H&M Foundation joins Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship

H&M Foundation, the non-profit organisation funded by the Persson family, which founded fashion retailer H&M, has joined the Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, an initiative by the Schwab Foundation for social entrepreneurship in partnership with the World Economic Forum.

The Global Alliance coalition features more than 120 members, ranging from social entrepreneurs and impact investors to policy shapers, and supports social innovation, serving as a global platform to accelerate sustainable and inclusive systems change.

On joining the initiative, Anna Gedda, chief executive of the H&M Foundation, said in a statement: “Solving the climate crisis will take more than just cutting emissions, we need solutions that help communities adapt and thrive in the new economy. Through this alliance, we’re keen to collaborate with others pushing forward circular, regenerative and climate-resilient models, especially where social equity is at stake.

“What makes this network so powerful is the mix of actors around the table: social innovators, funders, researchers and corporates all bringing different strengths. As a philanthropic foundation, we can take early risks, connect unlikely partners, and help scale what works. That’s what we hope to contribute, and gain, as part of this global alliance.”

The H&M Foundation is a privately funded non-profit focused on transforming the textile sector, supporting the industry’s journey to halve greenhouse gas emissions every decade by 2025. It adds that as pressure mounts on the textile industry to decarbonise without leaving workers behind, “the need for collaboration has never been greater”.

Gedda added: “We see this as more than a network – it’s an engine for collective action. If we’re serious about solving complex challenges, we need spaces that foster trust, experimentation and shared accountability.

"That’s what the Schwab Foundation’s Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship is designed to do.”