Bizzarri: «Cartier to join the green challenge»

«I congratulate Cartier for joining us, accepting this challenge, and for having once again proven its leadership». Marco Bizzarri, President and CEO of Gucci, does not hide his satisfaction for the Richemont Group’s flagship brand joining the challenge that the Italian manager launched in 2019 to make the luxury industry eco-friendly. The CEO Carbon Neutral Challenge he launched emphasizes the need for companies to act quickly and address climate change and biodiversity loss through the implementation of a well-rounded climate strategy.

«We firmly believe that a sustainable industry is only possible with collaborative initiatives,» Cyrille Vigneron, President and CEO of Cartier, added. «This means for Cartier the full support of innovative partnerships such as the challenge launched by Marco Bizzarri and a shared commitment to impacting the planet and people even more positively. We hope that other companies in the private sector will join the challenge». The Maison is committed to complying with the guidelines established by the CEO Carbon Neutral Challenge by consolidating the path taken in recent years. In 2020, Cartier for Nature —an independent organization funded entirely by the Maison, supporting nature-based solutions to protect, manage and restore our ecosystems in the long term— was launched. In the same year, Cartier joined The lion's share fund, the initiative co-founded and fully supported by the United Nations development program (UNDP), aiming to secure wildlife populations and improve animal welfare. In 2021, it became a member of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) and is committed to reducing emissions by 46% before 2030 and continuing to source 100% renewable electricity annually through 2030.

Its Co2 emissions targets are in line with the 1.5° reduction across its global footprint and therefore consistent with the reductions needed to keep global warming at 1.5°, supporting the ambitious goal ratified by the Paris Agreement. Last year, Cartier joined forces with Kering to launch the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030, bringing together all watch and jewellery brands willing to commit to supporting a set of ambitious, shared goals focusing on three areas of concern: building climate resilience, preserving resources and promoting inclusion. «As citizens of the world, we believe that it is our duty to protect biodiversity and make a positive impact on the planet,» Cyrille Vigneron reiterated. In early 2022, Cartier joined the Science Based Target Network Program (SBTN), a working group that aims to develop science-based targets protecting nature to understand, measure and identify targets related to impacts and dependencies on nature itself.

«At Gucci, we have been promoting a nature-positive approach aimed at protecting and restoring nature for years,» Marco Bizzarri proudly recalled. Since 2018, Gucci has been carbon neutral, investing in the protection and regeneration of forests, the reconstitution and protection of mangroves, as well as regenerative agriculture projects aimed at obtaining raw materials for the Florentine maison’s collections. Since 2011, Gucci's total environmental impacts associated with its business activities are rigorously calculated on an annual basis through the Environmental profit and loss (EP&L) account. The most recent EP&L for 2020 revealed how Gucci has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 47% since 2015, supported by increased use of recycled raw materials and organic fibres in its collections, the extension of sustainable processes and manufacturing efficiencies, the use of renewable energy and the adoption of innovative sustainable solutions.

And it is all available for public inspection on the equilibrium.gucci.com platform. In collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo, it also supports the sustainable transition of Made-in-Italy production excellence. This is the second chapter of the Supply chain development programme (SCDP) which, from its launch in 2020 in the midst of a health emergency to the end of 2021, enabled 175 of Gucci's suppliers to have access to loans for a total of 286 million euros. 

The Maison has already achieved 93% clean energy consumption in its stores, offices, warehouses and factories and by the end of 2022 will reach its goal of purchasing 100% renewable energy. «The decision to prioritize the reduction of emissions —not only on the basis of the scientific targets already identified, but by taking charge of all residual emissions generated, investing in solutions that protect and restore natural ecosystems— is a clear example of how to take concrete action to address the climate crisis,» the manager concluded. (All rights reserved)