GUCCI JOINS THE LION’S SHARE FUND TO SUPPORT WILDLIFE CONSERVATIONS

Gucci is the first fashion luxury brand to join Lion’s Share Fund whose aim is to raise funds to support nature, climate and biodiversity globally. The fund, which is managed by the United Nations Development Programme and a coalition of businesses an UN partners, seeks to raise over $100 million per year within the next five years for animal conservation, biodiversity and climate. How? By asking brands to contribute 0.5 percent of their media spend every time an animal is featured in their advertisements. “This partnership with Gucci marks the continuing evolution of this innovative fund, which provides a unique opportunity for brands across all industries to join forces and help preserve and protect biodiversity across the globe. Wildlife populations are half the size they were just 50 years ago, and their habitats and ecosystems are destroyed at an unprecedented rate due to human activity. The Lion’s Share is an idea that is as innovative as it is simple – and it makes a real impact on wildlife conservation," said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator. Marco Bizzarri, President and CEO of Gucci, stressed how the Lion’s Share Fund is an important addition to the House’s conservation strategy. “Nature and wildlife provide Gucci with inspired creation that is an integral part of our narrative through our collections and campaigns. With the increasing threats to the planet’s biodiversity, groundbreaking initiatives like The Lion’s Share Fund have the potential to be transformative by organically connecting the business community with direct action to protect our natural habitats and most threatened species,” said Bizzarri. Launched in September 2018, the Fund is already having an impact, providing a grant to improve critical radio systems for law enforcement officers protecting wildlife in Mozambique’s Niassa Nature Reserve and helping reduce the elephant poaching rate to zero, and providing a grant to help secure land for endangered orangutans, elephants and tigers in North Sumatra in Indonesia. Animals appear in approximately 20 percent of all advertisements in the world, yet despite this, animals do not always receive the support they deserve. The Lion’s Share gives brands the opportunity to take urgent and significant action and play their part in protecting our planet.