Kering is a group of 18 luxury brands and five sports & lifestyle brands. When asked about the luxury brands that make up three-quarters of the group, Davot replied, "Until now, words like heritage, savoir-faire, and tradition have been associated with luxury. However, today's luxury cannot be discussed without the idea of sustainable development that takes the environment and society into consideration. As Chairman Pinault defines it, Kering believes that sustainable development is inherent in the quality of the product." During the interview, Davot handed me a Gucci bag, which was made using a heavy-metal-free tanning process developed in collaboration with experts, academics, and tanners. This is a groundbreaking development, considering that the conventional tanning process, which uses chromium, produces hexavalent chromium, a substance harmful to the human body.

This development is also in line with each brand's quantitative environmental goals and action plans. It brings them closer to achieving their hazardous substance reduction targets, while also reducing wastewater and energy consumption. Gucci aims to completely eliminate the use of hazardous substances by 2020.

Development requires a significant initial investment. One might assume that this amount would be added to the product price, but Gucci has kept the price the same. This is because, over the long term, as the product goes into production and production ramps up, the initial investment will gradually decrease. Furthermore, reduced energy consumption directly translates into cost savings, accelerating the reduction of the initial investment cost.

The Gucci bag I received felt different from any other bag I've ever owned. If this heavy-metal-free tanning process is adopted for all luxury bags, this feel may become the standard for luxury.

"Consumers of today are becoming increasingly concerned about environmental and social issues. For example, customers who purchase python products want the material to be high quality, and they also want python that does not destroy endangered species or ecosystems. These issues will become increasingly important over the long term. As a company, we aim for long-term survival, so through these sustainable development initiatives we are preparing for the future of our business," said Davo.

Her words offered a glimpse into the future relationship between society and business, as well as Kering's business style, which confronts the future from every angle.

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