Kering is a global luxury organization that oversees the growth of a number of well-known fashion, leather goods, and jewelry houses, creating the luxury of the future in an ethical and sustainable manner. Since its launch in 2020, Kering has been an active participant in the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) Corporate Engagement Program, which is in line with its longtime devotion to sustainability and environmental stewardship.
During COP16, Kering, the Paris-based firm, which owns labels including Bottega Veneta, Gucci, and Balenciaga, adopted groundbreaking environmental goals and became one of the first fashion companies worldwide to adopt science-based aims for nature. With an initial focus on the Arno basin in Tuscany, the project addresses both freshwater and land conservation, showcasing a holistic approach to biodiversity protection that includes the group’s upstream suppliers and direct operations.
Kering has set an ambitious target to cut water use by 21% by 2030, encompassing both its own operations and its suppliers, by concentrating on the basin of the Arno, one of the most significant rivers in Central Italy and a crucial area for the manufacture of leather.
Kering has also utilized its current projects, such as the Regenerative Fund for Nature, which was created in partnership with Conservation International and has been funded by the Group since 2021. Under the Group’s biodiversity strategy aims, these programs concentrate on developing regenerative practices and improving biodiversity in vital sourcing regions. The Good Growth Company’s Mongolia Regenerative Cashmere Project (342,000 ha), Olive Leaf’s GRASS project (300,000 ha) in South Africa that focuses on sheep wool and leather, and the Organic Cotton Accelerator’s Regenerative Cotton Project (53,500 ha) in India are among the landscape engagement targets that SBTN has validated.
“If you’re not talking about systemic transformation or collaborative transformation for our industry, it’s very hard to reach your own ambitions as a single company. We think there’s so much promise and huge value in these methods to scale nature protection and restoration.” a Kering spokesperson noted, emphasizing the cooperative nature of their strategy. For Kering, taking part in the SBTN experiment has been rewarding. Kering’s significant contribution to the pilot strengthens the Group’s Biodiversity Strategy and makes it possible to establish challenging, scientifically grounded goals.
