Our history

The Fondation L’Oréal is the corporate Fondation of the L’Oréal Group and was formed to empower women to shape their future and make a difference in society.

Logo of the Fondation L'Oréal

The Fondation L’Oréal

Founded in 2007, the Fondation L’Oréal is the corporate Fondation of the L’Oréal Group. As a beauty industry leader, L’Oréal has a longstanding commitment to contribute positively to the needs of society, using its expertise as a force for good. In this way, we have brought increased consistency to its efforts to empower women, advance scientific knowledge and support vulnerable people.

2007: creation of the Fondation L'Oréal.

Our programs

  • Women Laboratory Scientist Working

    FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE

    The Fondation’s field of action goes back to 1998, when L’Oréal first partnered with UNESCO to create the For Women in Science program to reward outstanding women scientists and raise the profile of women in science. In 2000, we began recognizing ‘Rising Talents’ (upcoming women scientists) globally. A few years later in 2014, we introduced an award for the 15 best International Rising Talents across all participating countries.

    The same year, the Fondation L’Oréal also created the For Girls in Science program to inspire school girls to consider science as a career, helping to dispel misconceptions and encourage more young women to enter scientific research.

    On the 20th anniversary of our partnership with UNESCO in 2018, we launched a new initiative called Men for Women in Science to engage men scientists leading prominent research institutions in the fight to bring gender equality to the world of science.

    THE PROGRAM, OUR CONVICTIONS THE PROGRAM, OUR CONVICTIONS

  • INCLUSIVE BEAUTY

    At the Fondation L’Oréal, we believe that beauty, far from being superficial, is a force for good, and can help to promote inclusion and wellbeing. Shortly after 2000, we started to support non-profit organizations that offer free beauty care to cancer patients in hospitals. This early act of solidarity has since expanded significantly. We collaborate across France with local partners to deliver free, professional, beneficial beauty and wellness treatments to both medical patients and people living in situations of vulnerability, a practice known as ‘socio-aesthetics’ and ‘socio-hairdressing’.

    In 2008, we formed a partnership with Médecins du Monde to support its Opération Sourire initiative, which provides reconstructive and plastic surgery for women and children mainly in Asia and Africa.

    In 2009, we launched our first vocational beauty training program through a partnership with a Vietnamese non-profit organization to help women experiencing social or economic difficulties build confidence and improve their livelihoods by learning valuable beauty skills in order to access employment. As of today, our cooperation with non-profit local organizations allows us to operate training programs in around 30 countries.

    THE PROGRAM, OUR CONVICTIONS
    A make-up artist makes up a woman.
  • Kodanna Field, Women and Climate program

    Women & Climate

    The hazards linked to global warming exacerbate existing discriminations and have a greater impact on vulnerable populations. Women represent 70% of people living on less than 1$ a day, they are in charge of over 80% of the agricultural production in developing countries and spend triple the time collecting water, yet they only own 2% of the land and receive only 10% of the income (UNICEF, 2017). From agricultural productivity to water scarcity, hunger and malnutrition – women’s health, safety, education and livelihoods are at risk. Yet the issue of gender is still rarely included within the international climate agenda.

    To achieve gender-equal climate solutions, we must unleash the potential of women to innovate towards climate action and amplify their voices in climate decision-making. So at the Fondation L’Oréal, we are working with our partners to redress the balance. We believe that women have a considerable opportunity to contribute to solving the climate crisis. They understand the challenges, and what’s needed to solve them.

    Through our Women and Climate program, we are taking action to empower women to help lead climate action. Our Women4Climate initiative with C40 Cities is building the capacity of women and accelerating their projects aimed at adapting to or mitigating the effects of climate change, in major cities across the Globe. Meanwhile, together with CARE, we have developed the She Grows the Future program to support women farmers in developing countries to adopt sustainable farming practices, build climate resilience and improve their livelihoods.

    The program, our convictions

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