Kering Highlights Its Commitment to Sustainability at the 2025 ChangeNOW Summit

Nature as an Economic Choice | Full session

Championing Nature as an Economic Choice

On April 24, Rachel Kolbe Semhoun, Head of Sustainable Sourcing and Nature Initiatives at Kering, took the stage to explore the theme "Nature as an Economic Choice"
The panel addressed the urgent need to transform ecosystems from intangible treasures into measurable assets. Using water as a case study, they discussed how monetizing ecosystem services can unlock funding for biodiversity conservation, foster ecosystem restoration, and make visible the benefits of nature — from clean water and air to climate regulation and flood protection. Rachel acknowledges that “There are clearly calculable ecosystem services that are incredibly valuable to many. Sometimes these services occur naturally, and sometimes they result from land stewardship by humans—local communities, farmers, and others. It’s essential to recognize the value of these systems and services, and to understand the real asset that lies in preserving them.”

Leading Purpose-Led Transformations in Fashion

On the same day, Géraldine Vallejo, Kering’s Sustainability Programme Director, joined fashion sustainability experts at the exclusive Futur.io CSO Reception. In an intimate, invite-only setting, the leaders shared insights on how the fashion sector can drive positive change. They highlighted real-world examples of sustainable innovation, illustrating the critical role of purposeful leadership in reshaping industries for a more sustainable future. 
"Being a leader and being influential is not just about driving change within your own company. It involves working with others, open-sourcing, sharing innovations to scale them up, and engaging in collaborative and precompetitive initiatives.[/i" Highlighted Geraldine during her talk.

Elevating Sustainability in Corporate Governance

The following morning, on April 25th, Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer at Kering, participated in the high-profile panel, "Getting Your Board on Board" alongside leaders sitting across several boards of listed companies. The discussion emphasized the need for boards to proactively integrate ESG principles into corporate governance, highlighting how sustainability leadership at the board level is essential for long-term business success and societal impact. 
"[i]Today’s rapidly evolving world demands that boards not only take a step back but boldly push boundaries and embrace disruption for lasting impact. It is the chairperson’s duty to actively foster a culture where directors are empowered to challenge decisions fearlessly and where a resilient, forward-thinking collective mindset is non-negotiable.[/i" Said Marie-Claire

Showcasing Emerging Innovation: The Kering Generation Award

At its dedicated booth, Kering also shined a spotlight on the winners of the Kering Generation Award from Japan and Saudi Arabia, offering them a global platform to share their pioneering solutions. ChangeNOW attendees discovered six promising ventures:

• AMUSED - Saudi Arabia’s first and largest marketplace dedicated to pre-loved luxury items.
• ASTERI - A clean beauty brand offering cosmetics designed for desert climates, with packaging made from 50% recycled and FSC-certified materials.
• DARAH SOLUTIONS LAB - Innovators redefining textile recycling through creative reuse of discarded garments.
• FERMENSTATION CO – A Japanese R&D startup transforming food waste into natural aromatic extracts through fermentation.
• AMPHICO – Developers of PFAs-free technical textiles for breathable, waterproof outdoor clothing.
• ALGAL BIO - A bio-venture leveraging over two decades of marine algae research, decarbonizing chemical production through biomass.

Empowering future generations: The IFM-Kering Sustainability Chair at ChangeNOW

A trailblazing collaboration between IFM and Kering, the IFM-Kering Sustainability Chair has been driving change within the industry for 5 years through education, research, and action. 
Each year, students from the Fashion Sustainability Certificate develop impactful, purpose-driven projects. For the 2025 edition of the summit, five projects were presented to the public:

• LET’S GO CHANGE THE WORLD : Multifunctional accessories designed to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness
• The creation of an upcycling hub at IFM
• FASHION VICTIM : An educational card game about materials and the environmental impact of fashion
• Two experimental design projects using BioFluff, a 100% plant-based fur, and Alternative Innovation (winner of the 2024 ANDAM Innovation Prize), a 100% bio-based material designed to replace animal leather

Through its long-lasting partnership with ChangeNOW, Kering continues to set the standard for sustainability leadership in luxury and beyond, connecting innovation, nature, and purposeful business transformation.

About ChangeNOW
ChangeNOW was launched in 2017 with the goals of building bridges between entrepreneurs, CEOs and political leaders to accelerate change. Kering has been a proud partner of this summit of solutions for the planet since its beginnings.

About Kering
Kering is a global, family-led luxury group, home to people whose passion and expertise nurture creative Houses across ready-to-wear and couture, leather goods, jewelry, eyewear, and beauty: Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen, Brioni, Boucheron, Pomellato, Dodo, Qeelin, Ginori 1735, as well as Kering Eyewear and Kering Beauté. Inspired by their creative heritage, Kering’s Houses design and craft exceptional products and experiences that reflect the Group’s commitment to excellence, sustainability, and culture. This vision is expressed in our signature: [i]Creativity is our Legacy. In 2024, Kering employed 47,000 people and generated revenue of €17.2 billion. 

About Kering Generation Award
Designed as one of the key initiatives for innovation under Kering’s 2025 Sustainability Strategy, the Kering Generation Award was launched in China in 2018 and has since been aiming to drive industry-wide transformation by recognizing and supporting startups that bring about positive environmental and social impact while addressing challenges in alternative raw materials, green supply chain, retail & use and the circular economy. The program has already been held four times in China – last year, the Group debuted its Saudi and Japanese editions. Additionally, a "Kering Generation Award X Jewelry" was launched with the cooperation of the Polytechnic University of Milan, expanding Kering’s support program to the jewelry sector.