Louis Vuitton certification for leather goods Supply Chain

In 2013 Louis Vuitton became the first company in France to receive ISO 14001 certification – the global benchmark standard for Environmental Management Systems – for a portion of its Supply Chain. This engagement embeds environmental performance in the heart of the company.

The fruit of more than 20 years of ongoing commitments to environmental excellence, certification of the leather goods Supply Chain – from shipments by workshops to delivery to stores – was achieved thanks to the combined efforts of all Louis Vuitton teams. The company also worked closely with the LVMH Environmental Department and its auditors.

To achieve certification the team focused on two key components in the supply chain: inventory and supplies, and logistics and transportation. Louis Vuitton also engages with external partners, who are regularly challenged against environmental criteria right from the requests for proposals.

For logistics, partners work together to drive continuous improvements, mainly to reduce water, electricity and packaging consumption. All Louis Vuitton logistics platforms worldwide have now obtained ISO 14001 certification. Two of its warehouses have also received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

The Louis Vuitton EOLE logistics center in Cergy, outside Paris, spearheaded and is emblematic of this commitment. The center integrates exemplary environmental standards with geothermal heating, enhanced building insulation, and filtering of rain and wastewater. All Louis Vuitton logistics centers also combine respect for the environment with optimal working conditions for employees.

For transportation, every effort is made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Louis Vuitton asks its transport partners to train their drivers in eco-driving, give priority to nonstop flights with a low carbon footprint and whenever possible use trucks compliant with the Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards (either hybrid or electric) for the final delivery kilometers to stores, whether in Paris, Tokyo or Hong Kong.

To monitor environmental performance, each zone where Louis Vuitton is present around the world has an internal environmental representative who has direct contact with suppliers for key environmental issues. This proactive and ongoing environmental commitment has made supply chain certification a reality at Louis Vuitton.