LVMH and UNESCO partners again to protect biodiversity at IUCN World Conservation Congress

Leading luxury brands such as LVMH, Mot Hennessy, Louis Vuitton, and Kering unveils new initiatives at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, which took place in Marseille, France, from September 3 to 11.

LVMH and UNESCO once again joined forces at the convention to conserve biodiversity as part of the Man and Biosphere international initiative. During the opening ceremony and CEO summit on Sept. 3, Antoine Arnault, head of image and environment at the French luxury company, and Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, addresses the MAB actions.

Arnault spoke on a panel with CEOs such as Alexandre Ricard, chairman and chief executive officer of Pernod Ricard, and Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, president of the Mouvement des entreprises de France, on “Enabling a Nature-Positive Future.”

LVMH and its houses, as well as UNESCO, hosted a pavilion during the convention to showcase their projects. It’s divided into four sections that highlight the LVMH-UNESCO partnership, which began in 2019; the work they’ve done to expedite solutions to manage natural resources sustainably; how they’re taking concrete steps to ensure sustainable practices and balance biodiversity conservation with resource sustainability; and their development of new tools to conserve the planet and help people to better understand and respect other species.

LVMH is the only business sector partner of MAB, which aims to build best practices for sustainable development to aid in the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

UNESCO seeks to help humanity live in peace with the environment, which aligns with LVMH’s goal of creating a “new luxury” that combines nature and innovation, according to a statement released on Friday. This involves a five-year collaborative project to combat deforestation in Amazonia, with a budget of 5 million euros.

LVMH is implementing regenerative initiatives for agricultural raw resources such as grapes, cotton, wool, and leather through 2030. The corporation is also helping to restore ecosystems and conserve endangered animal and plant species as part of the LVMH Initiatives for the Environment initiative, which has goals set for 2023, 2026, and 2030.

Antoine Arnault said that for LVMH, which relies heavily on natural raw materials such as flowers, grapes, and cotton, as well as leather and precious jewels, protecting natural ecosystems has long been a top concern. This emphasis is reflected in LVMH’s environmental policy, which was originally defined 27 years ago. Their cooperation with UNESCO on the ‘ACT for Biodiversity’ is a cornerstone that allows them to challenge the existing quo and have a positive, long-term influence outside their own supply chain, demonstrating that economic progress and environmental protection can coexist.

Audrey Azoulay, said that they need to forge new connections with other living things. The partnership between UNESCO and LVMH aims to demonstrate that economic progress and biodiversity conservation can coexist without waiting.