Kering

Kering
Industry	Retail
Founded	1963
Headquarters	Paris, France
Area Served	Worldwide
Chairman	François-Henri Pinault
Group Managing Director	Jean-François Palus
Products	Luxury goods and sporting goods
Market Value	$25756,2 million
Employees	35,000
Website	www.kering.com

About Kering

Kering (formerly Pinault-Printemps-Redoute and PPR until 18 June 2013) is a French multinational company. Kering was founded in 1963 by businessman François Pinault and is now run by his son François-Henri Pinault. Since it was founded it developed into the world's third-largest luxury group. The company's stable of global luxury brands covers 99 per cent stake in Italian luxury goods company Gucci Group, and luxury brands such as Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Stella McCartney, and Yves Saint Laurent. Also, the company is refocusing its activities on the luxury goods and sport and lifestyle retail areas, through selective acquisitions and asset trades.

Engagement in Cultural Diplomacy

Kering places great emphasis on environmental and social sustainability issues which have been part of Kering’s strategy and activities over the past few decades. In April 2012, the company announced its aims involving both environmental and social aspects to accomplish by 2016. Further, Kering has established the Environmental Profit & Loss account (E P&L), an initiative which primary goal is to allow managers and stakeholders to identify the magnitude of impacts of their businesses on the environment and where in the supply chain they arise. Also, raising awareness on gender diversity presents one of the company’s main principles.

Employment policy

At the end of 2013 Kering had 35,000 employees. The company mainly employs experts from the field of design and artisanship but also from other fields such as merchandising, supply-chain, marketing and communications, real estate, digital, legal, human resources, and finance.

Cultural Exchange Programs

Through its Digital Academy, Kering is working on spreading awareness across the Group by promoting change and introducing a digital culture. The Digital Academy’s main goal is to offer inspirational ideas and cross-brand exchanges to their leaders so they could foresee and adopt numerous business possibilities that digital suggests. The Digital Academy spans seminars and workshops worldwide focusing on key topics, such as Digital and Retail.

Education

International Internship Program

Kering offers internships in its offices around the world and across multiple departments including design, merchandising, visual display, public relations, digital and communications. Additionally, in collaboration with Parsons The New School for Design they choose two graduates from the BFA Fashion Design Programme for internships in Kering brands. In the past, winners have been awarded an internship at Gucci and Alexander McQueen.

Grants and Scholarships

In accordance with its ambition to encourage new creative talents, the Kering Corporate Foundation provides grants for three winners of its Social Entrepreneur Awards. Additionally, the winners earn a year’s training in a business expertise from a Kering Group senior manager to realize their project. Also, Kering has created the “Luxury Certificate” with HEC Paris and created insight on the luxury industry for over 250 participants from all around the world.

Cooperation with Universities

Kering is cooperating with numerous universities worldwide. They are keen to support the improvement of education in fields such as fashion and art. Accordingly, Gucci founded the Gucci Education Fund for the Arts at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Further, Kering collaborates with the film school at Luc Besson’s Cité du Cinéma in Paris, France, which provides free education to students who have not followed a conventional academic path. Also, Gucci is collaborating with the Biennale College – Cinema (novelty of the Venice Biennale) which provides its students the opportunity to gain knowledge first hand by working closely with professionals on creating micro-budget films.

Notable activities

Promoting Human- and Civil Rights

As mentioned above, Kering has long been focused to promoting diversity and was among the first companies to sign up to the French Corporate Diversity Charter in 2004. The same year, the Group founded its Mission Disability. The Group is involved with diversity in its broadest sense and is placing great emphasis on gender balance at all positions. Kering also signed up to the Women’s Empowerment Principles Charter, initiated by the United Nations Women and the United Nations Global Compact. The same year, the Leadership and Gender Diversity Programme was created in order to encourage a culture of equality within the Group.

Supporting Films Industry

In accordance with their goal of encouraging talents, in 2009, PPR supported Home, a movie by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and co-produced by Luc Besson. To honor the movie’s official launch, free screenings were held in over 100 countries. As a result, Home was seen by over 400 million people worldwide. Also, in 2014 Kering became the official partner of the Cannes International Film Festival, and through this partnership, Kering strengthened its link with the cinema and continued to promote the role of women in the film industry.

External Links

Kering Official Website