This Just In: Gucci is Now 100% Carbon Neutral

In an incredible announcement today, Gucci has revealed it is now 100% carbon neutral.

In a lengthy release, the brand explained from today it will offset all remaining Greenhouse Gas emissions from its own operations, as well as its supply chain via four projects which focus on forest conservation globally. The move, it says, has been in the works for some years and is the direct result of the “urgent need for climate action.”

To begin with, the brand says it has “implemented a series of initiatives around low-impact alternative and sustainable materials, sustainable sourcing and manufacturing efficiency” in order to lessen its environmental impact. The measures have already proven effective with Gucci revealing that roughly 440,125 tons of CO2 was avoided in 2018 as a direct result.

In order to achieve this milestone, Gucci outlined several key initiatives it has put in place to “avoid, reduce, restore and offset” its emissions, including:

• increased use of renewable energy across all sectors of the business;
• finding new and innovative ways to treat and transport materials;
• increased circularity opportunities via upcycling;
• continued transparency through natural capital accounting;
• maximization of recycling technologies and approaches (the brand also banned the use of PVC in 2015);
• increased use of organic fibres;
• ensuring viscose is sourced from FSC-certified forests who meet industry audit standards;
• continued use of low-impact, sustainable fabric alternatives;
• focusing on sourcing raw materials, such as leather, from countries and providers with low environmental impact, plus ensuring that the locations from which the raw materials are sourced have agricultural systems in place to restore soil and habitats to protect biodiversity;
• establishing a global offsetting portfolio that mitigates climate change, positively impacts local communities and protects wildlife;
• offsetting all Greenhouse Gas emissions in the supply chain, regardless of cost; and
• supporting reforestation through conservation and restoration.

Marco Bizzari, the president and CEO of Gucci, said in a statement, “A new era of corporate responsibility is upon us and we need to be diligent in taking all steps to mitigate our impacts, including being transparent and responsible for our GHG emissions across our supply chains. Gucci will continue to work in a smart and strategic way to avoid and reduce our impacts, while simultaneously investing in innovation as a driver for sustainability. However, in my view, this is just not enough nor will it happen fast enough given the sustainability challenges we are up against in our industry and the reality of our global climate and biodiversity crises. To address the need for urgent solutions, Gucci is setting an ambitious new precedent through our carbon neutral commitment.”

In the statement, Bizzari namechecked François-Henri Pinault, the chairman and CEO of Kering (Gucci’s parent company), who was a driving force behind the Fashion Pact at the recent G7 Summit. “We at Gucci view it as the perfect catalyst to further innovation and problem solving,” he said, adding that he hopes other businesses will follow Gucci’s lead to protect the environment for the generations to come.

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