Global Compact International Yearbook 2013
105
Good Practice
Labour Standards
In the 2012 - 2013 auction season, all
Finnraccoon pelts sold by Saga Furs came
from certified farms. The company aims
for the same objective for fox pelts in
the following season. Efforts to extend
FarmCertification have progressed to the
point where well over 90 percent of fox
production in Finland and 60 percent of
mink breeding takes place on certified
farms. In addition, the system has been
exported to other European countries
where the company sources pelts.
Saga Furs, via ProFur, also works closely
with Finnish and international agencies
to reduce the impact of fur farming on
the environment. Studies show the carbon
footprint of a mink or fox pelt used for
clothing is rather small when compared
to the carbon footprint of other habitual
consumption items. The company intends
to reduce the footprint even further, with
one means being the introduction of
sustainable energy sources to farms.
As a member of the Baltic Sea Action
Group, Saga Furs helps reduce acidifica-
tion and nutrient emissions that cause
eutrophication in bodies of water – two
factors that may be caused by the seepage
of animal waste. The use of underuti-
lized sea species for making feed is one
factor that helps balance the ecology.
The fishing of feed species reconditions
water systems by significantly reducing
volumes of phosphorus and nitrogen
in the Baltic to deter eutrophication.
Another practical measure is the use of
newly developed technology that allows
precise feeding of individual animals,
thereby reducing their waste.
Openness and action from farm to
fashion
As an auction house, Saga Furs holds a
pivotal position between the sources of
its product and the fashion industry. In
its essence, fur is a natural, sustainable
product, but the company takes extra
steps to guide auction buyers and their
manufacturing customers toward sustain-
able, transparent processes. Saga Furs De-
sign Centre offers a prime example of how
the company promotes responsible use
of fur without compromising creativity.
“
The Design Centre is a steward of Euro-
pean craftsmanship and innovation in
the realm of fur. In addition to being the
world’s think-tank for developing new
applications for the material, it is also
a training ground for a new generation
of furriers, designers, and consumers,”
says Head of Product Development Per
Reinkilde.
The majority of designers are there to find
inspirationwhile learning the basics of the
craft and refining their skills. Reinkilde
notes that visitors are also briefed on
sustainable processes that should be em-
ployed when creating fur designs. Con-
sumers who visit learn about the four
sustainability principles of fur: use, store
properly, renew, and recycle. Since doors
to the Design Centre opened in 1988, more
than 30,000 persons have visited.
The company may also act as match-
maker, as many clothing companies and
designers who visit the Design Centre
do not have the equipment needed to
make fur garments for their collections.
When these situations arise, Saga Furs
is in a position to recommend trusted
dressing companies and manufactur-
ers whose transparent policies toward
employees, the environment, and social
responsibility match those of Saga Furs.
Day-to-day routines often lead to ideas
linked to sustainability. The Design Cen-
tre is working with a dressing company
that has achieved preliminary success
in developing alternative, “green” tech-
niques for dressing furs. The dresser
and Saga Furs have engaged several re-
searchers in a project aimed at finding
eco-friendly, plant-based alternatives to
replace chemicals in dressing processes.
As it looks toward tomorrow, Saga Furs
is in the process of expanding the values
of transparency, both internally and
through its sphere of influence among
partners. Years ago, the company had
freely chosen to do so in a global com-
munity that now leaves us with no other
responsible choice.
SAGA FURS IN BRIEF
Saga Furs is the world’s only
publicly-listed fur auction house.
The company sells Saga Furs®
Mink, Fox, and Finnraccoon at
four annual auctions to buyers
from around the world. It was
the first company of its kind to
have a CSR policy and to join
the UN Global Compact.
Saga Furs Design Centre is the
R&D department, where new
applications for fur are innovated.
To help designers – and ultimately
auction customers – the Design
Centre hosts seminars, where
visitors learn furrier techniques
and find the expertise needed to
realize their creative ambitions.
Above
:
Saga Furs label not only for the
beauty of the fur, but also the promise
of transparency contained in the brand.
Left
:
Saga Furs Design Centre offers
a prime example of how the company
promotes responsible use of fur
without compromising creativity.