A natural canvas for the Burberry Check.
@Burberry Unveils Landscapes – El Hierro, Canary Islands – Elsie Burberry
Over 160 years ago, founder Thomas Burberry reimagined the possibilities of the great outdoors, equipping explorers to adventure through open spaces and embedding an affinity for the horizon in Burberry’s DNA.
Continuing our connection to the natural world, Burberry Landscapes is a series of larger-than-life earth works crafted in collaboration with Burberry’s creative community. Complementing global landscapes in original ways through natural materials, whilst demonstrating a continued commitment to pursuing sustainable practices.
For the latest iteration, the series evokes stories of Burberry’s past to inform the present. The tales of adventurer Elsie Burberry – founder Thomas Burberry’s daughter-in-law – and pioneering aviator Betty Kirby-Green who embarked on journeys from Britain to the Canary Islands and South Africa respectively.
Both of these countries were revisited to create artwork inspired by the iconic Burberry Check.
@Burberry Landscapes
El Hierro, Canary Islands – Elsie Burberry
Inspired by adventurer Elsie Burberry’s voyages to the Canary Islands, the island of El Hierro’s volcanic ground acted as a natural canvas for the Burberry Check. Created using natural milk-based paint, Cuban- American contemporary artist Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada brought the Burberry Check colours to life.
‘One of the things I enjoy about using this paint process is that it’s created from minerals. So, as you’re mixing your colours, it’s like alchemy. You don’t really know what amount works in one moment or another moment, because each type is going to come with a certain density and coverage and another comes with a different one. All of it unfolds before you, so you can enjoy mixing in the moment.’ – Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada
This vast natural illustration was carefully washed away with manual turning, wind and local water sources to leave no lasting mark on the landscape. The full process was approved and monitored by El Hierro’s official Environmental Department.
@Burberry Landscapes – Western Cape, South Africa – Betty Kirby-Green
Western Cape, South Africa – Betty Kirby-Green
The Burberry Check meadow lay in South Africa’s Overberg region, Western Cape and near to where record- breaking co-pilots Betty Kirby-Green and Flying Officer Arthur Clouston landed The Burberry plane into Cape Town. The vibrant display was hand-planted by expert local green teams to match the iconic colours of the Burberry Check. The meadow was nurtured and grown using water sourced from a rainfall catchment dam.
To ensure the pasture meadow was returned to its original state, the plants were turned over to break down naturally and compost back into the earth.
Together, these landscapes embody Burberry’s belief that creativity opens spaces. A body of work that celebrates Burberry’s heritage and encourages people to step outside and rethink the possibility of the world around them.
BURBERRY ACHIEVES AN ‘A’ SCORE FOR TRANSPARENCY ON CLIMATE CHANGE FROM CDP
In December, Burberry has been recognised on environmental non-profit CDP’s annual ‘A List’ for leadership in transparency and performance to tackle climate change. Burberry is one of a small group of organisations to achieve an ‘A’ rating, with nearly 15,000 companies assessed.
CDP’s annual environmental disclosure and scoring process is widely recognised as the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency. A detailed and independent methodology is used by CDP to assess these companies, taking into account publicly-disclosed information, how organisations are tackling environmental risks and demonstration of best practice, such as setting and reporting against meaningful targets.
“We are delighted to be recognised on the CDP A List once more, particularly moving up from our previous A- rating to an A, which demonstrates our continued commitment to transparency as we work to achieve our ambitious goals. However, we know there is more we all need to do to tackle climate change while protecting nature. Setting stretching targets and calling for greater transparency on progress are key to taking urgent, meaningful action and we will continue to push for greater change across our industry and beyond.” – Caroline Laurie, VP of Corporate Responsibility, Burberry.
Dexter Galvin, Global Director of Corporations and Supply Chains at CDP, said: “Congratulations to all the companies on this year’s A List; environmental transparency is the first vital step towards a net-zero and nature-positive future. In a year of ever-increasing environmental concerns around the world – from extreme weather to unprecedented losses to nature – the need for transformational, urgent and collaborative change is more critical than ever. We must decarbonize half of global GHG emissions and eliminate deforestation by 2030, alongside achieving water security on the same timescale – there is no route to 1.5°C without nature. As CDP continues to raise the bar on what qualifies as climate, forests and water leadership, we hope to see the ambitions and actions of companies on the A List – and those wanting a place on it – do the same.”
Burberry has a longstanding commitment to responsible business, with ambitious targets across its four strategic priorities: Product, Planet, People and Communities. Most recently, Burberry was one of the first companies globally to receive approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its net-zero emissions target.
