UN Goodwill Ambassador and Harry Potter star Emma Watson has joined the board of directors at Kering, owner of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.
At 30-years-old, Watson is the youngest board member of the luxury goods company’s board.
A long-time environmental activist, Watson will be leading Kering’s sustainability committee. “For me, sustainability is about the effects of today’s actions on our shared future,” she told Vogue. “As the youngest member of Kering’s board, I hope to influence decisions that will impact future generations and the world that we leave them.”
Watson has shown her support for sustainable fashion on the red carpet in the past. At the 2016 Met Gala, she wore a Calvin Klein dress made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. She’s also a supporter for Good On You, an app that rates brands for their ethical and sustainable practices.
“As the COVID-19 crisis has shown, sustainability is an urgent issue which closely aligns to questions of justice and equality for women, black, indigenous and people of colour, and the environment,” said Watson. “The work Kering is doing [in advancing sustainability in fashion] feels more vital than ever and I am extremely grateful to be able to join these efforts, putting my support behind a group who are demonstrating they take this responsibility seriously.”
The news comes following Kering’s announcement that the company would be going carbon neutral across its operations and supply chain. Watson is joined by Jean Liu and Tidjane Thiam as new board members.
Read the 5 ethical, sustainable fashion brands we love.
See our favourite Emma Watson red carpet looks below:
