Following Earth Day, luxury group Kering has unveiled a comprehensive Water-Positive Strategy, pledging to achieve a Net Water-Positive Impact by 2050 and measurable improvements in key water hotspots by 2035. Moving beyond reducing water consumption, Kering is aiming to actively restore and regenerate water sources and surrounding ecosystems where it operates, setting a new benchmark for sustainability in the luxury sector.
The Water-Positive Strategy is the latest step in Kering’s science-based sustainability roadmap, addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and water scarcity. By leveraging a Climate-Nature-Water nexus, the Group seeks to regenerate ecosystems, foster collaborative opportunities, and boost resilience across its value chain. Focusing on 10 priority freshwater basins most impacted by its activities, Kering plans to work closely with local stakeholders to enhance water quality, quantity and accessibility.
To drive this transformation, Kering has outlined three major programs. The Water-Positive Raw Materials initiative will prioritize sourcing materials that reduce pressure on ecosystems, including recycled fabrics, innovative alternatives and products from regenerative agriculture, helping to reduce pollution and replenish watersheds. The Water-Positive Stewardship Program will elevate water management across Kering’s operations and supply chain, encouraging strategic suppliers to adopt best practices and technologies like chrome-free tanning and water-efficient processing to improve water resources.
Additionally, Kering will establish Water Resilience Labs in each of its priority basins by 2035, starting with the Arno Basin in Tuscany in 2025. These Labs will engage suppliers, other industries, local communities, indigenous groups and public authorities to regenerate healthy freshwater ecosystems through collective action. The Arno Basin, a major water resource for Kering’s tanneries and other manufacturing sectors, will serve as a model for water-positive collaboration and innovation.
Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer at Kering, emphasized the urgency of transformative water stewardship. She stated that Kering’s approach moves beyond water reduction to regeneration, aiming to deliver tangible, water-positive outcomes that enhance social, environmental and economic resilience, and ultimately contribute to the global availability of clean water.
