The report covers the work of H&M Foundation from January 1 to December 31, 2018. It describes how we have invested in people, communities and innovative ideas while also pushing our focus areas to the global agenda.
A few highlights
- USD 22 million (SEK 200 million) was donated to the H&M Foundation by the Stefan Persson family in 2018.
- 2.3 million people in 46 countries were reached by H&M Foundation initiatives in 2018, supporting worldwide access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, bringing quality education and care to children globally and empowering marginalized people in the pursuit of equal societies.
- 6.640 innovators from 182 countries entered Global Change Award, the H&M Foundation’s annual innovation challenge, to help reinvent the fashion industry and protect the planet.
- As a result of our partnership with The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel, a revolutionary textile recycling facility opened in Hong Kong.
- In addition to catalyzing positive change within our focus areas, the H&M Foundation made emergency relief donations of $500.000 (SEK 4.3 million) to the Philippines, Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, and Indonesia.
- The H&M Foundation supported UNHCR in arranging TEDx Talk in a refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya — the first ever of its kind.
- At the 2018 UN High Level Political Forum in New York, WaterAid, Water.org, and the H&M Foundation presented the exhibition The Water Effect, on how access to water transforms lives.
- With the campaign “Babytalk for dads”, the H&M Foundation and UNICEF encouraged fathers to engage in communication that is vital for the development of their babies’ brains.
Through partnerships with organisations around the globe, the H&M Foundation aims to act as a catalyst for change and accelerate the progress needed to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. We focus our work on four areas; Education, Water, Equality and Planet. In addition to this, we can also provide emergency relief.
“The five years since we set sail in 2013 has been an incredible learning experience, helping us to realize where we can do the greatest good. We have seen the advantage of being a small team with only one donor, making us swift and flexible. Springing from the entrepreneurial sphere is also a great advantage for taking an innovative approach. Our heritage allows us to be bold when needed, realizing that well-calculated risks are sometimes necessary for breaking new ground.”
Diana Amini, Global Manager, H&M Foundation
