According to a BBC article I skimmed before starting this text, several scientists predicted in 2023 that global warming would reach a critical threshold within the next five years—that is, by 2028. What does this mean? That industries like fashion—the planet’s second-largest polluter—need to kick things into high gear to contribute to efforts to slow the climate crisis we’re passing down to our children—or if you’re Gen Z, to your pets, plants, or whatever else you keep around to fill the void.

In this vein, Kering, parent company of major brands like Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Alexander McQueen, founded by Salma Hayek’s husband, François-Henri Pinault (maybe you’ve heard of him), has taken a major step: committing to the Science Based Targets Network’s goals—established by the Global Commons Alliance—related to land and freshwater usage.

Among other measures, the plan includes reducing the group’s land footprint and implementing landscape initiatives to reduce nature loss across its tanneries, supply chains, and factories, starting with Tuscany’s Arno River basin. Kering’s current target is to reduce its footprint by 3% by 2030, while improving ecological and social conditions through regenerative agriculture.

Another key area the group will address is leather, ensuring that 100% of this material used in their products does not come “from lands converted from natural ecosystems or deforested for cattle grazing.” They’ll also maintain certification for other raw materials, like wood and rubber.

It's worth noting that Kering, a Science Based Targets Network member since 2020, is the first fashion company to adopt these standards, with only two other companies from different industries having committed to meet them so far. Here’s hoping that in the future, more conglomerates join in on these planet-saving initiatives.