Kering Foundation

Kering
Press
Special Reports
Kering Foundation

Press

Kering Foundation

One out of three women worldwide is a victim of violence during her lifetime. Since its creation in 2008, Kering Foundation has made this critical issue the focus of its combat by supporting survivors, rolling out prevention initiatives and worldwide mobilization. To maximize its impact, Kering Foundation works hand-in-hand with long-term partners for a minimum period of three years in six countries: the United States, France, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Korea.

Discover Kering Foundation's website

Fifteen years after its creation, Kering Foundation is reinforcing its action and impact by extending its mission to address violence against children. In addition, the Foundation has changed its legal status to an endowment fund, in order to facilitate fundraising as well as collaborations with its various stakeholders.

Worldwide, one in three women is or will be affected by violence during her lifetime, regardless of her cultural origins or social class. In light of this fact, in 2008, Kering –known as PPR at the time– created a Foundation dedicated to combating violence against women. In 2023, building on its 15 years of experience and close collaborations forged with partners in six countries, Kering Foundation strengthened and broadened its scope of action.

Aware of the need to break cycles of abuse that are passed on from one generation to another, Kering Foundation has decided to combat violence where it takes root by extending its commitment to include addressing violence against children, in particular child sexual abuse. This evolution represents a continuation of initiatives undertaken since 2019, for example through support for the Louie Media podcast Ou peut-être une nuit and for La Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis, which opened a new unit for women survivors of incest with the organization Face à l’inceste.

Supporting national specialist organizations on domestic violence

The Kering Foundation works hand in hand with organizations in the United States (National Network to End Domestic Violence), France (Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes), Italy (Donne in Rete contro la violenza), the United Kingdom (Women’s Aid) and Mexico (Red Nacional de Refugios) to provide comprehensive support for women survivors of violence with resources tailored to their personal situation.

DT-Fondation-Kering_2MaisonDesFemmes_700x570_Desktop.jpg

Championing innovative pilot initiatives

The Kering Foundation has supported La Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis since its inception in 2016. This women’s center offers unique and holistic services including medical assistance, as well as psychological, emotional, mental and physical support. It gathers 60 professionals from diverse backgrounds, including gynecologists, psychologists, police offices and lawyers. Together, they listen and care for survivors, providing help and guidance. During the Generation Equality Forum held in June 2021 and jointly organized by UN Women, Mexico and France, François-Henri Pinault announced that through its Foundation, Kering will provide €5 million over five years to help finance, alongside the French government, the opening of 15 centers in France based on the model of La Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis.

Enabling a community of social entrepreneurs

The Kering Foundation believes that social enterprises have an important role to play in empowering women. It works with a community of social entrepreneurs who provide support and professional trainings to women survivors. Each member of the community takes part in an incubation program while benefiting from the Foundation’s network and one-to-one mentoring. In addition, the social enterprises participate in group workshops aimed at developing forward-thinking business models to better serve women. The community is made up of 9 members including Colori Vivi in Italy, Chayn in the United Kingdom, Gendes and Las Panas in Mexico and du Pain & des Roses in France.

Strengthening grassroots organizations

Social change starts within communities. This is why the Kering Foundation finances five Women’s Funds, which identify local, grassroots organizations striving to combat violence against women. One notable example is Rosa UK. Through this fund, the Foundation supports three organizations including the Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis, the United Kingdom’s longest operational rape crisis center. In order to work closely with local communities in the remaining 5 countries of operation, the Kering Foundation collaborates with the Mediterranean Women’s Fund in France and Italy, HER Fund in Hong Kong, Fondo Semillas in Mexico and the Women Foundation of California in the United States.

Kering Foundation’s portraits

Kering Foundation has produced a series of short videos focused on women survivors of violence, as well as the professionals who accompany them, through its partner organizations. “Kering Foundation’s portraits” tell the stories of these women, sending a message of hope and highlighting the pivotal role played by Kering Foundation’s partners in helping them to rebuild their lives.

background image

Episode 8: Virginie, co-founder and managing director of RUN

In the eighth video, Virginie, co-founder and managing director of RUN (Rebuild, Unite, Nurture), speaks about how the organizatio...

background image

Episode 9: Rocío, a survivor of violence

She shares her powerful story of strength and courage. She found support at Las Panas, through bakery workshops, group therapy, co...

background image

Episode 10: working with men to break the inter-generational cycle of violence and ultimately support survivors

Since 2018, Kering Foundation is proud to partner with Gendes, a Mexican non-profit organization that organizes group sessions ...

background image

Episode 1: Hadassah and Diarryatou, La Maison des femmes

In this first video, Hadassah and Diarryatou give us a poignant testimony about their journey and their reconstruction thanks t...

background image

Episode 2: Jacqui Kilburn, Women's Aid trainer

In the second episode, Jacqui, who has been working in the domestic abuse sector for 30 years, shares her experiences and highligh...

background image

Episode 3: Jessica, a survivor supported by Les Corner

In the third episode, Jessica, a victim of domestic violence in a same-sex relationship, shares her journey to leave her abusive p...

background image

Episode 4: Natalie, survivor supported by Women’s Aid

In the fourth episode, Natalie shares her experience in an abusive relationship and how, with the support of Women’s Aid, she esca...

background image

Episode 5: Solidarité Femmes helpline counselor

In the fifth episode, a trained counselor shares her experience responding to calls, to encourage survivors to reach out for suppo...

background image

Episode 6: Sara, refugee and single mother supported by RUN

In the sixth episode, Sara tells her story as a refugee and single mother in Hong Kong. She shares her difficulties and how the or...

background image

Episode 7: Judy, HER Fund’s Executive Director

The seventh episode features HER Fund, a Women's Fund based in Hong Kong that provides extensive support to grassroots organizatio...

background image

Episode 8: Virginie, co-founder and managing director of RUN

In the eighth video, Virginie, co-founder and managing director of RUN (Rebuild, Unite, Nurture), speaks about how the organizatio...

background image

Episode 9: Rocío, a survivor of violence

She shares her powerful story of strength and courage. She found support at Las Panas, through bakery workshops, group therapy, co...

background image

Episode 10: working with men to break the inter-generational cycle of violence and ultimately support survivors

Since 2018, Kering Foundation is proud to partner with Gendes, a Mexican non-profit organization that organizes group sessions ...

background image

Episode 1: Hadassah and Diarryatou, La Maison des femmes

In this first video, Hadassah and Diarryatou give us a poignant testimony about their journey and their reconstruction thanks t...

background image

Episode 2: Jacqui Kilburn, Women's Aid trainer

In the second episode, Jacqui, who has been working in the domestic abuse sector for 30 years, shares her experiences and highligh...

background image

Episode 3: Jessica, a survivor supported by Les Corner

In the third episode, Jessica, a victim of domestic violence in a same-sex relationship, shares her journey to leave her abusive p...

Resourcing, engaging and influencing

Kering Foundation's strategy focuses on three pillars:

• Resourcing partner organizations by providing increased and flexible funding, including in periods of crisis, to guarantee quality services to women and children, accompanying prevention initiatives and facilitating knowledge sharing among partners. As one example, following the success of La Maison des femmes de Saint-Denis, in 2023 Kering Foundation supported to the opening of La Maison des femmes de Rennes as part of the endowment fund’s ongoing commitment to creating 15 similar structures across France.

• Engaging Kering’s ecosystem to create safe workplaces and offer support to colleagues impacted by domestic violence. To date, more than 2,100 staff members have participated in dedicated training sessions.

• Lastly, influencing new actors and motivating new audiences alongside the Kering Foundation to take action, and raise awareness and critical additional funds in order to put an end to violence that is passed down from generation to generation.

Caring for Women dinner raises over 3 million dollars

In September 2023, in New York, Kering Foundation welcomed numerous personalities, including co-chair Oprah Winfrey, to the second edition of its annual Caring for Women dinner. The event raised more than USD $3 million to benefit three organizations: the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) and its credit-building microloan program for survivors of domestic violence; the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault (NYCAASA), and its sexual violence prevention program that works with at-risk youth; and third, the Malala Fund, which supports organizations providing alternative learning opportunities to girls in Afghanistan.

Embracing healthy, respectful masculinity

In 2020, the Kering Foundation and Equimundo launched the Global Boyhood Initiative. The project aims to equip young boys (4 to 13 years old) and their families with the tools and resources needed to help them embrace healthy masculinity and gender equality. The initiative is based on interviews conducted with young boys and parents as well as qualitative and quantitative research to highlight the impact of stereotypes on education. In doing so, it fosters positive masculinity, guiding boys to share emotions, accept others, break free from stereotypes and speak out against inequality. The Global Boyhood Initiative began in the United States in 2020, expanding to the United Kingdom in 2022 and plans to launch in France and Italy in 2023.

Engaging youth to fight sexual violence

In the United States, the Kering Foundation supports The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault (NYCAASA) and its Project Dream, Own, Tell (Project DOT), a game-changing sexual violence prevention program that works with young people from underserved communities, with a particular focus on leadership. Project DOT offers its participants, who often do not have access to traditional sexual education programs, a platform for creating and sharing positive messages with their communities. The organization is set to boost the impact of its program with a training center targeting four more New York City districts by 2025.

Breaking the intergenerational cycle of violence

According to the World Health Organization, 20% of women and between 5 and 10% of men report having been sexually abused as children. 80% were victims of incest. In response to this intolerable reality, in 2019, the Kering Foundation supported La Maison des femmes de Saint Denis to create a new unit focused on treating adults who were abused during their childhood. In 2021, the women’s center conducted 229 consultations. The Foundation has also backed the French organization Face à l’Inceste to increase its visibility and reinforce its communications and the Ou Peut-être une nuit podcast produced by Louie Media, to break the silence around incest.

Creating a supportive work environment

Since 2011, the Kering Foundation offers domestic violence awareness training sessions to understand impact of this violence on the workplace, open to all employees across the Group. To date, over 1,900 employees have taken part in these training sessions co-created with national specialist organizations. The Foundation and Kering’s Human Resources Department have also implemented a Group-wide Global Policy on Domestic Violence. The Policy offers support to any employee who is a victim of domestic violence, including, a domestic violence special leave, flexible working conditions and financial assistance. Employees can also be redirected to specialist organizations.

Taking Europe-wide action

In 2018, the Kering Foundation joined forces with the Fondation Agir Contre l’Exclusion (FACE) to create One In Three Women, the first European network of 16 companies engaged to combat violence against women. The network encourages companies to support colleague survivors of domestic violence through awareness toolkits, online learning modules available in seven languages and in-house training programs. In 2019, One In Three Women conducted a study sent to 40,000 employees across six companies in six countries. Results found that 16% of women and 4% of men who participated had reported experiencing domestic violence. Additionally, 37% of victims declared having already discussed the issue with a colleague. As a result, companies have a leading role to play in establishing a supportive workplace and concrete measures for those affected.

Bringing other players to this combat

The 2021 Generation Equality Forum, a global gathering for gender equality convened by UN Women, was held in Paris. As a private-sector leader of the Action Coalition on Gender-based violence, the Kering Foundation made five commitments to complete by 2026. Through the One In Three Women network, the Foundation committed to convincing 50 private sector leaders to introduce and implement internal policies and procedures in support of employee survivors of domestic violence.

Key figures

Highlights report

Since its creation, Kering Foundation has built a strategy focusing on impact. Kering Foundation is a leading private donor to national specialist organizations based in Italy (1st), France (1st), the United Kingdom (3rd) and the United States (6th). Every year, more than 275,000 women survivors and 25 organizations are supported by Kering Foundation.

Download Kering Foundation Highlights

background image

15-year Impact Report

Kering Foundation unveils its Impact report, outlining significant achievements made with partners since its creation. Learn more about the Foundation’s actions to stop violence against women and children on our dedicated website.

“ Wherever women's integrity and dignity are attacked, I believe each of us has a particular responsibility. ”

FRANÇOIS-HENRI PINAULT
Chairman and CEO of Kering, Chairman of Kering Foundation

background image

keringfoundation.org

background image

All press releases

Find all the Kering press releases here.