We know the products that luxury-goods makers create, but we’re less aware of the good works they do, both to promote their brands and to support causes that reflect their values. These seven luxury icons draw upon their heritage and culture to do the right thing—from fighting violence against women to educating farmers about markets to giving cancer patients a day on the ocean—for the planet and its people.
OFFICINE PANERAI
The Italian watchmaker pays homage to its maritime tradition by using the ocean to heal.
WHO: Panerai gained much of its reputation for precise, enduring timepieces in the early 1900s, when it became the official supplier for the Royal Italian Navy. The brand maintains a deep connection to the ocean by, among other things, hosting classic yacht regattas.
WHAT: Panerai is the founding sponsor of Sailing Heals, a New England-based nonprofit that provides day sails to cancer patients and their caregivers. The program has been so well received that Panerai is expanding it to include people with illnesses other than cancer.
WHY: For both the patients and the care¬givers, a day on the water is a therapeutic respite that can alleviate emotional stress. “Caregivers are unsung heroes,” says Trisha Gallagher Boisvert, Sailing Heals’ executive director. “Sometimes the patients have made their peace with the illness and the caregivers are the ones who need the sail the most.”
HOW: Founded in 2011, Sailing Heals organizes excursions in the waters off seven states for patients and their care¬givers in partnership with local hospitals and cancer treatment centers. It has hosted more than 1,200 people on these sails. During their time on the water, VIPs—the term Sailing Heals uses for all its guests—can relax and do nothing or help sail the boat.
Main Image: Cory Silken/Panerai