Gucci Launches Equilibrium, Furthering Commitment to Sustainability and Transparency

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Gucci has again affirmed its commitment to sustainability and transparency with the launch of Gucci Equilibrium, an online platform "designed to connect people, planet and purpose". 

“We have been working on sustainability for so long and we realised at one point that our actions needed to be better understood within and outside the company,” president and CEO Marco Bizzarri told WWD.

The Equilibrium.gucci.com website will launch a company-wide program for the 13,000 Gucci employees, allowing every member of the staff to dedicate one percent of their working time to volunteering in their local communities.

“These are critical times when we can all play our part in helping to deliver on the UN Global Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement,” Bizzarri added. “The only way to do that is by bringing people together, sharing ideas, innovation and experiences. This is the objective we have set for Gucci Equilibrium.”

Gucci’s 10-year sustainability plan centers around three pillars: the environment, people and innovation. Within the first pillar, it has set a target to guarantee the traceability of 95 percent of raw materials. Its “scrap-less” program in association with its tanneries, which reduces the quantity of leather that is treated during the manufacturing process, follows Gucci's late fall announcement that the house will no longer use fur in its collections.

Following in the footsteps of Salma Hayek and Beyoncé's Chime for Change dedicated to girls' and women's empowerment long embraced by Gucci, Gucci Equilibrium will launch a series of social enterprises, such as "I was a Sari", in which Gucci craftspeople teach women from Mumbai's marginalized communities in Mumbai how to upcycle saris. 

Beyonce Is All American Woman Patriot By Ryan McGinley For Beat Magazine Winter 2015

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Beyonce Is All American Woman Patriot By Ryan McGinley For Beat Magazine Winter 2015

Superstar Beyonce reminds the world that she's one of America's best ambassadors for women loving our own skin and body types. Add to that Queen Bey's alliance with megastars like Salma Hayek -- who is a lead Latino in the campaign to elect Hillary Clinton -- and Beyonce's co-partner in the global 'Chime for Change' movement to empower young girls and women world wide, and you have a new version of Secretary of State.

Last month Beyonce and Salma Hayek were in Central Park, where they joined other Chimers to co-sponsor the exhilarating Global Citizen concert, in which Beyonce brought down the evening sky with her activist battle cry for women everywhere in the world. While Beyonce has contributed significant sums to the Hillary Clinton campaign, she has not officially endorsed the candidate. When she does (we're praying fervently),  the rally for American women and ALL women in the world is officially on.

Salma Hayek Helps Launch 'Latinos for Hillary'

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Actor, influencer and women’s rights activist Salma Hayek stepped up for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.

“We are one of the largest, youngest, and fastest-growing groups in the United States of America,” Hayek wrote in announcing her support of Hillary. “We deserve a candidate who respects the contributions we have made to this country and understands how important it is that our community continues to thrive, all while treating us con dignidad y respeto.”

Latina reports that Hayek’s email also said:

“We cannot let hate and discrimination determine the outcome of this election,” Hayek said. “We owe it to the hard-working Latinos that came before us, to ourselves and to our children, to show the people who unfairly label us as criminals and speak down to us that our community is strong, meaningful and incredibly powerful.”

September 2015 Brings Beyonce To Vogue Cover Story & Global Citizen Concert In Central Park September 26

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September 2015 Brings Beyonce To Vogue Cover Story & Global Citizen Concert In Central Park September 26

Beyonce Stars at Global Citizen Concert in Central Park Saturday September 26

The superstar and global women’s rights activist will bring her populist brand of feminism to Central Park as Chime for Change, founded by Gucci (a Kerring company lead by the Pinault family), Selma Hayek Pinault and Beyonce join the fourth annual Global Citizen concert in Central Park on September 26.

Concert goers can’t buy their way into the concert (although we imagine the beautiful people do). Actually VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster. Instead, Global Citizen runs a lottery,based on taking action for change in America and around the world.

There’s lots of breaking news today around the September 26 star-studded Global Citizen concert. Check back later today for details. Selma Hayek will be taking the stage as a co-host.

Superstar Beyonce also fronts the always massive September issue of American Vogue, wearing Marc Jacobs and styled by Tonne Goodman. Master fashion photographer Mario Testinocaptures Queen Bey, who adds fashions from Atelier Versace, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Stella McCartney and more.

The Reign of Beyoncé By Mario Testino For Vogue US September 2015

Gucci Brand's Deep Commitment to Women In Need

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Digging deeper into the Gucci website, we discover a wide range of involvement with young people around the world. The luxury brand supports China Children & Teenagers Fund. And now for the AOC jackpot.

PPR Foundation for Women’s Dignity and Rights

Gucci is part of the PPR Foundation for Women’s Dignity and Rights, replacing the former SolidarCité. The foundation is tied to PPR, the French multinational founded by François Pinault and now run by his son François-Henri Pinault.

PPR sold its French Printemps store in 2006 and is now focused on Gucci, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Sergio Rossi, Boucheron, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen (50%) and Stella McCartney (50%), as well as other brands and mail order companies.

The Foundation for Women’s Dignity & Rights is involved in so many global initiatives for women that we can’t list them. The projects aren’t sexy: genital mutilation, forced child marriage, honour killings, sex trafficking.

In my experience, most American brands shudder at the thoughts of articulating these concerns in the same sentence as their brand names.