How One Fitness Giant is Investing in Global Wellbeing

Over the past decade, people have started to expect more from companies around the world. Whether they are big or small, companies are not judged solely on their advertising or their products anymore. Now, corporate social responsibility is a huge factor in whether a company is successful. Many people want to see how companies are giving back to communities and helping to better them.

I have chosen to look at one of the leading fitness brands around the world, Lululemon. Now about 10 years ago, Lululemon’s impact report and corporate social responsibility was pretty average. Nothing like what you would expect from a fitness giant. But in recent years, Lululemon has taken a big step forward and ramped up their corporate social responsibility efforts.

One of the biggest ways Lululemon advanced their corporate social responsibility was through the Lululemon Centre for Social Impact. Launched in 2021, Lululemon created a centre where they pledged to use their “resources and expertise to invest in and advocate for the wellbeing of those most impacted by systemic inequity worldwide.” The key focus areas they looked at were community and global wellbeing, frontline wellbeing, maker wellbeing, and research and advocacy. I looked deeper into how Lululemon invested in grants and partnerships to benefit community and global wellbeing.

One of the ways that Lululemon helps benefit community and global wellbeing is through the Here to Be grant program that was launched in 2016. Through this grant program, Lululemon has positively impacted over 3 million individuals worldwide by giving grant recipients, who are community-lead non-profits, funds to advance wellbeing equity. This is through either financial accessibility, culturally sensitive programming, building community driven solutions, and advocating for systemic change.

Lululemon is also trying to impact the global wellbeing. They partner with organizations like The Trevor Project, Beam (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective), Center for Reproductive Rights, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Through working with these organizations, Lululemon is truly investing in helping communities around the world.

Lululemon has done a great job in recent years to show they are invested in their corporate social responsibility and the communities they are a part of. As a leader in their industry, I would expect no less of Lululemon and I am glad they are promising powerful results and delivering on them.