With seasonal timing, the WWF have created a detailed and important industry report that helps brands understand the environmental impact of the luxury market. The introduction from Katherine Hamnett says:
“A fascinating, ground breaking, must read wake-up call for all professionals and
aficionados of the luxury goods industries, the consumers of their products and the
celebrities that endorse them. The report says ‘Consumers’ increasing concerns with
environmental and social problems are the greatest cultural shift of the 21st century’
and points the way to how these industries must behave if they are to keep their
cachet which they need to survive.”
The report looks at shifts in consumer attitude and a push for sustainable luxury. Some of the issues of concern include diamonds, gold, employees, wildlife trade, corruption, marketing and advertising and consumption. Although none of the luxury groups reviewed get more than a C+ in the ranking of environmental, social and governance performance and reputation, Tods and Bulgari are given a F for fail.
Celebrated new brands leading the eco-luxury wave include Osklen, OSISU, John Hardy, Mádara, Linda Loudermilk and Mata de Sesimbra (One Planet Living).
There’s a very interesting section at the back advising celebrities what brands to work with:
WWF recognises that celebrities influence consumers, and can therefore influence companies. The challenge is to discourage corporate behaviour that contributes to the problems celebrities are campaigning on, and encourage corporate contributions to the solutions not simply through donations, but through sustainable business practices. In deciding which brands to work with, we
call upon celebrities and their agents to follow our “Star Charter”, which comprises the following six principles:1. To recognise their potential to influence consumer behaviour.
2. To encourage both consumers and companies to be aware of the social and environmental aspects of their activities.
3. To consider the social and environmentalperformance of companies before endorsing them.
4. To obtain independent expert advice on that performance before endorsing companies.
5. To address any public concerns over the social and environmental performance of the brands that they currently endorse.
6. To tell professional colleagues about their commitment to the Star Charter.
Great, great work.
