Three global focus areas chosen for the H&M Conscious Foundation
For the past week H&M’s customers and employees have been given the chance to decide which three development issues the H&M Conscious Foundation should support over the coming years. The result of the voting process is now ready.
“A lot of people in several countries have taken the chance to vote and we are very happy about that. This shows that there is a great commitment among our employees and customers. The three issues which received the most votes are Clean water, Education and Strengthening women”, says Karl-Johan Persson, CEO at H&M and board member of the H&M Conscious Foundation.
The H&M Conscious Foundation wants to thank everyone who visited the site and placed their vote to make a difference!
Most visits were from Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands.
Now, the H&M Conscious Foundation will partner with three world-renowned organisations to globally address these three issues and promote many important initiatives in countries where H&M operates. These partnerships are expected to be in place at the beginning of next year. Additionally, the H&M Conscious Foundation will initiate local programs with other organizations related to the three selected issues in countries where H&M operates.
Follow the H&M Conscious Foundation’s future work and read more: hm.com/consciousfoundation.
Background
Voting: Everyone was able to vote at makeadifference.hm.com between 22-29 October.
Five topics: H&M employees and customers could vote for one of these five topics: Clean water, strengthening women, safeguarding natural resources, education and reduction of poverty through self-empowerment.
The experts that were consulted about which global challenges they find most immediate are: Archbishop Desmond Tutu – Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, Nobel Peace Laureate and Honorary Elder, Prof Jeffrey D. Sachs – Director, Earth Institute, Columbia University and Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General on the Millennium Development Goals, Ela Bhatt – Founder of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), Founder Chair of the Cooperative Bank of SEWA and member of The Elders, Sir Richard Branson – Founder and Chairman of the Virgin Group, Prof Johan Rockström – Professor in Environmental Science at Stockholm University and Director of Stockholm Resilience Centre, Alek Wek – Supermodel and member of the US Committee for Refugees’ Advisory Council, José María Figueres Olsen – Minister of State and elected President of Costa Rica (1994-1998) and President of Carbon War Room.
Funding: Thanks to the Stefan Persson family’s substantial donation of SEK 500 million in 2013, it is possible for the H&M Conscious Foundation to make real impact for people and communities.