WWF’s Deeper Luxury Report Tells Celebrities What Not To Spend Their Money on
by Petz Scholtus, Barcelona, Spain on 11.29.07
The Deeper Luxury Report, launched by WWF today, ranks luxury companies such as L’Oréal, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Tod’s, Tiffany & Co or Swatch, and asks celebrities not to promote dirty brands. Never before has such an analysis been carried out. Not surprisingly, it is causing quite a stir as none of the ten largest, publicly-traded luxury brand owning companies scored well. L’Oréal, who ranked best performer, scored C+ (A=best, F=worst), Tod’s came last and many other brands even failed to obtain a pass grade.
To WWF it is clear that, ecologically and ethically speaking, large luxury companies are generally behind other brands of consumer products, due to lack of consumer awareness and demand. This report is hoping to change that. After all many luxury consumers are increasingly well educated and concerned about social and environmental issues. Hollywood star Sienna Miller is such an example, having morphed from a minor league actress to a minor league environmental crusader. Deeper Luxury however criticises Miller’s promoting of the brand Tod’s and argues that Tod's could be "a liability" to Sienna Miller's reputation. WWF is launching a new “Star Charter” for celebrities to adopt, committing them to consider the environmental and social performance of the brands that they endorse.
Anthony Kleanthous, Senior Policy Adviser for WWF, said:
The world of celebrity leads by example and generates an aspirational desire for branded products. These stars have the responsibility to make sure that the brands they are endorsing are not damaging the planet. Let’s face it, who wants to pay extra for a dirty brand?
In chapter seven, Deeper Luxury reports ‘the Future Makers, seven companies that embody aspects of the future of luxury by excelling in key aspects of their social and environmental performance.’: Tesla Motors, fashion brand Osklen, jeweller John Hardy, Osisu furniture company, Mádara natural flower and herb cosmetics, Linda Loudermilk and Mata de Sesimbra eco-tourism.
The shopping bag “I’m NOT a plastic bag” by Anya Hindmarch was also mentioned in an interesting article about ‘maturing new markets’. (page 23) It is about the new type of luxury that is now popular in Asia, like the rush to buy this designer shopping bag earlier this year. “Ironically,” the The South China Morning Post.72 went on, “each of the bags… was wrapped in the kind of plastic bags they are supposed to replace”, the article goes on.
Anthony Kleanthous also says:
This report is a call to action for the world’s top brands to improve the way they do business. Luxury companies must do more to justify their value in an increasingly resource-constrained and unequal world. Despite strong commercial drivers for greater sustainability, luxury brands have been slow to recognise their responsibilities and opportunities. We call upon the luxury industry to bring to life a new definition of luxury, with deeper values expressed through social and environmental excellence. Their performance and progress on environmental, social and governance issues should be comprehensively measured and reported.
Thanks Clownfish for the tip! Download the WWF-UK Report “Deeper Luxury: Quality and Style when the World Matters”, published November 29th, for free ::WWF Deeper Luxury
Nice post. But what next? Will this just be another "good read" and hope others will pick on it?
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