“Among our customers, the demand for transparency about the origin of their raw materials is only increasing. Companies do not want to be called to account for possible abuses at their suppliers, but even more they themselves – and their customers to an increasing extent – attach value to ethically correct and sustainable business practice, where the rights of both human and animal are respected. They ask for guarantees that the supplier is running a well-organised operation. Our customers want the certainty that the skins come from meat processing companies in which animal welfare is at a high level and also other sustainability aspects are safeguarded. Due to the traceability of the calf skins purchased by them from Oukro, we can guarantee this and they can account for their actions. As a result of this, we continue to be a preferred supplier.

All calf skins originating from meat processers Ameco, Ekro, ESA and T. Boer & zn are processed at Oukro. That concerns about 1.1 million calf skins annually. The skins we receive from Ekro are directly delivered on a meat hook, as we are housed at the same location. The slaughter number of each skin is stored in a RFID chip in the meat hook. We read that as HexCode and apply that by means of a laser print on the calf skin. As a result of this, you can always trace the hide back the meat processor and the individual animal, as each calf has its own unique ear mark as identity code.

OUR CUSTOMERS WANT THE CERTAINTY THAT THE SKINS COME FROM MEAT PROCESSING COMPANIES IN WHICH ANIMAL WELFARE IS AT A HIGH LEVEL AND ALSO OTHER SUSTAINABILITY ASPECTS ARE SAFEGUARDED.

The other companies deliver their skins via a container, with the ear mark of the animal on each skin. We cut out the ear mark, scan it for storage on the RFID chip and ensure that each skin is given its own unique code.

There are still not any certificates for animal welfare in leather and skin processing, but due to our chain approach our customers can be given all guarantees with regard to animal welfare, as described in detail in the sectoral quality regulations ‘Vitaal Kalf’ (Fit Calf).

This interview was previously published in the VanDrie Group's annual report. We are continually exploring feasible steps to achieve our ambitions. We are open and transparent about our results. We publish these in a CSR report every year. Visit our platform to learn more about our approach.