ECO₂L Energy Controlled Leather
The world’s first CO₂ and energy label for tanneries
The world’s first CO₂ and energy label for tanneries
Energy consumption and sustainable production have been of central importance to companies for many years. Climate change poses challenges, such as preventing a further rise in temperatures, for societies worldwide.
This also incentivised the German Leather Federation (VDL) to establish the ECO₂L (Energy Controlled Leather) label as the world’s first calculation and auditing model for determining the energy efficiency and CO₂ emissions of a tannery.
The ECO2L label is owned by VDL. It is based on a calculation tool that was devised by the “ECO2L Working Group” and is constantly being further developed.
The aim is to determine the energy consumption and CO2 footprint of a tannery and make it comparable to other tanneries. The standard was developed in 2012 by active members of VDL in collaboration with the Research Association for Leather (Forschungsgemeinschaft Leder e.V.) – from practical experience for practical use.
ECO2L is an active contribution of a responsible leather industry to climate protection and an essential aspect in the assessment of a sustainable leather product.
How it works
Audits are always carried out on-site by an authorised auditor. In preparation for the audit, the tannery collects the data in advance using the Preparational Tool and the Guideline. The collected data is entered into the calculation tool by the auditor in accordance with the specifications of the ECO2L Guidebook. The plausibility of the data entry and the compliance of the entries with the Guidebook are checked by FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH in a peer review. If the results of the audit fulfil the requirements of the Guidebook, VDL issues a certificate.
The certification is associated with the right to use the ECO₂L label for advertising purposes for three years.
Guideline for determining a corporate carbon footprint
The Guideline is intended to provide an overview for companies and interested parties. At the same time, it is also intended to provide support in completing the Preparational Tool.
The decisive factor for awarding of the ECO2L 2.0 certificate remains the energy efficiency of the company in comparison to the BEET energy benchmark.
The principle is:
A product with a good ecological footprint can only be sustainable if it has been manufactured in an energy-efficient manner.
Requirements
The requirements for awarding the ECO2L certificate to a tannery are:
- calculation of the actual specific energy use of the company at the site
- calculation of the site-specific, international standard “Best Energy Efficiency for Tanning” (BEET) for the type and quantity of production used = BEET comparative value
- calculation of the percentage deviation of the company’s actual specific energy use from the BEET comparative value
- the BEET comparative value may not be exceeded by more than 20 %.
- even if it is not yet a requirement for the award: the determination of the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) based on the product mix of the audited tannery.
Aim of the tool / certification
The aim of the ECO2L 2.0 calculation programme is to determine a comparable CO2 footprint of the tannery. The Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) for the tannery’s product mix is derived from this. The calculations are carried out within defined system limits and in accordance with the product category rules (PEFCR) defined in DIN EN 16887. This allows the CO2 emissions or CO2 emission equivalents to be determined as PCF for leather production in a comparable manner.
Requesting the ECO2L audit
Even if it seems a little complicated, your data is important, and you can be sure that it will be treated with the strictest confidence.
If you have read through our information and are interested in an audit or the analyses of the ECO2L tool, please download the request form. Please complete the first three pages and send the completed form to:
FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH – eco2l@filkfreiberg.de
Notes:
- Step 1: The application form is not an order and does not commit you to anything. Once you have completed the form and sent it to FILK, it will be reviewed by FILK.
- Step 2: You will receive an order confirmation after the review.
- Step 3: You must sign, stamp, and return the order confirmation. Only then is the order deemed to have been placed.
- Step 4: You will then receive an invoice.
- Step 5: Once the invoice amount has been paid, FILK will commission an auditor.
Preparational Tool
“Good preparation is half the battle”. The better the company prepares for the audit, the easier the audit will be, and this ensures that the auditor doesn’t incur in additional costs. The preparational tool must be available to the auditor in good time before the audit so that any queries regarding the input of missing data can be discussed before the audit date. The costs for the audit are based on the auditor completing the preparation, the audit itself and the follow-up of the audit within one day. If the audit has to be interrupted due to a lack of data, or if the audit is delayed due to poor preparation, additional costs will incur, which should be avoided in the everyone’s interest.
Corporate Carbon Footprint
Certification for the hide industry
For the hides processing module in the leather industry supply chain (from the slaughterhouse to the dispatch of raw materials to a leather factory), we offer our own calculation programme for a site-specific carbon footprint in accordance with the ECO₂L protocol.
After a plausibility check, audited companies receive a certificate from the VDL with which they can document the CO₂ equivalents per tonne of raw material.
Confidentiality agreement / Non-Disclosure Agreement
All data provided by the customer/auditee to VDL, FILK and the commissioned auditor within the scope of the ECO2L audit will be treated confidentially.
The customer/auditee agrees that their data may be used to complete the ECO2L tool as part of the further development of the tool and in aggregated form for general statements in connection with the ECO2L tool.
When transferring the data, it must be ensured that only previously agreed e-mail addresses are used. The completed Preparational Tool is sent from the customer to the assigned auditor. The assigned auditor transmits all data for the peer review to FILK. Once the peer review has been completed, all data is sent to VDL. The data will only be used and stored within the limits of the statements made in the non-disclosure agreement.
Current changes
- Current changes / decisions regarding the ECO₂L tool
- Adaptations or changes to the tool
- Decisions of the ECO₂L Working Group
- Decisions of the Advisory Board
Contact / Imprint
Application / accounting centre / peer reviewer:
FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH
Meißner Ring 1-5
09599 Freiberg
Tel: +49 3731 366-0
Fax: +49 3731 366-130
E-Mail: eco2l@filkfreiberg.de
Internet: www.filkfreiberg.de
Published by:
German Leather Federation (VDL)
Mainzer Landstraße 55
60329 Frankfurt am Main
Tel.: +49 69 97843141
Fax: +49 69 78800009
E-Mail: info@vdl-web.de
Internet: www.vdl-web.de
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