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PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES

Enrich and transmit a living heritage, nurture our communities

Audemars Piguet owes what it is today to the collective work and energy of its people. We trace our roots to the local network of family artisans – known as the établissage – that flourished in the Vallée de Joux in the nineteenth century. As établisseurs, Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet coordinated the work of dozens of small workshops scattered across the region, each specialising in the production of one or more movement components. To bring completed watches to life, the two entrepreneurs conducted a wide range of operations including adjusting, adapting, setting, finishing, assembling and final testing. 

Although our company has evolved over the years from an établisseur to an integrated Manufacture, collective work remains our backbone. Our watches are born from the many talents, both internal and external, working together along the supply chain. “It takes a village to create the extraordinary” as we like to say. It is therefore our responsibility today to enrich and pass on this living heritage, building on expertise and human talent to ensure that we can continue to craft exceptional timepieces for generations to come. 

Preserving savoir-faire is essential to ensuring the continued excellence and innovation of the Swiss Haute Horlogerie industry, of which AP is a proud member. Apprenticeships play a vital role in transmitting skills and expertise from one generation to the next, nurturing the watchmakers, engineers and artisans who will shape our future. Our Innovation Labs, the brand's dedicated research and development centres, provide a platform for creativity and experimentation, blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology to push the boundaries of watchmaking. Mobility within the company and across disciplines further enriches our savoir-faire, allowing employees to broaden their skills, share knowledge and develop a holistic understanding of our craft. Together, these initiatives not only preserve but also elevate our heritage, ensuring it thrives in a rapidly changing world.

Our people-first approach to sustainability focuses on empowering our talents, partners and communities to drive positive change from within. We strive to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where our people can thrive, while giving them the necessary tools to unleash their creativity, develop their skills and find purpose and fulfilment. Recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds enriches our perspectives, strengthens our relationships with clients, partners and watch lovers worldwide, and drives innovation throughout the value chain.

Our initiatives focus on raising employee awareness about diversity and inclusion, and prioritising psychological safety and gender equity. We aim to create an environment where all employees feel safe to share ideas and grow from their mistakes, promoting teamwork, innovation and wellbeing. To support this, we provide training on psychological safety, unconscious bias, micro-aggressions, and inclusivity at all levels. We are also revising HR processes to address historical and social disadvantages, ensuring gender balance in management candidate pools, clear career plans for all and equitable succession planning.

In 2023, women represented 44.2% of our workforce and held 40% of management roles. By pursuing EQUAL-SALARY certification and endorsing the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, we reinforce our commitment to equity and empowerment across the company.

Finally, we contribute to the communities in which we operate – and beyond – by supporting global and local initiatives  that improve people’s quality of life. These initiatives are led and overseen by the Audemars Piguet Foundations, to which AP donates 2% of its annual turnover each year. The Foundations are dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability, social equity and education, working towards a world where every individual can reach their full potential within resilient and autonomous communities. Since 2019, our corporate volunteering programme, led by the Audemars Piguet Foundations, has enabled eligible employees around the world to actively engage with the organisations they support. This initiative reflects the Foundations' commitment to contributing to the missions of NGOs beyond financial donations, by providing access to invaluable human resources and skills.

Audemars Piguet Foundations

Our dedication to sustainability extends beyond our operations. Established in 1992, the Audemars Piguet Foundation for Trees formalised our commitment to environmental protection and community resilience worldwide. In 2023, the Audemars Piguet Foundation for Common Good has broadened our impact by focusing on educational and social equity initiatives. Unified under a single vision, the Foundations aim to foster a sustainable world in which every individual can reach their full potential and create a lasting positive impact on society and the planet. Fully funded by 2% of Audemars Piguet's revenue, the two Foundations are independent legal entities that report to the Supervisory Authorities for Foundations. Reflecting the Group's vision and identity – rooted in audacity, sustainability and humanism –, they help direct its environmental, social and governance (ESG) policy.

Back to Sustainabilty at Audemars Piguet

Always looking to the future, we will continue to ensure the long-term preservation of our shared skills, heritage, values and purpose, while nurturing our communities towards a sustainable future.