Gucci, Now Carbon Neutral, Challenges Other Brands to Sign Sustainability Pact
The brand invites companies to join the CEO Carbon Neutral Challenge.
The latest in an ongoing effort to lead fashion towards a more sustainable future, Gucci has announced a new initiative, the CEO Carbon Neutral Challenge, led by brand CEO and President Marco Bizzarri.
In a series of statements posted to Instagram, Bizzarri invites CEOs from all industries to commit to carbon neutrality across their company supply chains. “As CEOs we must take responsibility for the total GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions our business activities create,” he writes. He also calls for immediate action rather than long-term plans: “Today we need to be responsible and accountable for the full scope of our GHG emissions and deliver nature-based climate solutions that mitigate these and drive positive change,” he says in a lengthier letter published on the initiative’s dedicated website.
Gucci announced its carbon neutral status in September, with plans to remain so by implementing a holistic approach that not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions throughout the company’s supply chain, but also offsets the emissions it does produce by supporting programs such as REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). Bizzarri’s challenge won’t entail strict monitoring of participating companies, but rather holds them to a set of guiding principles, including a publicly declared plan of action and commitment to annually report carbon emissions.
Gucci’s new initiative closely follows its decision to go fur-free. Additionally, Kering, Gucci’s parent company, launched a sustainability pact in August that 32 brands including Chanel and Prada signed. Stay tuned for updates as CEOs join Bizzarri and Gucci’s efforts.
