On December 14, LVMH hosted the LIFE 360 Summit at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris.
The event, led by Antoine Arnault, LVMH’s Director of Brand Image, Corporate, and Environmental Responsibility, highlighted the collaboration between LVMH and Chanel on sustainability efforts. These two luxury giants will work to unify corporate social responsibility reports and audit-related initiatives at the supplier level. Currently, the implementation methods of this collaboration are still in the early stages, but Antoine Arnault revealed that the two companies plan to establish a shared audit system to avoid repeated submissions by shared suppliers.
Although Chanel has not undertaken any major public initiatives regarding sustainability and may not be the first company that comes to mind when discussing sustainability topics, its investment in sustainability has been significant. Just last week, Chanel officially partnered with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation for a three-year collaboration aimed at promoting the circular economy. In 2018, Chanel announced that it would no longer use exotic leathers, including crocodile, lizard, snake, and stingray skins. In 2020, Chanel launched its "Chanel 1.5° Climate Mission" environmental commitment and issued €600 million in sustainability bonds. In both 2019 and 2021, Chanel invested in the U.S. green chemistry company Evolved by Nature.
From a pragmatic standpoint, in an era where "sustainability" is constantly emphasized, mastering the latest sustainable technologies, launching sustainable products, and entering sustainability-related partnerships are key to ensuring that the entire group continues to thrive for another century. This collaboration not only demonstrates Chanel's commitment to sustainability but also highlights its ambitious business objectives through the development of an audit system.
At the same time as the announcement of the partnership with Chanel, LVMH also shared the achievements of its LIFE 360 environmental initiative since its launch two years ago. They also announced the Life 360 Business Partners program for partnering brands and suppliers, along with the launch of the LVMH Circularity initiative.
LVMH has committed, through the Life 360 Business Partners program, to provide support to its suppliers and partners, particularly in the production and transportation of raw materials, helping them reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate their impact on water resources and biodiversity during daily production and operations.
Over 500 professionals attended the summit, including not only UNESCO officials, LVMH executives, and the group’s suppliers but also many peers from the fashion and luxury industries, such as executives from Chanel, Pernod Ricard, Martell Mumm, and Perrier-Jouët. LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault said at the event, "We have a responsibility to move away from existing models and achieve the best results. This is also why we decided to invite our business competitors. When it comes to sustainability, we must work together—every bit of progress is crucial."
The LVMH Circularity initiative showcases LVMH's commitment to the circular economy. LVMH has already established maintenance and repair teams within several brands under the group, achieving the goal of providing new services by 2023. For example, Louis Vuitton repairs 600,000 products annually; Berluti maintains a 79% repair rate for its products; Rimowa offers a lifetime warranty on luggage; and Le Bon Marché provides product alteration and repair services for watches and shoes.
The LVMH Circularity program is not only applicable to all the group's brands but also involves LVMH’s internal or partner platforms that focus on recycling, such as Nona Source, the CEDRE Sorting and Recycling Platform, weturn, and Agence Don en Nature. With the creation of the LVMH Circularity ecosystem, the expertise accumulated over years by these platforms will also contribute to achieving true product circularity.