We have shared with you before some of the work done by the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation. The organization “uses the positive power of sport to tackle society’s most pressing challenges around the globe, supporting projects on every continent”. So far they have raised over 55 million Euros and supported over 100 projects in 34 countries. As a global partner we are always excited to bring news of their continued efforts to support children in need in every part of the world.
A photo of the Virreyes Hockey project sponsored by Laureus Argentina
An annual event that does just that is the Laureus Polo Cup, being held on June 23 at the Guards Polo Club in Great Windsor Park. Located south west of London the park is home to 5000 beautiful acres that were once the hunting grounds of Windsor Castle.
The competing teams from Laureus Polo Cup 2011
For this year’s event all proceeds will benefit the Fundación Laureus Argentina and the athletic projects they support. Headquartered in Buenos Aires, Laureus in Argentina was founded by famous rugby player Hugo Porta. Porta captained the Argentina team in the first ever World Cup in 1987 and was sworn into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1997. He also served as Argentine Ambassador to South Africa and as the country’s Minister for Sport. An accomplished man indeed, even before starting Argentina’s Laureus Foundation in 2003.
Two members of the 2011 winning IWC Schaffhausen team
Polo has a long and rich tradition in Argentina, with the Asociacion Argentina de Polo (AAP) being founded in 1922. And while the sport is part of the Foundation’s sponsorship, the six projects funded in Argentina involve multiple sports in provinces throughout the country.
Exciting action seen during last year’s event
IWC is proud to host a team in the Laureus Polo Cup (even earning the trophy in 2011’s match), and look forward to another rousing event this year. You can go here for further details on attending and supporting and cheering on your favorite team.
So far we’ve brought you stories from around the world – Itajai, New York, Geneva, Sanya – but what is probably the most spectacular yet is what occurred this past week in Cannes. This year is the 65th year of the famed film festival, and the second year that IWC sponsored the Annual Filmmakers Dinner. In case you weren’t at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on Monday night, here’s a blog recap of the event:
Upon entering the party, the UK’s Daily Mail, and the US The Hollywood Reporter saw Cannes Festival Juror Ewan McGregor, who escorted his mother Carol to the event, and identified other IWC Friends of the Brand, including actors Eric Dane, director and co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival Robert De Niro, and models Karolina Kurkova (who recently attended the opening of IWC’s NYC flagship) and Petra Nemcova, and director Brett Ratner. Meanwhile, Celebrity Gossip turned around and captured actors Ray Liotta, Gemma Arterton, Gerard Butler and Adrian Brody, among many more.
Karolina Kurkova showcasing her IWC watch
Eric Dane wondering which is his favorite IWC timepiece
Actor Ewan McGregor and his mother Carol
When asked about IWC’s participation in this cinematic focused occasion, CEO Georges Kern responded: “For years now we have had a passion for film and film-making. We are happy to celebrate it here in Cannes with other like-minded individuals and friends of the IWC brand.” In fact, IWC timepieces are regularly featured in both film and television, giving the brand a natural link to the industry.
Some of the IWC timepieces on display at dinner
This year’s filmmaker honoree was Terry Gilliam, who received from Filmmaker Dinner founder and co-host Charles Finch an engraved IWC Portuguese Automatic watch. The New York Times went on to quote Finch on his relationship with Gilliam: “Terry and I have known each other for 25 years… He has a sense of vision and a kindness and a brilliance independence of spirit.”
While the dinner was an intimate affair, a few additional guests were invited afterwards to enjoy an exclusive concert by musical guest Aloe Blacc. Keeping the event small was important to Kern: We don’t want to compete with the festival… it’s just amongst friends.”
Musical guest Aloe Blacc performing for party guests
Good friends, indeed - and even better hosts of what looks like a suitably sophisticated and stellar soiree to celebrate Cannes and the filmmakers that make it possible.
At IWC Schaffhausen we take pride in the technical innovation we bring to our products, and we like to share those advancements with you. Whether it is a new material, a technique for increased precision, or first to market functionality, we always strive to develop the very best.
The Portuguese Sidérale, IWC’s most complicated mechanical watch ever produced
It is in this vein that we also search for ways to apply advanced technologies in other areas of our business. Starting in 2009 IWC has partnered with The Climate Group, a leading advocacy organization for the reduction of carbon emissions at both the corporate and governmental level. Our association came about because The Climate Group looks to identify leaders in the field of emission reduction, and it had been two years prior (in 2007) that the IWC Schaffhausen facility became carbon neutral.
IWC’s expanded production facilities
Since 2007 all of the company’s electricity has been covered by hydroelectric power, and CO2 emissions were reduced by over 90% between 2003 and 2009 (to 13 tons). No small feat for a site that grew by 8000 square meters during this time.
Founded in 2004, the Climate Group works with companies and governments that are low carbon leaders, and shows them new platforms for reduction and efficiencies of their output. The organization believes that by partnering with leaders in this area is the way forward. “The world is at a tipping point, emissions must decrease by two-thirds by 2050 whilst protecting and encouraging economic growth.”
The Climate Group’s “The Clean Revolution” program
Up next for The Climate Group is their program The Clean Revolution, a movement intended as “a swift and massive scaling-up of clean energy technologies and infrastructure” and “a change in design and behaviour to improve efficiency and use of our natural resources”. The Clean Revolution will launch in June at the Rio+20 Earth Summit.
Just as we always search for new ways to advance our handcrafted timepieces, we continue to look for tools to reduce our footprint on the environment and we support The Climate Group in advocating that others do the same.