Aligning Luxury with Sustainability: Exploring how Leading Luxury Brands Engage with the Sustainable Development Goals

This study explores how leading luxury brands engage with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how these commitments are reflected in their marketing strategies. By integrating Sustainable Marketing Action Framework with the SDGs, the research provides a structured lens for understanding sustainable marketing in the luxury sector. A descriptive content analysis of luxury brand websites was conducted to assess both explicit and implicit engagement with the SDGs. Findings reveal that luxury brands most frequently align with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). In contrast, SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) are less frequently addressed. Using the Sustainable Marketing Action Framework, the study shows that brands primarily focus on redesigning products and services and repurposing elements of the marketing mix, rather than on systemic drivers such as reorganizing the marketing function or promoting responsible consumption. This is the first study to examine the relationship between luxury, sustainable marketing actions, and the SDGs, demonstrating how luxury brands are selectively engaging with the SDGs to fulfill market-facing core competencies.