Accelerating change

We are a non-profit foundation, initiated to co-create, fund and share solutions for the world’s most urgent challenges.​ Sprung from our entrepreneurial heritage, it is in our core to disrupt traditional systems through unexpected collaborations. To help safeguard the welfare of humanity we’re ushering the fashion industry to become planet positive, and we accelerate development for inclusive societies.

b For a planet positive fashion future

In the next decade, the fashion industry must embark on a transformation so profound that nothing else compares to it.

E Inclusive societies for all

To create inclusive societies for all, established systems need to radically change.
Image from HKRITA lab

ä Accelerating innovation

We support acceleration and scaling of innovations to break new ground ...
Women working with fishing nets.

ö Redesigning Systems

We find new ways to tackle challenges and use impatient research to reach fast results ...
Woman in Africa reading her phone while carrying a basket on her head.

© Constructive Activism

We advocate about existing challenges with urgency and hope ...
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Now is the time. Every day we’re getting closer to 2030 and the deadline for the UN Sustainable Development Goals that were set up to safeguard humanity and the planet. And although there is progress in some areas, it’s not advancing at the speed or scale required. We are now in the Decade of Action, and the urgency tells us that it’s time to find new ways of accelerating the change.

‘ Latest

Learn more about our work through our latest news, stories and insights.
•Read in 3 mins

Putting spotlight on the friends you have but never knew

Waste pickers serve an important societal function by picking up, cleaning, sorting and segregating recyclable waste and selling it further up the value chain. But they lack social acceptance and dignity. Creating societal recognition of their work as having economic and environmental value is important. As part of our initiative Saamuhika Shakti, BBC Media Action have launched “Invaluables” – a communication initiative designed to shift perceptions about waste picking and informal waste pickers in Bengaluru, India.
Woman in textile factory in Asia
•Read in 3 mins

Commiting SEK 300 million to help solve global challenges

With less than nine years to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDG), it’s clear that the necessary changes are not happening at the speed or scale required. To accelerate progress, the H&M Foundation is broadening the commitment. Together with an ecosystem of over 30 partners we announce a new direction to tackle the world’s most urgent challenges. In a first step, we commit more than SEK 300 million to support initiatives and more is in the pipeline.
Maria Bystedt, Strategy Lead at H&M Foundation
•Read in 4 mins

Sometimes going forward means taking a step back

We aim to make lasting, positive changes in the world, and through the years we have improved the lives for millions of people across the world. However, even with the best intentions, things don’t always go as planned. By challenging ourselves and our partners to think innovatively to find improved solutions, we might triumph with one thing and nose-dive with another. It’s a learning process. “As so often, the biggest insights seem obvious once you reach them,” says Maria Bystedt at H&M Foundation.
Ethiopian refugee children in Sudan
•Read in 2 mins

USD 100,000 to support Ethiopian refugee children

Thousands of children have fled the full-scale humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, and taken refuge in Sudan. More than 45,000 people have fled so far. Conflict always affects children the most, therefore the H&M Foundation is providing emergency relief support to Save the Children. The funds will be used in efforts to reunite children with their families, provide shelter, clean water and education.
•Read in 2 mins

The most sustainable pair of jeans yet

Global Change Award winner Unspun just launched the Genesis jeans, breaking new ground on how to make our favourite garment more sustainable. Producing a single pair of jeans today requires an immense amount of water and energy, and produces a significant amount of pollution. Designed for circularity and disassembly in accordance with the Ellen MacArthur Jeans redesign program, the Genesis jeans solve for these challenges by combining disruptive innovations such as Resortecs and Eon – also previous Global Change Award winners.
Digital Accelerator Program for GCA 2020
•Read in 5 mins

Fast tracking innovation and maintaining sanity in lockdown

Our Innovation Accelerator Program for the Global Change Award winners is designed to accelerate the development of their innovations to reach the market quicker and therefore driving change in the fashion industry. This year, our Accelerator delivered knowhow from an impressive list of guest speakers, but it also played an important role in giving a sense of belonging and moral support to our winners because of the pandemic.
Latest

s Our work

To safeguard the welfare of humanity our mission is to usher the fashion industry to become planet positive and to accelerate the development for inclusive societies. In 2020, we changed our strategy to throw fewer pebbles but make bigger waves by working in complex ecosystems to create long-lasting change from the ground up. For real impact, we openly share our new ideas, insights and practices to inspire others to replicate and scale.

ä Accelerating innovation

We support acceleration and scaling of innovation to break new ground.

ö Redesigning systems

We find new ways to tackle challenges and use impatient research to reach fast results.

© Constructive activism

We advocate about existing challenges with urgency and hope.

u Emergency relief

We can quickly quickly provide emergency relief in case of a large natural disaster.

a About us

The H&M Foundation is a non-profit foundation, privately funded by the Stefan Persson family, founders and main owners of the H&M Group. We work to fast-track the achievements of the UN Sustainable Development goals by 2030, to safeguard humanity and our planet.

| Our manifesto

This is how we see the world and what we can contribute to.

p What we do

Working towards a planet positive fashion future and inclusive societies for all.

x How we do it

We are taking risks, supporting innovation and building real ecosystems to create lasting change.

˛ Why we do it

The time is now to accelerate the change needed to safeguard humanity and planet Earth.

´ Ecosystem of partners

Collaboration is key to solve complex challenges and finding long-term solutions.

k Timeline

Our learnings have taken us to where we are today, here are some of our highlights throughout the years.