BETA backs campaign to clean up the Ganges

The British Equestrian Trade Association has signed up to support World Wildlife Fund India's Ganges Leather Buyers Platform, which has been set up to improve tannery practices in Kanpur and reduce the level of pollution that enters this important waterway – one of the longest rivers in the world.

The initiative aims to raise awareness among British leather buyers of the environmental impact caused by the Kanpur tanneries cluster and encourages them to adopt cleaner technology and better water management practices. This would lead to a major clean-up of the Ganges, which flows through this large urban area with more than 700 leather-producing small and medium-sized enterprises.

“We are proud to have joined the Ganges Leather Buyers Platform and will do what we can to aid the improvement of tannery practices in Kanpur,” said BETA executive director Claire Williams. “We would like BETA members who buy leather goods from India to ask the right questions, to find out exactly which tanneries they were sourced from. By mapping the supply chain in this way, the initiative can engage with suppliers and support them in a programme of improved environmental performance.”

The Ganges Leather Buyers Platform has members throughout the United Kingdom, including retail chains John Lewis and Tesco, as well as Shires Equestrian Products. If you would like further information about the work carried out by World Wildlife India to help reduce pollution in the Ganges, please contact Claire Williams, telephone +44 (0)1937 587062 or email claire@beta-uk.org.