Kering, together with Conservation International, has announced the first seven grantees for its Regenerative Fund for Nature programme.

Launching back in January 2021, the fund was set up to strive for the goal of using innovative projects to help transition one million hectares of land into regenerative practices in the luxury industry, including a focus on fashion supply chains for cotton, wool, cashmere and leather. Recipients were selected through grant applications and assessed based on their alignments with the fund’s objective.

A Leadership Council led the selection process, consisting of members from a multitude of industries and organisations. CEO of Chloé, Riccardo Bellini and Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainability officer of Kering, represented the fashion and clothing industry alongside members of other sectors, including high-level individuals from L’Oréal, the Rumah Foundation and the French National History Museum.

The open call brought in 73 applications from a total of 17 countries, with the final seven located in South America, Central Asia, India, Europe and Africa. The fund will support the final recipients made up of both small and large scale farming operations that are looking to turn land into a regenerative supply source.

“This next phase of our Regenerative Fund for Nature’s rollout is integral to the attainment of Kering’s goal to have a net positive impact on biodiversity by 2025,” said Marie-Claire Daveu in a statement. “We had a tremendous response and the first grantees were selected from excellent proposals, showing both the appetite and the opportunity to scale regenerative farming practices globally. We are exploring and leveraging different actions to support further projects under the fund that will maximise a positive impact on biodiversity restoration in luxury and fashion’s supply chains.”

Recipients include...

The Good Growth Company - partnerships with cashmere goat herders in Mongolia
Organic Cotton Accelerator - transitioning conventional cotton farmers to regenerative ones and organic production processes in India
Solidaridad - works with indigenous smallholder cattle producers in Argentina and restoring native forests and vegetation
Fundacion Global Nature - restoring traditional grazing systems alongside goat shepherds in Spain
Wildlife Conservation Society and the Wildlife-Friendly Enterprise Network - focusing on co-existance with wildlife and sheep wool production in Patagonia
Epiterre - the increase in plant diversity for positive ecological outcomes
Conservation South Africa - implementation of regenerative agricultural practices in South African biodiversity

“Global change always begins at the local level, which is why we’re excited to support grassroots conservation efforts on four continents with Kering under the Regenerative Fund for Nature,” explained Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International. “We know that the path to a sustainable, nature-positive future must include Indigenous peoples and local communities, so as we move into the next phase of the fund, progress will be continually monitored together with Kering to ensure that initiatives are delivering measurable outcomes for the environment, and just as critically, for local livelihoods.”