Created six months ago at the initiative of Danone, the Livelihoods Fund is for companies that want to reduce their carbon footprint through projects with high social and environmental impact. Three companies have invested in the fund at its inception in December 2011: Credit Agricole, Schneider Electric, CDC Climat. Back in February, The French Post Group announced its decision to be the first major carbon neutral mailing, and joined Livelihoods Fund.
In May, In June, Hermès International confirmed its decision to invest in Livelihoods. This choice is a contribution to Hermès commitment to respect its ecological environment through consistent internal efforts and external initiatives. In particular, the “Values” and the “Charter” of the fund have been very much appreciated by Hermès. The fund now totals 25 million euros of funding and has already invested in five large-scale projects in Africa and Asia. Other European companies are interested in the Livelihoods approach and are in discussions with the Fund.