Efficiency and Innovation: CICB Member Viposa Earns World-Leading Green Building Certification

In Nova Andradina, Mato Grosso do Sul, a Brazilian leather company has achieved a historic sustainability milestone. Viposa, a tannery and member of the Centre for The Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB), became the first industrial facility in Brazil to earn LEED Platinum certification, the highest level of the internationally recognized green building rating system. The achievement goes even further: the facility received the highest score ever recorded in Brazil in the LEED Operations and Maintenance (O+M) category for industrial buildings.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification evaluates the environmental performance of buildings based on criteria such as energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor environmental quality, waste management, and innovation. It is the world's most widely used green building certification system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and administered internationally by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI).

The certification process is highly rigorous. In Brazil, only 1,361 projects have achieved LEED certification at any level, with just 224 attaining the Platinum level. Viposa's facility earned the highest score ever recorded in the country in the LEED Operations and Maintenance (O+M) category for industrial buildings. This category assesses how a building is managed and operated on a day-to-day basis, demonstrating that the facility was carefully designed, efficiently constructed, and delivers outstanding environmental performance throughout its operation.

According to Viposa, the journey toward this achievement began in 2020, during the planning of its Nova Andradina facility. From the outset, the project was designed to incorporate solutions that would support a more efficient and sustainable operation, including natural lighting and ventilation, infrastructure for electric vehicles, and initiatives aimed at reducing resource consumption.

The achievement is a major milestone and a source of pride for Brazil's entire leather industry, as highlighted by the leadership of the CICB.

"We received the news of Viposa's achievement with great satisfaction. This recognition honors one of CICB's member companies while also demonstrating how the Brazilian leather industry continues to invest in innovation, efficiency, and sustainability," the association said in a statement.

For the Viposa team, the milestone reinforces and brings greater visibility to the company's core purpose.

"This achievement demonstrates that it is possible to combine more than seven decades of experience in the leather industry with a forward-looking vision built on efficiency, innovation, and sustainability. At Viposa, we believe that responsible growth is the path to remaining a trusted partner for the future of our customers, employees, and society," the company stated.