Conscious Foundation

The Persson family donates SEK 500 million to the H&M Conscious Foundation. This significant contribution of funds will enable the foundation to make an even bigger difference for people and communities in the countries where H&M operates.

There will be a particular focus on initiatives that help achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals. The H&M Conscious Foundation has previously supported charities such as Hand in Hand, which works to combat poverty in India through microloans and training for female entrepreneurs. Organisations that will be supported by the foundation include WaterAid, which provides people in poor areas with access to clean water and hygiene.

Suggestions of specific focal areas are made by a group of experts on social issues, development issues and environmental issues, which works together with the foundation. The foundation also supports disaster relief efforts in countries where H&M operates.

Projects this far:

Hand in Hand

In 2010, the Conscious Foundation continued to support Hand in Hand, a charitable trust active in Tamil Nadu, India. Hand in Hand’s objective is to eradicate extreme poverty through education, employment, income generation and empowerment. To achieve this, the trust is implementing programmes including citizen centres, self-help groups and medical camps and facilitating access to credit. The projects reach out to almost 50,000 people in three areas, each consisting of 10 villages. In 2010 the Conscious Foundation donated SEK 1.9 million (USD 270,000).

CCRCSR

For the second consecutive year, the Conscious Foundation has contributed to Save the Children’s Centre for Children’s Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility (CCRCSR) in China. With a total contribution of SEK 2.2 million (USD 310,000) the donation assists the centre in its work to help businesses in and around China to address children’s rights issues.

Activities at the centre include research and analysis, capacity building, training and workshops and consultancy. Our support helps with the development and running of the centre’s English and Chinese website and hotline. The hotline aims to provide the best source of information on children’s rights for businesses in China.

Alongside this support from the H&M Conscious Foundation, H&M is a member of the CCRCSR Working Group. Together with a number of other brands, we participate in the development of an intervention service for use in the rare cases in which underage workers are found in the Chinese garment export sector. H&M also contributes to the production of training materials which teach migrant workers how to communicate better with their children back home.

FRANK Water Project

In 2010, the Conscious Foundation expanded its support to the FRANK Water Project. This small, UK-based charity provides access to clean water for the world’s poorest communities. Funding received from the Conscious Foundation will enable 10 clean water projects to be implemented in villages in Andhra Pradesh, South East India, to provide safe water for about 70,000 people.