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Our Commitment
AI Topper is a third-generation Australian family business that has been processing leather responsibly since 1954. We recognise the environmental and social complexities of our industry and we’re committed to a clear, accountable, and forward-looking approach to doing better.
Our Sustainability Strategy
We’ve formalised our commitment to sustainability with our FY27–FY29 Sustainability Strategy — a structured three-year roadmap that brings together the work we’ve already done, identifies new areas for action, and holds us accountable to measurable goals.
The strategy is built around six impact areas, aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- Emissions & Climate — Measure our greenhouse gas emissions and set reduction targets by 2030.
- Chemicals & Water — Maintain industry best-practice chemical use and develop a water reduction plan for all sites by 2028.
- Biodiversity — Understand and reduce our impact on biodiversity across our sites.
- Health & Wellbeing — Ensure AI Topper is a safe, rewarding place to work where our people are prioritised.
- Traceability — Work towards full traceability of all hides back to farm or Local Government Area by 2030.
- Transparency & Communication — Keep our staff, customers, and suppliers informed and engaged with our sustainability progress.
Download our Sustainability StrategyOur Existing Commitments
Sustainability isn’t new to us. Over decades of operation, we’ve continuously invested in cleaner, smarter production. Here’s where we stand today.
Reducing our Carbon Footprint
- 500kW solar panel array operational at our Gunnedah facility
- 100kW solar panel array operational at our Adelaide facility
- 656kW solar panel array operational at our Brisbane site
- Power factor control units installed across sites to monitor and reduce energy use
- Translucent sheeting installed at all sites to maximise natural light
Waste Minimisation
- Less than 2% of waste goes to landfill at our Gunnedah site
- Production waste tracked by kg per category for continual performance monitoring
- Green fleshing diverts by-products to biodiesel and tallow production, keeping them out of landfill
- Comprehensive waste segregation, recycling, and minimisation across all processing stages
- Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) salt crystalliser – recovering and reusing salts, eliminating liquid discharge from the process
Audits and Reporting
- Gunnedah Leather Processors and Adelaide Processors hold Gold certification with the Leather Working Group (LWG) — the highest level — reflecting excellence in environmental management, traceability, and chemical management
- Member of Sedex, with regular SMETA audits completed at Gunnedah and Adelaide covering labour, health and safety, environment, and ethics
- Committed to the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) programme and full compliance with their global MRSL standard
- Regular internal and external audits across all sites
- Compliance with all regulations and environmental licences
Clean leather production
Continuous investment in technology means our facilities are built for the long term – environmentally and economically.
Processing green unsalted hides and skins
Removes the salting process and reduces total dissolved solids in effluent. Grain quality is optimised by chilling hides during transport.
State of the art drum technology
Our twelve new jumbo drums at Gunnedah increase production capacity by 50% while reducing energy, water, and chemical consumption per hide. A gentler motion also results in a superior quality product.
Direct Chrome Liquor Recycling
Spent chrome liquor is directly recovered, enabling almost indefinite re-use of trivalent chromium. Any effluent contains only trace amounts.
Pickle liquor recycling
Recycled separately, reducing the overall need for salt and water and minimising salt loads in effluent.
Hair-saving unhairing technology
Recovered hair is reused as a slow-release, high organic nitrogen fertiliser.
Carbon dioxide deliming
Significantly reduces chemical costs and lowers ammonia and nitrogen in the effluent.
Beneficial irrigation using tannery effluent
By lowering total dissolved solids, tannery effluent is used to irrigate crops — supporting carbon capture and cattle grazing.
Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) salt crystalliser
Salts are recovered and reused in production, removing liquid discharge entirely from the process.
Splitting in lime
Our Gunnedah facility produces collagen and gelatin through lime splitting, supplying the cosmetic, medical, and food industries.
Water use
Through ongoing investment in water efficiency, we have reduced water use by 50% since 2009.
