PARIS—Lacoste, the brand known for its iconic crocodile image, reports its participation in the “Save Your Logo” campaign, which allows private companies or institutions to contribute in the preservation of biodiversity on the planet by committing to the protection of the animal that represents their logo.

 
An ad for Lacoste’s
“Save Your Logo” campaign.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF), the World Bank and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are behind this initiative launched in October 2008.

For over 75 years, a crocodile has been the Lacoste logo. Now the brand will actively support projects selected by the GEF to safeguard or protect the endangered crocodile, alligator, caiman or gavial species, whose loss would jeopardize the biological balance of their natural habitats.

These action plans will help to conserve biodiversity and fight against the disappearance of these species, some of which are now reduced to just a few individuals: Alligators in China, Gavials or Crocodiles of the Orinoco River in the Amazon.

Nicknamed “The Crocodile” because of his tenacity on the courts, René Lacoste, the famous tennis champion, had the idea in the late 1920s, to embroider a crocodile on the shirts he designed, thus creating the first polo shirt and the first logo to be visibly displayed on a garment.

More information on the “Save Your Logo” campaign is at www.saveyourlogo.org . Lacoste eyewear and sunwear is marketed in the U.S. by Charmant. ■