La Prairie x IUCN: Save Our Sturgeon Initiative
More than 30 years ago, La Prairie adopted caviar as one of its key sources of rich nutrients with a power to regenerate skin. Sustainably sourcing our critical raw materials is our utmost priority, which is why we use 100% Swiss-farmed caviar in our skincare products and have collaborated with the World Sturgeon Conservation Society (WSCS) and in consultation with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) to develop a sustainable sourcing methodology.
Additionally, we believe that to preserve beauty, we must protect biodiversity. Starting in 2021, La Prairie Group AG and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have partnered to enhance regional conservation initiatives to protect wild sturgeons in their natural, freshwater habitats.
Through our work with IUCN, we are supporting three organisations active in the region to perform work protecting these species:
- The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna have initiated “Sturgex” which seeks to preserve the genetic diversity of three Danube sturgeon species in a centralized, living gene bank and in the wild, by rescuing animals with invaluable genotypes. Significant milestones include genetic analysis, the procurement of genetically valuable specimens, and plans for releasing juveniles into the Danube River. This initiative marks a crucial step towards ensuring the long-term viability of sturgeon populations across the region.
- Fauna & Flora International are combining local scientific expertise and community knowledge to secure the future of Sturgeon in the Rioni River, seeking to address conservation for migrating sturgeons and improvement of habitat conditions. Capacity-building initiatives for environmental officials and fishers and research on critical sturgeon spawning habitats have provided valuable insights into the ecological dynamics of the Rioni River and lay the foundation for informed conservation strategies.
- WWF Romania are tackling illegal practices and supporting fishing communities to develop alternative sources of income. The objective is to reduce the decline of sturgeon populations by engaging fishing communities in conservation stewardship, incubating sustainable business ideas and thus discourage illegal sturgeon trading. Provision of essential resources to local associations, the development of educational materials, and the delivery of training sessions to fishermen have lay the groundwork for sustainable fisheries management and biodiversity preservation in the region.
At La Prairie we believe in making tomorrow beautiful, today. The projects supported in this collaboration are not only having a positive impact on the environment today; they are supporting local communities to develop sustainable environmental practices so that this can continue long into the future.
