Elite Traveler Summer 2024

elite traveler SUMMER 2024 83

contributes to a more equitable global landscape. “The idea of business as a force for good and of empowering everyone to create social and environmental change is key,” said Sin. Similarly, the Rolex Awards for Enterprise are also focused on creating a better future via individual entrepreneurs. Established in 1976, the initiative supports pioneers in various fi elds from science and exploration to conservation and cultural preservation. The winners are selected by a jury of renowned experts (the jury changes each time) and are judged on the originality and impact of their projects, as well as on their ‘spirit of enterprise.’ The biannual program awards fi ve laureates for their work on ongoing or new projects that focus on cultural heritage, science and health, among other topics. Rolex Awards for Enterprise, which falls under the foundation’s larger Perpetual Planet program, recently announced its fi ve laureates for 2023. Among the causes these individuals represent are e ff orts to protect the ecosystem in the Andes; implementing solar-powered condensation technology for clean water to communities in Kenya; reducing poverty and protecting the fauna in Côte d’Ivoire; and expanding farm-to-closet clothing supply chains in Indonesia for sustainability. For instance, Chinese aerospace scientist Liu Shaochuang was named a laureate for his work studying the habitats of wild camels in the Gobi Desert to try and save the world’s last wild herds. According to the Rolex Awards for Enterprise initiative, many of the results of its awards, as they pertain to the environment, are traceable — with successes such as the development of 49 inventive technologies, the protection of 52 endangered species and 32 ecosystems, the planting of 28 million trees, and much more. While the end results of these watch brand investments in individuals generally relate to improving life and the Earth, the key is that they start with a person. The initial outreach to fund entrepreneurs who address pressing global challenges on a smaller grassroots scale has immense ripple e ff ects that can bring lasting, positive impact on communities around the world. Maybe the new direction from watch brands is not just to measure moments, but to inspire new movements in society. cartierwomensinitiative.com; rolex.org

Original strategies like the Cartier Women’s Initiative and Rolex Awards for Enterprise are designed to support and nurture entrepreneurial ventures