Kurt Geiger - The Kindness Foundation (EN)
Updated: Oct 4, 2022
KURT GEIGER LAUNCHES 'KINDNESS FOUNDATION' TO SUPPORT YOUNG CREATIVES
Neil Clifford, Kurt Geiger’s Chief Executive Officer and Trustee of the Kindness Foundation, says: “Kindness has been at the heart of Kurt Geiger from the very beginning; in fact, we say we’re ‘kind by design’. We’ve learned so much throughthis journey and decided it was time for us to formalisethis part of our identity by establishing the Kindness Foundation. By setting up this fully independent charitable vehicle to be more strategic and wide-reaching with our impact, we’re fully focused on our mission of designing a better world. We’re really excited for this launch and are looking forward to seeing the opportunities it brings to aspiring young creatives.”
Kurt Geiger announces the launch of the Kindness Foundation, a charity dedicated to giving young people, regardless of background, the support and resources they need to enter the creative industries. The main aim is to make creative jobs more accessible to young people, especially those from marginalised communities who are often unable to consider a career in their field due to existing discrimination systems.
Kindness Foundation board members include two independent trustees, Bernadette Hagans and Jeremiah Emmanuel BEM. Bernadette is a charity activist, model and cancer survivor who had her leg amputated at the age of twenty-two to save her life. Jeremiah is an entrepreneur, community campaigner, ambassador and author who, at 17, was the youngest black Briton to receive an award from the Queen in 2017 for his community work. Both share a common passion for supporting the next generation. Their support is vital to the Kindness Foundation's long-lasting impact.
Neil Clifford, Kurt Geiger’s Chief Executive Officer and Trustee of the Kindness Foundation, says:“Welcoming Bernadette and Jeremiah as independent trusteeson our foundation board was very important to us. Not only did it feel particularly befitting having them back after their participation in our PeopleEmpowered campaign two years prior,it felt key that we were able to learn from theirknowledge and draw on their genuine passion for supporting the next generation. With them as members of our foundation’s leadership, we are confident the impact we can make will be deep and enduring.”
Kurt Geiger aims to raise £1 million a year for its charitable programmes supporting young individuals. The foundation will be funded by its customers' purchases; for every eligible online and in-store purchase, Kurt Geiger will donate £1 to the Kindness Foundation. The foundation will also be funded by the new Kurt Cares Loyalty programme, designed by Kurt Geiger to cultivate a stronger sense of community within the brand's customer base. The loyalty programme is open to all customers and for every purchase made by a member, Kurt Geiger will donate between £1 and £3 to the foundation, depending on each member's loyalty level. The higher the customer's level, the more Kurt Geiger will donate on their behalf.
The Kindness Foundation's strategy will also involve keeping a portion of the funds as a crisis response stream to respond quickly to national and global emergencies. This builds on the philanthropic work Kurt Geiger has undertaken previously, including its response to the crisis in Ukraine. Here the company made a £50,000 donation to the British Red Cross' Ukraine Crisis Appeal, on top of funds raised from the sale of the 'Peace And Love Kensington' bag. The Kindness Foundation's crisis fund will further enable action to be taken more quickly and with greater impact in the event of future disasters.
The Kindness Foundation launches on 6th September 2022 and will be accessible through Kurt Geiger’s globalwebsite: www.kurtgeiger.com.
About Kurt Geiger
Kurt Geiger is a leading London-based footwear and accessories retailer powered by creativity and kindness. For over fifty years, Kurt Geiger’s in-house team of shoe and accessory designers have endeavoured to embolden customersthrough statement stylesunderpinned by London’svibrance and authenticity. Its ultimate mission to create a kind, diverse and inclusive fashion community propels the regular launch of kindness-driven initiatives supporting people, charities and global movements. Kurt Geiger’sown brands for women, men and childrenconsist of Kurt Geiger London,KG Kurt Geiger and Miss KG. The company has over 60 stores and 15 boutiques worldwide, a UK, US and a new global site on kurtgeiger.com and a growing customer base across North America, Europe, China, Australia and the Middle East.
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