The approach to sustainability in Kering: an eco-centric point of view
During Web Summit 2017 in Lisbon we had the chance to listen to Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability Officer in Kering from the HQ in Paris. With a political background, her role in Kering is related to a goal: aim of her team is to reduce the effect Kering has on the environment by 40% by 2025 and have 50% male and 50% female staff and equal pay.
The group is publicly sensitive to the topic since 2015, when it launched the Clean by Design initiative to reduce environmental impact caused by partners in the supply chain. Indeed, environmental issue is translated in monetary value. Among all the aspects related to sustainability you can choose priority based on their economic impact.
A more ethic and more efficient business opens the opportunity of a longer business; investors are interested as well and make pressure on the companies. We dealt with this topic in the post Forget red carpet and go green.
Starting by her affirmation “When you are in luxury, you are responsible because you set the trends” let’s have a look at the major trends and main challenges the group is facing:
– mapping supply chains partners
– transparency and traceability of items
– identify and use fabrics that are both sustainable and meet luxury’s standards of quality
In the luxury is important to keep always great quality, a continuous check is part of the deal. On the other hand, customers look for transparency and want to know where fabrics and workforce come from: Kering is working to map all the process i.e. of leather production. Customers want to assure as well that working conditions are equal.
As for research of new fabrics, the Materials Innovation Lab is a fashion accelerator in Milan housing 2,000 raw materials and fibers, all sustainable textiles.
In order to be “greener” what will happen in ecommerce? Part of the topic must be linked to wraps for delivery. To have an insight of what we discover in France, check out the new report Online Purchasing Experience Ranking in Paris.
This new framework of sustainability must become a cultural issue: last advice by Marie-Claire Daveu is to start from the schools in sharing ideas and create a fertile background for the present – or at least for the future.
