The Foundation’s background and areas of activity

The Erling-Persson Foundation was formed in memory of the H&M Group’s founder Erling Persson. By supporting interdisciplinary initiatives and projects that link together different sectors of society, the Foundation hopes to stimulate innovation and social benefit. Nearly 250 donations have been made to date, totalling SEK 3.5 billion.

In 1947 Erling Persson established the company that has developed into the global H&M Group we know today. In 1999 the Erling-Persson Foundation was formed in memory of his many achievements in retail and enterprise. The Foundation is financed by donations from the Persson family.

The family is passionate about entrepreneurship as a positive force in society, so it was natural for the Foundation to initially focus on supporting projects aimed at developing education in this area. Before long another two areas were added, with the aim of making society better equipped for the future: support for research and for projects promoting the development of children and young people.

To stimulate new ways of thinking and new solutions, the Foundation stresses the importance of meetings and collaboration. This is why it likes to support interdisciplinary ventures and projects that link together different sectors of society.

The Foundation’s commitment to the projects it supports is based on confidence that the project owner has the capability to expand the boundaries of our shared knowledge and understanding, and a sure and certain belief that knowledge changes and improves lives.

Nearly 250 donations have been made to date. In total, the Foundation has given SEK 3.5 billion to causes with benefits for society. The largest single donation to date, of around SEK 400 million, was made to Karolinska Institutet in 2010. The donation enabled the building of the Aula Medica, a 10,000 square metre complex providing excellent values for both research and education. Various courses in the area of entrepreneurship have together received around SEK 700 million, with Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) as major recipients. The Foundation’s funding has also created opportunity to start education and research in a new subject area – fashion studies, through a donation of SEK 75 million. The Centre for Fashion Studies is now well established at Stockholm University.

In the scientific field, research into type 1 diabetes is the area where the Foundation has made its largest contribution, amounting to around SEK 400 million to date. Significant support has also been given to research in areas such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, antibiotic resistance and neurological disease.

Fryshuset was the first children’s and young people’s organisation to receive support for its activities from the Foundation. So far, Fryshuset’s projects have received funding from the Foundation with a total value of around SEK 170 million. This support has also contributed to Fryshuset’s development into a much appreciated centre for children and young people in the areas of sport, knowledge, leisure activities and more. Organisations for children and young people have together received around SEK 350 million.

At the end of 2020, the donations (in monetary terms) had been allocated to the three focus areas approximately as follows: 50 percent research, 40 percent education and 10 percent children and young people.

1947

In 1947 Erling Persson established the company that has developed into the global H&M Group we know today. In 1999 the Erling-Persson Foundation was formed, in memory of his many achievements within retail and enterprise.

3.527

Since the Foundation was formed in 1999 it has handed out more than SEK 3.5 billion to its three focus areas.

400

The largest individual donation to date, of around SEK 400 million, was made to Karolinska Institutet in 2010. The donation enabled the building of the Aula Medica, a 10,000 square metre complex serving the needs of research and education.

60

Up to 31 December 2020 the Foundation had granted funding to 60 projects that promote the development of children and young people, amounting to around SEK 350 million in total.

50%

Nearly half of the total funding allocated by the Foundation – SEK 1.78 billion – has gone to research projects led by Swedish universities and colleges.

150

The Foundation receives more than 150 applications for project support every year. Around 100 of these are research applications.

138.5

Education and research in the areas of climate and the environment are important for being able to build a sustainable future. Through various initiatives the Foundation has donated SEK 138.5 million to these areas.

383

Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship (SSES) is a partnership between six universities and colleges in which students come together across subjects and national boundaries to collaborate on tomorrow’s innovations and businesses. Over 20 years SSES has received total support of SEK 383 million.

75

In 2006 the Centre for Fashion Studies was established at Stockholm University with the assistance of a donation from the Foundation (SEK 75 million in total). Since 2018 fashion studies has been an independent academic discipline at the university.

4

The Foundation’s board holds regular meetings four times a year.

1 .386

Over the years, nearly SEK 1.4 billion has been donated in the area of Tuition & Education. That represents around 40 percent of all donated funds.

<40%

Applications for support for research are received from all over Sweden. Just over 40 percent of all main applicants are women.