SAI Corporate Member Spotlight: Gucci

December 2011: Gucci credits its success in part to its roots in Italy, and this has encouraged the company to "be on the front lines in safeguarding the value lent by Italian craftsmanship and manufacturing." One of the ways to achieve this is through promoting social responsibility throughout the supply chain. Gucci partnered with the Confindustria (Employers' Federation) of Florence to support the creation of three business networks in December 2011- P.re.Gi, Almax and F.A.I.R. - specializing in small leather goods, bags and luggage. 

These new groups were formed to help make the manufacturing framework more competitive by stimulating innovation and the local economy. They will take action in a variety of areas, including the following: 

• coordinating business activities that impact the manufacturing process
• joint investments in technological and organizational innovation
• ensuring that high standards of quality and safety are met by all
• improving credit quality and coordinating efforts to strengthen financial standing and grow the business in general
• coordinating more structured joint training programs
• As a result, network companies will have the opportunity to benefit from shared knowledge and participate in joint programs that can be monitored and overseen, yet they will maintain control of their own businesses-a key factor for small and medium-sized Italian businesses.

At the Rio+20 summit in Brazil last June, Gucci participated in the panel, "Changing the World Through Fashion" organized by the Nordic Fashion Association (NFA); previously it had also worked with NFA at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit. During both events, Gucci was part of an international discussion of the impact that the fashion business can have on sustainable development. NFA coordinates the Nordic Initiative Clean and Ethical Project (NICE). 

In addition, Gucci has created a new logo to highlight its commitment to sustainability initiatives.   

"A logo represents an identity, a group of values. We decided it was right from now on to signal our commitment in this area with a dedicated logo," said Patrizio di Marco, President and CEO of Gucci. "These are values that have always been part of the company's DNA and that we've been focusing on increasingly in recent years by implementing wide-ranging social and environmental sustainability policies. Gucci has always been a world leader in the luxury goods business and is a name synonymous with exclusivity, tradition and authenticity. We are proud of our products, the creativity that goes into them, their excellent quality and Italian craftsmanship and manufacturing. But above all, we are proud of the sense of responsibility exhibited by all the people who work for this brand, who make it truly unique."