Cartier joins The Lion’s Share Fund in helping to prevent biodiversity loss.

French luxury conglomerate Cartier has officially joined The Lion’s Share Fund, an award-winning and groundbreaking initiative that unites brands, conservationists and consumers to tackle the crisis in nature, biodiversity, and climate.

The fund is led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and a coalition of businesses and UN partners. It aims to raise over US$100 million per year within the next five years to halt biodiversity loss and protect habitats by asking brands to contribute 0.5% of their media spend every time an animal is featured in their advertisements.

“Wildlife and biodiversity underpin the well-being, safety, and resilience of all societies. Yet, one million animal and plant species are at risk of extinction in the coming decades due to human activity,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator. “The COVID-19 crisis is a stark reminder that we ignore our disruption of nature at our peril. But the crisis showed the potential of humans to act collectively to address a shared global challenge. Leveraging the power of creativity and partnerships, The Lion’s Share idea as fascinating as the far-reaching impact it will have. The revenue generated and the new audiences reached by this ambitious and unique initiative will make a real and lasting effect on the future of our planet and the animals we share it with.”

“The beauty of the natural world has always been a source of inspiration and creativity for Cartier’s timeless pieces,” said Cyrille Vigneron, president and chief executive officer of Cartier International. “As citizens of the world, we believe it is our duty to protect its biodiversity and make an impact on wildlife conservation. This means enhancing Cartier’s support for innovative partnerships such as ‘The Lion’s Share Fund’ and joining forces to preserve the world’s natural heritage for future generations.”

Launched in September 2018, The Lion’s Share fund has helped eliminate elephant poaching in Mozambique, co-financed the purchase of land for endangered animals in North Sumatra, and issued two small grants to support wildlife conservation following the devastating bushfires in Australia.

In response to COVID-19 and following a call for proposals, The Lion’s Share will be supporting initiatives in communities dependent on wildlife-based tourism. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the wildlife tourism sector supported over 21.8 million jobs, many in rural communities in 2018.The Lion’s Share grants will be disbursed to non-profit organisations in developing countries seeking funds for initiatives that demonstrate innovative local-level action and build the resilience of communities whose livelihoods depend on wildlife tourism.

Though animals appear in approximately 20% of all advertisements in the world, they also do not always receive the actual support that they need and deserve. The Lion’s Share gives brands the opportunity to take urgent and significant action, and play their part in protecting our planet.

For more information on the Lion’s Share Fund, click here.

Photo: Cartier