“Something has begun to move”

Environmental protection, social responsibility and sustainability are gaining even greater importance for Chopard’s Co-president Caroline Scheufele, who will announce new details about these topics at Baselworld. 

Environmental protection, social responsibility and sustainability are becoming increasingly important. Chopard has played a pioneering role since 2013 by showing that these topics can also be championed in the luxury segment. Now the family business wants to further expand its commitment: as Co-president Caroline Scheufele explains, this is a decisive theme for Chopard at Baselworld. 

Baselworld: Chopard has strived for many years to integrate the themes of environmental protection and sustainability into the manufacturing of jewellery and watches. What underlies this commitment?

Caroline Scheufele: Gold and gems are not solely a source of happiness: people and the environment can suffer from the consequences of mining and gold refining when these are undertaken irresponsibly. As a family business committed to traditional values, we feel obligated to combat these negative aspects. That is why we initiated the project “The Journey to sustainable Luxury” in 2013 and premiered the first Green Carpet Collection in Cannes.

Baselworld: How has this field developed? 

Caroline Scheufele: The presentation of the world’s first watch made from fairmined gold followed in 2014. This was a logical continuation of our efforts after we joined the Responsible Jewellery Council in 2012 and began focusing greater attention on how gold was extracted. The objectives are to ensure that the environment is not excessively burdened by the effects of gold mining and that the people who work in the mine are treated fairly and with social justice.

Baselworld: It is clear today that your commitment has brought many things into motion. Have you achieved your goal? 

Caroline Scheufele: We have come a big step forwards, but we want to dedicate ourselves even more strongly in the future. We shall announce additional and very important details at Baselworld in the context of a press conference on 22 March at 10:00 a.m. We already saw last year that our efforts have been acknowledged by the big gold suppliers. This had always been our goal because as an individual manufacturer, our field of activity is naturally limited in scope. Now something that we believe is very important has begun moving. When one talks about luxury or about wanting to treat oneself to something beautiful, many customers nowadays want to be sure that they buy products which were manufactured under the best possible working conditions and with social responsibility. The demand exists, as is also proven by the commercial success.