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Kering Luxury

OVERALL

Owned
FRA
Rating
Praises, some criticism

Luxury goods

Formerly known as Gucci Group, and then PPR Luxury Group. Luxury division of the world's #3 luxury goods company, Kering, who also owns Puma and other sports brands. Luxury brands include Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga.

Company Ownership

Kering Luxury Division   FRA     website         
  Kering SA   
   owns 100% of Kering Luxury Division  
FRA     website   email   facebook   twitter

Luxury goods

World's #3 luxury group, behind LVMH and Richemont. Changed it's name to Kering (formerly PPR) in 2013, as it disposed of retail assets to focus on luxury products and sporting goods. Announced plans to sell off Puma and Volcom in 2018 to focus on luxury goods.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Kering Luxury Division
Business Ethics 47/100 in Fashion Transparency Index
The 2020 Fashion Transparency Index reviewed 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers and ranked them according to how much they disclose about their social and environmental policies, practices and impacts. Brands owned by this company scored 47%, signifying that it is making significant efforts in the given areas, and has made some or most of this information publicly available. The average score was 23% and the highest score was 73%.
Source: Fashion Revolution (2020)
Animals Use of fur
This company's Yves Saint Laurent brand is listed on the Humane Society website as a designer who still uses fur. In 2021 Kering brands Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen declared they would no longer use fur.
Source: Humane Society (2021)
Business Ethics Nanoparticles in cosmetics
Testing commissioned by Friends of the Earth Australia found nanoparticles in foundations and concealers sold by Gucci.
Source: FOE (2009)
Environment Trust Mark approved brands
This company owns brands which have been awarded Positive Luxury's Trust Mark. To be accredited brands are assessed in the following areas: philanthropy, environmental, social, innovation, community and governance.
Source: Positive Luxury (2015)
Environment Paper policy
Following a campaign by the Rainforest Action Network in 2009, this company pledged to take concrete action to clean their supply chains of rainforest paper and sever relationships with companies (like Asia Pulp and Paper) who continue to destroy high conservation and endangered forests in Indonesia and elsewhere.
Source: RAN (2010)
Social Sandblasting
This company has publicly banned sandblasting. Sandblasting is a dangerous and deadly process which involves workers firing sand at jeans under high pressure. It has been known to kill workers within months as the inhalation of large amounts of silica dust generated during sandblasting causes silicosis, a potentially lethal pulmonary disease.
Source: Clean Clothes Campaign (2012)
Business Ethics Responsible Jewellery Council member
This company's Gucci and Bottega Veneta subsidiaries are certified members of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC). Certification under the RJC system demonstrates that the Member's business practices conform to RJC's Code of Practices for business ethics, human rights, social and environmental performance.
Source: Responsible Jewellery Council (2019)
Business Ethics Textile Exchange member
This company is a member of the Textile Exchange, a global non-profit that works closely with its members to drive textile industry transformation in preferred fibres, integrity and standards and responsible supply networks. They identify and share best practices regarding farming, materials, processing, traceability and product end-of-life in order to reduce the textile industry's impact on the world's water, soil and air, and the human population.
Source: Textile Exchange (2019)
Business Ethics SAI client
Social Accountability International (SAI) is a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organisation established to advance the human rights of workers by promoting decent work conditions, labor rights, and corporate social responsibility through the voluntary SA8000 Standard.
Source: SAI (2019)
Business Ethics Materials sourcing
The Material Change Index (MCI) is a voluntary benchmark that tracks the apparel and textiles sector's progress toward more sustainable materials sourcing (cotton, polyester, nylon, manmade cellulosics, wool, down and leather), as well as alignment with global efforts like the Sustainable Development Goals and the transition to a circular economy. This company was rated "Maturing", the second highest performance band.
Source: Textile Exchange (2019)
Social SB 657 disclosure statement
The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (SB 657) requires companies operating in California to disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their direct supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website (2012)
Social Efforts to pay a living wage
This company received a 'C' grade in the Tailored Wages 2019 report by the Clean Clothes Campaign. Gucci was able to show that, for a small proportion of its production in Italy, national wage negotiations mean a family can live on a wage paid in some areas in the South and Central regions.
Source: Clean Clothes Campaign (2019)
Kering SA
Environment CDP Climate Change Score of A-
In 2020, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2020)
Environment CDP Forests Score of A-
In 2020, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2020)
Social CDP Water Security Score of A
In 2020, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of A.
Source: CDP (2020)
Business Ethics 85/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 85/100 in the Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 7 Feb 2021). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2021)
Social Uzbek cotton commitment
This company has signed the Cotton Pledge with the Responsible Sourcing Network, signifying a public commitment to not knowingly source Uzbek cotton for the manufacturing of any of their products until the Government of Uzbekistan ends the practice of forced labor in its cotton sector. The Uzbek government uses local government officials, hospital directors, and school presidents to mobilize workers; and detains and tortures human rights defenders seeking to monitor the harvests.
Source: As You Sow (2019)
Business Ethics Global 100
The 2021 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list is an extensive data-driven corporate sustainability assessment. The ranked companies are leaders in the field of a sustainable business approach. The efficiency of a company's energy, water, CO2 and waste management is measured in relation to its total sales volume. The disclosure of that information is a pre-condition for the assessment. Of the 143 companies in its peer group, this company ranked #1.
Source: Corporate Knights (2021)
Business Ethics 62.0% in Newsweek Green Rankings 2015
This company received a score of 62/100 in the Newsweek Green Rankings 2015, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek (2015)
Business Ethics Tax evasion in Italy
In 2021 this company was fined 1.2 billion euros for evading Italian tax authorities.
Source: news article (2021)
Social Cotton sourcing (Rank a Brand)
In 2016 Rank a Brand assessed 37 major cotton-using companies on their commitment and performance with regard to sustainable cotton by looking at each company's cotton sourcing policies, use of sustainable cotton, and traceability. This company scored 3/19.5, making it one of the weaker performing companies.
Source: Rank a Brand (2016)
Animals Hunting equipment sales
Kering subsidiary Redcats owns The Sportsman's Guide, an online store which sells hunting equipment including guns.
Source: company website (2012)
Business Ethics 'D' grade in WWF Deeper Luxury report
In 2007 WWF-UK analysed and ranked the 10 largest publicly-traded luxury brand-owners on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. (Listed under information due to age of report)
Source: WWF UK (2007)
Environment Climate action commitments
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target; responsible corporate engagement in climate policy; report climate change information in mainstream reports as a fiduciary duty; remove commodity-driven deforestation from all supply chains by 2020.
Source: We Mean Business (2017)
Environment Zero discharge of hazardous chemicals
In 2011, a group of major apparel and footwear brands and retailers, including this company, made a shared commitment to help lead the industry towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020. It includes specific commitments and timelines to realize this shared goal.
Source: ZDHC (2019)
Social Gender equality
This company appears on the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, signifying a commitment to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.
Source: Bloomberg (2021)
Business Ethics Make Fashion Circular participant
This company is a participant of Make Fashion Circular, a multi-stakeholder platform run by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which drives collaboration between industry leaders and other key stakeholders to create a textiles economy fit for the 21st century. Its ambition is to ensure clothes are made from safe and renewable materials, new business models increase their use, and old clothes are turned into new. This new textiles economy would benefit business, society, and the environment.
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2019)
Business Ethics Leather Working Group member
This company is a member of the Leather Working Group, a multi-stakeholder group who's objective is to develop and maintain a protocol that assesses the compliance and environmental performance of tanners and promotes sustainable and appropriate environmental business practices within the leather industry.
Source: Leather Working Group (2019)
Business Ethics Sustainable Apparel Coalition member
This company is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, a multi-stakeholder initiative launched in March 2011 by a group of global apparel and footwear companies and non-profit organizations (representing nearly one third of the global market share for apparel and footwear). The Coalition's goals are to reduce the apparel industry's environmental and social impact, and to develop a universal index to measure environmental and social performance of apparel products.
Source: Sustainable Apparel Coalition (2020)
Business Ethics Textile Exchange member
This company is a member of the Textile Exchange, a global non-profit that works closely with its members to drive textile industry transformation in preferred fibres, integrity and standards and responsible supply networks. They identify and share best practices regarding farming, materials, processing, traceability and product end-of-life in order to reduce the textile industry's impact on the world's water, soil and air, and the human population.
Source: Textile Exchange (2019)
Business Ethics Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action signatory
This company is a signatory to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, a United Nations initiative which contains the vision to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Source: UNFCCC (2020)
Business Ethics CanopyStyle member
This company is a member of the CanopyStyle initiative, which came about when research found that millions of trees are used every year to produce dissolving pulp, a key ingredient for fabrics such as rayon/viscose. The campaign seeks to phase out the use of endangered forest fibre in fabric.
Source: Canopy (2018)
Environment 48% in Forest 500 Rankings
The Forest 500 identifies, ranks, and tracks the governments, companies and financial institutions worldwide that together could virtually eradicate tropical deforestation. Rankings are based on their public policies and commitments and potential impacts on tropical forests in the context of forest risk commodities (palm oil, soy, beef, leather, timber and paper). This company received a score of 48%.
Source: Forest 500 (2020)
Social Human Rights Benchmark
The 2019 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 200 of the largest publicly traded companies in the world from the Agricultural Products, Apparel, Extractives and ICT Manufacturing sectors on 100 human rights indicators. This company's score was in the 30-40 band range. The overall average score was a disappointing 24%.
Source: CHRB (2019)
Social Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: Modern Slavery Registry (2016)
Social 45/100 in KnowTheChain Benchmark
In 2018 KnowTheChain benchmarked 120 large global companies in the ICT, Food & Beverage, and Apparel & Footwear sectors on their efforts to address forced labour and human trafficking in their supply chains. This company received a score of 45/100.
Source: KnowTheChain (2018)
Information Ethical Consumer profile
This online article about PPR is from Ethical Consumer Magazine (UK), Issue 111, March/April 2008. Criticisms include use of fur and exotic leathers, and labour rights abuses.
Source: Ethical Consumer (2008)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Wholly-owned subsidiary
Subsidiaries Alexander McQueen (51% owned) 

Luxury fashion house

Founded by designer Lee Alexander McQueen in 1992. The Gucci Group (now Kering Luxury) acquired 51% of the company in Dec 2000.

Contact Details

Address Paris, France
Website www.kering.com/en/brands/luxury

Products / Brands

Kering Luxury
Balenciaga Luxury Brands
Bottega Veneta Luxury Brands
Gucci Luxury Brands
Saint Laurent Luxury Brands

Alexander McQueen (51% owned)
Alexander McQueen Luxury Brands
McQ Womens Fashion


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