the leather supply chain is the lac
 k of traceability and transparency—from raw material sourcing to finishe
 d goods. This opacity makes it difficult to verify sustainable and respons
 ible practices\, creating compliance risks for businesses. With increasing
  global scrutiny\, especially from regulations like the Regulation on Defo
 restation-free Products of the European Union (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115) 
 (EUDR) and other environmental and ethical sourcing requirements\, the pre
 ssure on leather-producing countries to ensure traceability and responsibl
 e sourcing is greater than ever.This webinar brings together experts and i
 ndustry stakeholders to examine the challenges and explore potential solut
 ions for improving transparency in the leather industry\, with a particula
 r focus on Pakistan and Bangladesh through insights from two projects supp
 orted by the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) 
 programme. Transparency can be enhanced by improving traceability along th
 e leather value chain\, from where animals are raised to slaughterhouses a
 nd tanneries\, enabling risk identification\, mitigation\, verification\, 
 and potential certification.  Funded by the Foreign\, Commonwealth &amp\;
  Development Office of the United Kingdom (FCDO-UK) and implemented by the
  UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)\, SMEP is addressing key challenges in 
 the leather industry by enhancing traceability\, reducing environmental po
 llution\, and supporting circular economy practices.  ObjectivesRaise awa
 reness of transparency issues and potential incentives for compliance with
 in the global and South Asian context\, explicitly linking these to EUDR i
 mplicationsExplore practical and evidence-based solutions that respond to 
 policy challenges and industry needs\, drawing on SMEP project insights\; 
 andFacilitating cross-sector collaborationKey outcomesEnhance awareness of
  the current challenges faced by the leather industries in Pakistan and Ba
 ngladesh\, as well as the additional challenges anticipated with the imple
 mentation of the EUDR  in January 2026. The regulation will be directly a
 pplicable to EU importers/traders. Exporters (e.g.\, in Pakistan and Bangl
 adesh) will be indirectly affected.Provide insights into potential solutio
 ns being developed in both countries under the SMEP programme\, particular
 ly in the areas of transparency and traceability.This workshop is organise
 d by World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) and builds on two 
 previous SMEP eco-tanning workshops for East Africa (August 2023 and Novem
 ber 2023) in Nairobi\, Kenya.ModeratorHenrique Pacini\, Economic Affairs O
 fficer and SMEP Programme Lead\, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)Speakers
 Sohail Ali Naqvi\, Director Freshwater Programme and Lead Sustainability a
 nd Stewardship\, WWF-PakistanElzette Henshilwood\, Technical Project &amp\
 ; Relationship Manager\, SMEP programmeAdeel Younas\, Manager Sustainable 
 Supply Chains-WWF-Pakistan- SMEP projectEbenezer Laryea\, Project Director
 \, LeatherTrace Bangladesh - Aston University – LeatherTrace SMEP projec
 t in BangladeshAnne Nistad\, Senior Manager\, Chain of Custody Standard\, 
 Leather Working GroupMathieu Lamolle\, Senior Advisor Sustainable Global V
 alue Chains\, International Trade Center&lt\;p class=&quot\;text-align-cen
 ter\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/webinar-unde
 rstanding-traceability-and-due-diligence-leather-supply-chain-perspectives
DTSTAMP:20260912T081020Z
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