In this interview with Diana Verde Nieto, Co-Founder of Positive Luxury, we discover the journey of becoming a global sustainability leader in an ever-changing world. Diana discusses the impactful vision behind Positive Luxury and explores the Butterfly Mark certification empowering luxury brands to achieve sustainability excellence.
How have you established yourself as a globally recognized figure in the sustainability sector?
Thank you for your kind words. I have been working in this field for over 20 years, and at that time, I was a lone voice. Fast forward to today, and most people are aware of the erratic weather patterns, high temperatures, droughts, and floods, and how they impact supply chains, commodity prices, the prices of finished products like food, and, ultimately, our pockets. 2023 is about re-imagining the world of business, our society, and the world at large, and, as citizens, we have choices.
Can you tell us briefly how and why you co-founded Positive Luxury and what the company aims to achieve?
I contributed to a report written by the WWF, titled "Deeper Luxury." I understood then that the luxury industry is privileged to lead the changes and innovation necessary to combat climate change.
Positive Luxury helps luxury companies forecast and mitigate their sustainability and ESG risks and adapt their businesses to upcoming sustainability regulations and challenges globally. We do this by showing our members where their sustainable opportunities lie and how to embed them into their companies to create business resilience.
Our program enables companies to accelerate efforts to improve ESG performance and leverage sustainability to drive positive impact and corporate value. Innovative digital tools, such as our Connected Butterfly Mark, help our community members build trust and communicate with confidence and credibility to stakeholders.
What sustainability standards must companies achieve before being awarded the Butterfly Mark certification? Do you have any case studies that you can share with us?
Companies must demonstrate real change in meeting the high standards of Positive Luxury’s ESG+ framework, comprising nine drivers across environmental, social and governance.
These standards are built on the foundation of international agreements, global frameworks and standards, and even upcoming potential legislation.
To be awarded the Butterfly Mark certification, luxury businesses must achieve 50 % in each ESG pillar.
Uniquely, each assessment is also tailored for relevance and drives the highest standards for the size of the business industry category – such as beauty, fashion, jewelry, premium drinks, and travel.
Image Credit: 9gifts/Shutterstock.com
All the luxury brands awarded the Butterfly Mark for embedding sustainability practices across their business can be found here. Each brand has a page outlining case studies that demonstrate how they positively impact or uphold high standards and leadership.
What are the current sustainability issues found in the luxury industry?
This is a big question and varies per industry. The pressures that legislation puts on businesses to comply with circularity, transparency, ESG reporting, quality, and durability is mounting – companies today are sharpening their sustainability strategies and putting ESG targets, metrics, and plans into place.
Why is it important that the luxury industry accelerates its sustainability efforts?
Luxury is aspirational; people strive to own luxury or be luxury – luxury leads the way by signaling what is the right thing to do.
Can you explain what the Positive Luxury Accelerator Programme is?
The Accelerator Programme identifies and supports young, innovative companies, helping the luxury industry adapt and reshape itself to ensure a sustainable future.
These brands, suppliers, and retailers will be supported to earn Butterfly Mark certification and embed sustainability in their culture and end-to-end operations from the very start.
Do you have any advice to give those who want to make a difference in sustainability?
In a very pragmatic way, sustainability is about specialization today. What problem do you want to solve? Driving the net-zero agenda through carbon reductions, biodiversity conservation and rewilding, water conservation, and ocean health? If I had to start my career today, I would choose one of my areas of passion and work collaboratively with various stakeholders to contribute to the solution.
What are the next steps for Positive Luxury?
We continue our mission to transform luxury for the good of all.
Our community of brands, retailers, and suppliers continues to grow globally, and we will remain busy supporting more luxury businesses in embedding measurable sustainability into their operations and meeting increasingly higher standards – the Butterfly Mark is a living certification that must be re-earned every two years.
We are continuing to develop and improve leading tech tools, such as our Connected Butterfly Mark, to help companies engage with and build consumer trust.
To achieve this, we must remain at the forefront of change, continuously evolving our world-leading ESG+ assessment framework.
Continue Reading: What is Circular Fashion and How Could it Benefit our Environment?
Where can readers find more information?
About Diana Verde Nieto
Diana Verde Nieto is a changemaker, entrepreneur, author, and pioneering global leader in sustainability.
Diana co-founded Positive Luxury, a sustainability collaboration platform that helps luxury companies adapt and transition to a new climate economy.
Diana has 25 years of international experience starting and growing profitable businesses. She holds a degree in Global Leadership & Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and she has been trained by Former USA Vice President, Al Gore at the Alliance of Climate Protection and subsequently honoured by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader. She is an advisor to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
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