Press Release
KŌRARU HAS BEEN AWARDED THE BUTTERFLY MARK CERTIFICATION AND JOINS A COMMUNITY OF OVER 170 LUXURY SUSTAINABLE BRANDS, EMBEDDING MEASURABLE, SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICE ACROSS ITS BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
The Butterfly Mark is only ever awarded to the luxury brands meeting higher and higher standards for people and nature. To earn it, Positive Luxury’s clients undergo a comprehensive assessment which is built on the foundation of international agreements, global frameworks and standards, and potential upcoming legislation. And every two years, brands have to do it all again.
In order to achieve the Butterfly Mark, companies must achieve a minimum of 50% in each area of assessment: Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG). KŌRARU achieved 73% in Environment, 59% in Social and 61% in Governance, excelling in the following areas:
ENVIRONMENT
Climate & Environmental Management
During the assessment journey, KŌRARU developed a formal Environmental Management System (EMS) that serves as a guiding framework for their environmental management efforts. Through the direction of the EMS, KŌRARU strives to promote environmental responsibility, comply with legal and regulatory requirements, continuously report and communicate performance as well as foster staff and stakeholder engagement. Along with a general Environmental Policy within the EMS, KŌRARU has also included clearly defined objectives and targets on reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions with a target to achieve a 25% reduction in overall waste directed to landfill by the end of 2024 and a 15% reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2024.
SOCIAL
Social Responsibility Culture
An organisation that embeds social responsibility culture into its business model recognises that actions can have significant impacts on the environment and people. To identify, measure and manage the most material social issues relevant to KŌRARU and its key stakeholders, the brand conducted a formal materiality assessment that identified material topics, their effects and corrective actions. Furthermore, KŌRARU recognises the importance of driving sustainability purpose internally by enabling employees to drive impactful change within the organisation through decision making and education, such as Diversity, Equality and Inclusion training.
GOVERNANCE
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Throughout the certification, KŌRARU was able to conduct an alignment analysis on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and identify SDGs most relevant to their business operations. To identify the specific SDGs, Koraru analysed their level of importance to the business, the current practices in place to support these SDGs, the potential risks of not achieving these SDGs and formal targets to reach the Global Goals by 2030. Through these steps, Koraru aims to contribute to five different SDGs. For example, for SDG 14; Conserve and Sustainably Use Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources, KŌRARU sources fabrics made from nylon waste such as fishing nets, and donates part of its sales to coral conservation through the Coral Alliance.
“We are delighted to announce KŌRARU, a graduate of Positive Luxury’s Butterfly Accelerator Programme, has been awarded the Butterfly Mark for meeting higher and higher standards for people and nature. KŌRARU is a swim and resort brand focused on crafting slow fashion for a circular world. From developing an environmental management system with clear waste and greenhouse gas emissions targets, embedding a social responsibility culture following its first materiality assessment and driving sustainability purpose aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, KŌRARU is leading the way to a better future through positive actionable change. Positive Luxury is honoured to be working with this inspirational team and to recognise KŌRARU as Real Changemakers.” – Amy Nelson-Bennett, CEO of Positive Luxury
ABOUT KORARU
Japanese born, globally based KŌRARU is the luxury swim label championing a circular economy whilst striving for best practice in the fashion industry. Whether that be through sourcing only regenerative or deadstock materials, ethical manufacturing, investing into climate initiatives (such as an on-going partnership with The Coral Alliance) or offering solutions in pre/post consumer recycling.
Founder Oana Romaneiro saw it imperative to use her business as a vehicle to innovate the fashion industry via a circular business model. However, as a digitally nomadic brand with global satellite offices, minimising (and measuring) carbon has also been bedrock of the company, in line with the brand's sustainability ethos and goals. That goal has now been actualised with the support of the Climate Neutral certification, which acts as a pillar of the brand’s commitment to sustainability, and represents transparency and progress towards the brand’s journey to net zero. Learn more on KŌRARU's practices at koraru.co / press@koraru.co.
ABOUT POSITIVE LUXURY
Positive Luxury are the leading sustainability experts for the global luxury industry. By helping businesses meet higher and higher standards for people and nature, they are transforming luxury – for the good of all. Positive Luxury was born to action real change, for a world that desperately needs it. Inspired by the large blue Butterfly, which now thrives following extinction in the UK and subsequent reintroduction. This story of success took expert understanding of a unique ecosystem and its driving factors. Positive Luxury believes each luxury ecosystem is entirely unique, so its Butterfly Methodology is a programme of tools and services that configures to each company’s bespoke challenges and needs. Today they power a collective of over 200 luxury businesses across the globe they call the Real Changemakers, continually raising the bar.
ESG+ ASSESSMENT
Positive Luxury’s proprietary ESG+ (Environmental, Social, Governance, and Innovation) assessment framework and diagnostic tool is the only one designed for the specific social, environmental, and material risks of the luxury industry helping organisations determine their ESG risk profile, through gap analysis and material ESG issue forecasting. It is built on the foundation of international agreements, global frameworks and standards, and upcoming legislation.
THE BUTTERFLY MARK
The Butterfly Mark is an independent trust mark awarded to luxury brands, retailers, and suppliers that evidence tangible action to making a positive impact to people and nature. It is only ever awarded to brands who are meeting higher and higher standards. These brands are called the Real Changemakers, brands taking serious, sustained, positive action.
Other luxury brands across different verticals that have been awarded the Butterfly Mark include Monica Vinader, Tom Ford Beauty, Dior Couture, MCM, Belvedere, The Macallan, Anya Hindmarch and more.
Learn more about KŌRARU's certification here and view the full breakdown of their sustainability performance via the Connected Butterfly Mark tool here.
