Times
are
changing

Since 2013, the H&M Foundation has worked as a catalyst for positive change focusing on equality, planet, water and education across the world. We have collaborated with skilled partners and learnt a lot along the way

Our journey has been full of learnings and it has taken us to a new crossroad. In the coming months we will present our new suit with an updated strategy and focus. In the meantime, we have gathered some highlights from our work which serves as the base for our new direction.

Scroll down and enjoy the ride.

To the content

2020

2019
Picture illustrating our Planet First program
December 8, 2020

USD 100 million invested in partnership to reach a planet positive fashion industry

Cotton is certified, recycling is on the rise, value chain processes are improved – but it’s not enough. We need to look at the whole system and see how it can be changed from the ground up. With an ambition to find a truly sustainable solution for the fashion industry, non-profit H&M Foundation and The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) extend their collaboration for five more years in a new initiative called the Planet First program. Ground-breaking technologies are already being tested.

“Nobody takes innovation seriously until you scale.”

— Edwin Keh, CEO of HKRITA

+91%

Women's daily enterprise earnings increased by 91% and 33% more women took up leadership positions, thanks to our Global Program with CARE. Almost 270,000 women have been supported since 2014.

April 1, 2020

600,000 people reached through successful programs for Education, Water and Equality

For the past three years, H&M Foundation and our partners UNICEF, WaterAid and CARE have reached and exceeded our goals within our global programs. Thousands of women have received support in order to start their own enterprises and have been able to lift their families out of poverty, vulnerable children have gained access to the care and stimulation they need to grow and develop, and communities, schools and health centers now have clean water and functioning toilets.
Unfounded Ltd a startup to close the financial gap
January 23, 2020

Unfounded Ltd – a startup to help close the financial gender gap

The world’s top 100 investors received an investment opportunity from Unfounded Ltd with the potential to unlock USD 330 billion in annual global revenue. The twist? The company might not be real, but the all the data and figures are – and so is the potential of women in business. Women make up half the world’s population, yet female-founded start-ups only get about 3% of global venture dollar volume. By not giving women entrepreneurs equal access to finance, investors keep missing out on what could become the new Apple Inc. or Amazon.com – every year.

1500000000 SEK

Since 2013, the Persson family has donated 1.5 billion Swedish krona ($200 million/€163 million) to the H&M Foundation.

2020

2019

2018

1.7 million

During 2019, 1.7 million people were directly reached by our initiatives within our focus areas Education, Water and Equality.

“Our partnership has radically increased the possibilities of thousands of Cambodian girls to stay in school and create a strong foundation for themselves as well as for future generations."

— Mariann Eriksson, PLAN International
2019

2018

2017
01:24
June 8, 2018

First ever TEDx Event in a Refugee Camp

The world’s first TEDx event in a refugee camp will take place at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in the Kenyan northern county of Turkana on June 9. The TEDx event is part of an ongoing 30 million SEK collaboration between UNHCR and H&M Foundation, supporting half a million refugee children with the school supplies they need to attend school in Chad, Ethiopia, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sudan, South-Sudan, Syria, Uganda and Yemen.

"We hope this event will strengthen our belief that empowered refugees can thrive, not just survive."

— Melissa Fleming, UNHCR about Tedx KakumaCamp
A father and his child
October 11, 2018

Brain boosting baby talk for dads

During the first years of a baby’s life, their brain forms new connections at the amazing rate of 1,000 per second. Research shows that when we speak slower, more melodically and make exaggerated sounds it makes it easier for babies to learn new words and develop cognitive abilities. However, research has also shown that many fathers don’t interact with their babies in the same way as mothers do. In a global campaign with UNICEF, we urged fathers to speak baby talk to boost their babies brains. The initiative encouraged dads to interact more with their babies at an early age.

+ 150000 people

"The Global Program for Water will in itself reach over 150,000 people directly, but even more important is its impact. It contributes to sustainable services and systems that will be able to reach millions more people over time," Cecilia Martinsen-Chatterjee, Chief Executive of WaterAid Sweden.

Refugee in Europe
April 16, 2018

Mobile phone app provides safety to migrant children

In 2015 alone, more than 10,000 unaccompanied children went missing on the move through Europe and thousands more have continued to go missing since. Records shows that up to 50% of unaccompanied children go missing within the first 48 hours of being placed in European centres. With financial support from the H&M Foundation, Missing Children Europe is using smart technology to help young newcomers find their way to safety.
2018

2017

2016
Spinning thread
September 11, 2017

Technological breakthrough: New method for recycling blend textiles into new fibres

The four-year innovative partnership between the non-profit H&M Foundation and The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) finds groundbreaking solutions to recycle blend textiles into new fabrics and yarns – without any quality loss – through a hydrothermal process using heat and pressure. The technology will be scaled up and made available to the global fashion industry. The finding is a major breakthrough in the journey towards a closed loop for textiles.

"This is a breakthrough for the whole fashion industry. These very encouraging findings on the separation and recycling of textile blends has the potential to change the game."

— Karl-Johan Persson, board member of H&M Foundation and chairman H&M Group
00:35
June 8, 2017

We proudly reveal ”Foundation 500” – an all-female list of 500 business leaders

500 outstanding business leaders growing their companies in the harshest of startup environments. No, we’re not talking about Silicon Valley. With Foundation 500 – a list of successful female business leaders from emerging markets – the non-profit H&M Foundation and humanitarian agency CARE wanted to challenge stereotypes and re-define what a business leader looks like. Why? It can help reduce poverty and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals on Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality.

“The H&M Foundation were bold, they agreed to take a risk and they weren’t looking to invest in a ready-made recipe.”

— Pia Rebello Britto, Representative UNICEF
2017

2016

2015
Winners of Global Change Award 2016
February 11, 2016

Presenting the winners of the Global Change Award 2016

On 10 February, HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden awarded the winners of the first Global Change Award, an annual innovation challenge for circular fashion initiated by the non-profit H&M Foundation. Most votes, and a grant of €300,000, were awarded to the Finnish team behind Making waste-cotton new; conversion of waste-cotton into new textile. To further accelerate the transformation towards a circular fashion industry, the Foundation now launches the Global Change Award Network, an open-source database for innovations.

“We aim to advance the strategic business growth of the five Global Change Award winners by guiding and coaching them through the Innovation Accelerator to develop their ideas further.”

— Jennie Perzon, Strategy Program Lead at Accenture
2016

2015

2014

“We commend the H&M Foundation for their commitment to assisting the marginalised and for working towards an equal society.”

— Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
2015

2014

2013

"I am confident that with H&M Foundation's commitment and global reach these efforts will promote many important initiatives. We can indeed be the generation that ends poverty and protects the earth's ecosystems and biodiversity.”

— Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, twice named as one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential World Leaders
2014

2013

"We hope and believe that our donation will make a noticeable difference to many people and will help bring about lasting improvements.”

— Karl-Johan Persson, CEO H&M
Back to top ↑