To mark its 40th anniversary, MCM has joined the (RED)
charitable organisation, pledging $10m over 10 years to improve the lives and
health of women and girls across the globe. The announcement was made by MCM's Brand Strategist Jeehae Kim during the Conde Nast
International Luxury Conference in Seoul in April. The luxury brand was host
sponsor of the event.
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| Jeehae Kim at the Conde Nast International Luxury Conference (Picture: CNI Luxury Instagram) |
Ground-breaking partnership to empower lives
MCM has partnered with (RED) in a ground-breaking
partnership that will empower lives and cultivate sustainable health. “As a
millennial brand, with an almost entirely millennial audience, we need to start
taking action that will impact the future of this generation, my daughter’s
generation. We need to become a catalyst that kick-starts change,” said MCM’s Chairperson and Chief Visionary Officer Sung-Joo Kim.
Dedicated to the Global Fund, MCM will demonstrate
leadership in the private sector through financing the non-profit organisation’s
critical work to positively impact millions of lives, Mrs Kim added. The Global
Fund has established a goal of saving 8m lives, and averting up to 300m infections
and new cases of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.
A fully sustainable company by 2020
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| Sung-Joo Kim (pictured second from left) at the CNI Luxury Conference |
A fully sustainable company by 2020
Korea has also been a donor to the Global Fund since 2004. In 2013, the government implemented a process to raise resources through a levy
on air tickets, enabling the provision of annual funds to advance (RED)’s
global health goals.
“This new (RED) partnership with MCM is a significant step
towards expanding innovative private sector engagement in South Korea, and
expanding funding to benefit the fight against AIDS,” said Mark Dybul,
Executive Director of the Global Fund.
Founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006, (RED) is
dedicated to founding the first AIDS-free generation. Engaging with cultural
icons, multinational organisations and collaborators, (RED) has generated $350m
for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, to support
HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland,
Tanzania and Zambia.
100% of donations goes to work on the ground – no overhead
is taken. Global Fund grants that (RED) supports have impacted more than 70m
people with prevention, treatment, counselling, HIV testing and care services.
Along with its endeavour to increase socially responsible
practices, MCM will dedicate time and resources to infusing sustainability into
the heart of fashion from the products, to people, to behaviours, said Mrs Kim.
“Bringing mindful design to the product offering, MCM will
embrace partnerships with innovative designers whilst re-examining the use of
specific materials, creating greener footprints and ‘redder’ generations,
making MCM a fully sustainable company by 2020,” she concluded.
Stay tuned for (MCM)RED accessories coming
later this year.
