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Pillars
Corporate philanthropy is an essential aspect of modern business that can have a profound impact on society. It’s about making a difference and creating a better world for everyone.
But to truly make a difference, companies must be intentional, strategic, and committed to achieving meaningful, sustainable impact. It’s not enough to make a one-time donation or hold a single event. We must be committed to long-term goals and investments that can create lasting change. Our work is not just a passing trend in humanitarianism.
In fact, philanthropy is ingrained in our DNA.
Our story began over a century ago, with the visionary founder of the Swarovski business, Daniel Swarovski. He recognized early on that for the business to thrive, we needed to take care of the environment and community that sustained us.
The desire to take care of the natural world is central to our ethos and has been so since the initial Swarovski factory set up in the beautiful town of Wattens, Austria.
Wattens’ abundant mountain streams provided water for crystal cutting for the business. But it was more than that. Those streams also provided clean, renewable energy through hydropower.
Complimenting this philosophy to use nature ethically was Daniel Swarovski’s commitment to community well-being through activating a range of initiatives, including an orchestra, a cycling club, a sports and leisure center, and summer camps for employees’ children.
And by extension of this, his passion for education and creative innovation led Daniel and his wife Marie to donate land for the construction of a new school and provide scholarships to outstanding pupils from low-income families.
“Evolution never stops. Innovation
in one area creates the foundations
for innovation in another”
DANIEL SWAROVSKI
Founder
10 years ago, the Swarovski Foundation was founded as a tribute to Daniel’s philanthropic spirit and to nurture the roots that have driven us from the start.
Since its inception, our Foundation had intended to collaborate with a select few charitable partners to make a positive impact on the world. However, as we began to embark on smaller initiatives, it became abundantly clear that we could be most effective by leading the charge and championing multiple causes that were intimately connected to our core values.
Over the last decade, we’ve been fortunate enough to engage in partnerships and projects that have allowed us to reflect on our strategy and determine where our support is most impactful. Today the Swarovski Foundation has found its focus in supporting initiatives within 3 crucial areas: Equity, Water, and Creativity and through 2 signature programs, the Waterschool and Creatives for
Our Future.
Our commitment to equity has resulted in inspiring success stories.
We have witnessed young girls from underrepresented communities breaking down barriers to pursue higher education, and marginalized women completing training programs and securing stable jobs.
Our water partnerships have empowered communities to restore their lands, farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, and the next generation to become better custodians of our planet’s precious water sources.
The Waterschool used drops of knowledge to create rivers of change.
What started in Austria has now expanded to encompass schools along some of the world’s most significant rivers. In its next phase, the Swarovski Foundation has taken the Waterschool under its wing to develop a joint venture that furthers our commitment to improving water sustainability and generating an even greater impact.
Our dedication to advancing creativity and promoting education has provided students with funding, platforms, and networks to excel their careers within the industry.
In addition, we established Creatives for our Future in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships, to support creatives across the globe in developing ground-breaking solutions to the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges.
We established an Action Fund, enabling us to act swiftly in response to the most devastating international social and environmental crises, from providing essential kits to help pregnant women deliver their babies safely in Yemen’s refugee camps, to backing global efforts to deliver lifesaving assistance to civilians in the wake of the earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria.
Swarovski Foundation and the Sustainable Development Goals
The Swarovski Foundation is committed to making a positive impact in the world and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations.
Through our core areas of work, we focus our efforts on two specific Goals: Quality Education and Decent Work and Economic Growth, alongside offering periphery endorsement of several other Goals including: No Poverty; Gender Equality; Clean Water and Sanitation; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Life Below Water; and Partnerships for the Goals.
We strongly believe that the opportunity to receive quality education is crucial to building a more sustainable and equitable future, and that education is the key to unlocking human potential and creating positive change. That’s why we align our partnerships and initiatives to focus on providing access to quality education for all, irrespective of background or circumstance.
Offering decent work and economic growth is also a key priority for the Swarovski Foundation. For us, this area is incredibly critical to building thriving, sustainable communities. Through our partnerships, we are working to create opportunities for job training and skill development, particularly in the areas of sustainable development and entrepreneurship. We are also committed to promoting responsible business practices that support social and environmental sustainability.
By focusing our efforts on these two Goals, our work can contribute directly to creating a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world.