Associated Foundations

Learning-through-Play empowers children to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners and develop the holistic skills that serve them, their communities and society throughout a lifetime. The LEGO Foundation is working to change the hearts and minds of those who influence children’s lives, through programmes, research and advocacy, to make sure they embrace the transformative power of play.

As part of the ongoing commitment to giving children better opportunities to reach their full potential, the LEGO Group owner family has entrusted the LEGO Foundation with 25% ownership of the LEGO Group and it is primarily through this ownership the LEGO Foundation funds its activities.

Ole Kirk’s Fond is a charitable foundation and its purpose is to improve the quality of life of children and their families. A caring approach and the right of all children to be children were key motivators for LEGO founder Ole Kirk Kristiansen. Ole Kirk’s Fond was established in his memory and to fulfil the values and the caring philosophy that he represented. Today, Ole Kirk’s Fond has special focus on the social area, although the foundation also supports cultural, church-related, humanitarian and educational purposes.

In 2018, Ole Kirk’s Fond supported many projects with the aim of supporting children and their families with a breathing space in everyday life. The initiative ‘Nature Clubs’ by Save the Children in Denmark is one of those projects. The In 2018, the LEGO Foundation announced its first humanitarian grant: USD 100 million to Sesame Workshop to ensure that young children affected by the Rohingya and Syrian crises have opportunities to learn through play and develop the skills needed for the future.

The LEGO Foundation reached more than 2.4 million children around the world in total in 2018, including children in vulnerable situations reached through LEGO Charity product donations. The total LEGO Foundation activities amounted to DKK 532 million in 2018 (2017: DKK 407 milion).

establishment of nature clubs around Denmark will give children in marginalised residential areas educational and social experiences in the nearby nature. These children are often socially excluded and do not come out as much as other children do.

Furthermore, Ole Kirk’s Fond joined forces with the Capital Region of Denmark and Rigshospitalet in 2016 to build a new public hospital called ‘BørneRiget’ that sets new standards for the treatment of children, adolescents, pregnant women and their families. In 2018, focus has been to prepare for the construction site, which will be initiated in 2020.

Donations amounted to DKK 133 million in 2018 (2017: DKK 90 million).