The HUGO BOSS Foundation is entering a strategic partnership with the Grameena Vikas Kendram Society for Rural Development (GVK Society), an Indian grass-root non-for-profit organization with the mission to build regenerative, circular and socially inclusive agricultural value chains that optimize value for smallholder and indigenous farming communities. The donation of EUR 500,000 over three years will support a regenerative food landscape and cotton fibre project in the tribal villages of the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh in South India.
The goal of the project is to transform 5,250 acres – an equivalent of approximately 3,000 soccer fields – into regenerative food and cotton landscapes through smallholder farmer empowerment, infrastructure development and capacity building. Overall, 1,500 farmers will be trained in regenerative farming, 900 of which will be women. Apart from the social and economic benefits of building long-term prosperity and resilience, the initiative will work towards mitigating climate change and increasing biodiversity in the area. As a result, over a period of three years approx. 31,000 tons of CO2 will be sequestered. In addition to that, around 1,000 tons of synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as well as 2,000 kg of pesticide and herbicide will be avoided.
“We are excited to support GVK Society and their holistic approach to regenerative agriculture," says Daniel Grieder, CEO of HUGO BOSS AG and Managing Director of HUGO BOSS Foundation. "By partnering with them, we are supporting one of the most innovative methods of material sourcing, which is key for reducing the fashion industry's environmental footprint and also improving the living standards of local farmers. This aligns with our own commitment at HUGO BOSS to source 100 percent of the natural materials in our collections through regenerative farming or closed-loop recycling by 2030.”
“At GVK Society, our goal is to transform agriculture into a powerful nature-based solution, nurturing self-reliant communities that live in harmony with each other and the environment. Thanks to funding from the HUGO BOSS Foundation, we will be able to advance our regenerative food and fibre landscape model, and diversify beyond cotton to include crops like coffee, pepper, millets, turmeric, and ginger, with international market connections. This support adds to an even healthier and balanced soil in the long-term and strengthens our ability to deepen our impact, reaching more farmers in more villages,” comments Aneel Kumar Ambavaram, Chief Functionary at GVK Society.
Launched in 2023, the HUGO BOSS Foundation is driven by the purpose to be “Bold for the Planet”, supporting climate and environmental protection initiatives around the world. With the "Every Purchase Counts" initiative, HUGO BOSS makes a donation for every own product sold worldwide, both offline and online (excluding licensed products). This way, all customers of the BOSS and HUGO brands automatically support the work of the HUGO BOSS Foundation.
For more information and updates, see the foundation website:
https://group.hugoboss.com/en/sustainability/hugo-boss-foundation
If you have any questions, please contact
Carolin Westermann
Senior Vice President Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 7123 94-86321
E-mail: Carolin_Westermann(at)hugoboss.com
GROUP.HUGOBOSS.COM
X: @HUGOBOSS
LINKEDIN: HUGO BOSS
You can find more information about the GVK Society at www.gvksociety.org
LINKEDIN: GVKSOCIETY
