Access to Education
Education is the foundation for living an independent, successful life. That’s why HUGO BOSS is committed to giving people access to education along the entire value chain – together with recognized partner organizations and in our own initiatives. Whether in production countries, regions with HUGO BOSS business locations, or at our headquarters in Metzingen: The company supports young people with their school and university educations, creating prospects for a successful professional career.
Partnership with UNICEF
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UNICEF: Living Schools
The UNICEF project 'Living schools' in Malawi integrates innovative education concepts such as e-learning next to environmental aspects in its educational approach. In schools that are part of the initiative, sustainability is promoted through different ideas like using solar energy and having their own separate water system to ensure clean drinking water and hygiene. At the same time, the students are taught environmental awareness.
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UNICEF: Let Us Learn
Let Us Learn is an educational initiative by UNICEF in Bangladesh. It aims to offer preschool programs and alternative education programs throughout the country to give more children access to education. This access cannot be taken for granted in Bangladesh, which lacks the foundations for good school education in many areas. Preschool education is often not possible due to natural disasters, remote settlements, and a lack of understanding about the importance of education.
In order to make progress here, UNICEF works together directly with the government to develop concepts for preschool, elementary school, and high school education. More than 12,000 young people have already been reached. Families and communities should continue to be sensitized to the topic in the future through understanding educational work. HUGO BOSS has been supporting the project since 2013.
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UNICEF: Schools for Africa
In the past years we have also supported the project Schools for Africa which gives children in the sub-Saharan region access to education. Despite steady progress in this area, the most disadvantaged children in this region still have too few opportunities for education.
With the Schools for Africa project, UNICEF gives girls and boys the chance to obtain a good primary education, thus improving their future prospects. The project builds new classrooms, purchases materials, trains teachers, and equips the schools with restroom facilities and potable water connections. This program has benefitted over 30 million children in 13 African countries since its inception.
The HUGO BOSS Education Association
In 2008 HUGO BOSS established the HUGO BOSS Education Association at its production site in Izmir (Turkey), with the aim of improving educational opportunities for school and university students from disadvantaged families in the region. Children of employees and their friends now benefit from scholarships that support them for a school or university year. The program also provides the students with voluntary mentors who help them with issues in their social environments. This program has supported over 1,200 students since its founding.
Promoting education through art
Art can also offer essential access to education. This is what the Filderstadt Art School and the Pestalozzi School in Filderstadt-Sielmingen in Germany are working towards in a joint project that HUGO BOSS has been supporting since 2015. Children and young people from socially disadvantaged families are given the opportunity to discover their creativity in workshops with professional instructors. This strengthens social skills and their own self-confidence as important skills for their further education. Some of the participants even discover the trades as a career perspective.
Creative work in the region
We have sponsored the "HUGO BOSS Workshop" at Staatsgalerie Stuttgart (Stuttgart State Gallery) since 2016. Here, local schoolchildren and participants of all ages can experiment with design and express their creativity in workshops to experience art first-hand.
