At Levitate Foundry, our dedication to sustainability drives us, with this, we're thrilled to announce our collaboration with Positive Luxury! As an Impact Network member, Levitate Foundry will be joining hands globally, driving the luxury industry towards a climate-positive transformation. We're so excited for the incredible journey ahead!
- What is Positive Luxury, and what is its mission in the sustainable luxury industry? Positive Luxury are the leading sustainability experts for the global luxury industry. We help businesses meet higher and higher standards for people and nature, transforming luxury for the good of all. Since inception, our mission has been to shape a sustainable future by working with our luxury clients to help redefine business models and rebuild consumer trust.
- What drove the founding of Positive Luxury, and what are its core values?
We were born to action real change, for a world that desperately needs it. Our founders were inspired by the story of the large blue Butterfly – which now thrives following near-extinction. This story of success took expert understanding of unique driving factors, and some difficult work – made easier through collaboration. This is what inspired the creation of Positive Luxury as it is today. Our core values are Act with Purpose, Commit to Excellence, Collaborate with Care and Choose Optimism – we are positive by name and nature!
- How does Positive Luxury collaborate with luxury brands to promote sustainability and social responsibility? First, we collaborate with each luxury brand with an approach that is 100% bespoke, because each luxury brand has a unique ecosystem and set of challenges depending on size, category, location etc. We use a range of tools and sustainability services, centred around our proprietary Butterfly Methodology. This is made up of a world-leading ESG+ assessment, risk and opportunity mapping tools and transition strategy right through to independent verification through certification. And all this supported with communication tools and guidance from our sustainability experts. We also offer everything from carbon footprinting to project consultancy. In short, we work with luxury brands to identify areas from improvement, then work with them closely to improve these areas. Our Real Changemakers have access to communications tools such as the Connected Butterfly Mark, a digital passport that allows our clients to share their sustainability progress to date. Stakeholders can then explore how a brand performed in the ESG+ assessment, showing with full transparency the scores they achieved in areas such as climate, nature, and water, how they treat workers and communities as well as how responsibility and ethically they run their business. We help them communicate about sustainability and social responsibility not just to consumers, but their also own employees, supply chain partners and even investors.
- Can you provide examples of how Positive Luxury has assisted brands in beauty, fashion, jewelry, or other industries to meet higher sustainability standards? There are so many to mention large and small across the globe – we have helped around 200 luxury brands across beauty, fashion, jewellery, premium drinks, interiors and travel. We’ve helped people like MCM, Dior Couture, Tom Ford Beauty improve their sustainability performance in areas such as climate, people and business purpose. Jewellery brand Monica Vinader use the Connected Butterfly Mark digital passport widget on their website to transparently evidence their performance and build trust with consumers. You can read more about these clients’ – and many more – journey here. Our 4-part Butterfly Methodology allows us to support every luxury company’s unique ecosystem, from supporting clients with international supply chain risk assessment, consolidating data and embedding measurable KPIs to understanding carbon footprint and measurement.
- What criteria or standards does Positive Luxury use to certify luxury brands as sustainable? The Butterfly Mark is awarded by a panel on the verified results of our comprehensive ESG+ Progress Assessment. This tool is based on global goals (such as the UN Sustainability Development Goals and the Paris Agreement), internationally respected reporting frameworks (such as GRI, SASB, TCFD and TFND) and leading sustainability legislation such as CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) just going live in the EU. The structure of each of the 23 drivers in our framework is aligned with the ISO process: policy, risks, opportunities, metrics, targets and strategy. After answering a series of questions and providing evidence, we identify gaps and areas for improvement. When a company can demonstrate that is has delivered the necessary changes and reached a minimum score of 50 in each of our three core pillars – Environment, Social and Governance – only then do we award them the Butterfly Mark in recognition.
- What benefits do consumers gain from choosing products and services from Positive Luxury-certified brands? Two things. The first is trust – they can trust the brand they are buying from is taking sustainability seriously and on an honest journey to higher standards for people and nature. Secondly, by choosing these products or services they are showing the world what real, sustained positive change looks like. What an inspiring, positive future can be like. We believe luxury should lead and have the highest standards for sustainability. If consumers see a brand bearing the Butterfly Mark, they know they’re delivering real change to positively impact people and nature. We empower our brands to be transparent about where they are today and where they aim to be tomorrow, allowing consumers to make informed decisions about what they buy and lives up to their personal values.
- What challenges and opportunities exist in the sustainable luxury sector? Currently the biggest challenges in the luxury sector are macro-economic factors and supply-chain disruptions because of climate change however this presents luxury brands with a huge opportunity to transition and become more sustainable for a better future. Likewise the pressure from employees, consumers, legislators and investors to be more sustainably is a huge opportunity to creative more loyalty, value, competitive advantage – and innovate.
- How has the perception of sustainability in the luxury sector changed over time, and what is its future trajectory? In many ways the traditional luxury sector has been perceived as having the foundations for sustainability in terms of quality of materials, craftsmanship, the long life/repairability of what it produces. But it has also been perceived as a closed, guarded world. The luxury sector has remained loyal to its traditions however consumers buying appetite and values has changed.. To maintain growth, luxury brands will have to adapt to the young luxury consumers –‘buy less, buy better’ mindset, where buying better is also about values as much as materials, and transparency and engagement is expected.
- How does Levitate Foundry's membership in the Impact Network position it to collaborate within a global network and support the luxury industry's adaptation to the new climate economy? Positive Luxury’s Impact Network was created to enhance industry collaboration with those businesses that support luxury businesses. As a member, Levitate Foundry has access to sustainability services from a luxury expert as well as Positive Luxury’s knowledge providing guidance to luxury businesses on how to adapt to the new climate economy.
- In what ways does being an Impact Network member enhance Levitate Foundry's ability to influence and support sustainable initiatives within the luxury sector? In joining the network, Levitate Foundry will play an active part in influencing their luxury clients to take real change in their businesses and make a positive impact, through its collaboration with Positive Luxury and access to our bespoke sustainability services tailored for the luxury industry. In this way you are a leader – helping drive a more sustainable future and inspiring other to do so.
- What unique advantages or opportunities does being part of the Impact Network offer Levitate Foundry in contributing to the evolution of the luxury industry toward sustainability amidst climate changes? In joining the network, Levitate Foundry will play an active part in influencing their luxury clients to take real change in their businesses and make a positive impact. Working with a community of sustainability driven organisations leading positive impact in the luxury industry, helping luxury businesses adapt to industry challenges and inspire others to become more sustainable in their business practices.
