FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BURBERRY CHAMPIONS YOUNG VOICES TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2021

Burberry continues its support of London Youth and The Prince’s Trust Women Supporting Women Initiative, with donations helping to provide resources and development opportunities for young women.

In a special celebratory film, London Youth ambassadors and members of the Burberry family, including models Aaron Philip, He Cong, Irina Shayk, Jourdan Dunn, Lea T and Mariacarla Boscono, artist Jazz Grant and June Sarpong OBE, BBC Director of Creative Diversity, discuss themes ranging from modern womanhood to their hopes and ambitions for the future.

The Burberry Foundation also enters a new partnership with London Youth, providing additional support to young people in some of London’s most deprived communities.

Burberry is now a signatory of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, supporting its ambition to achieve gender equality.

This International Women’s Day, Burberry is championing the voices of young women and strengthening our support of charities driving meaningful change, furthering our work to empower the next generation and build a more equitable and inclusive future for all.

Burberry is continuing to support London Youth by providing a donation to help fund programmes for young women and girls across the charity’s network of over 600 community youth organisations. This builds on London Youth’s mission to provide all young Londoners with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to succeed, overcoming the structural barriers that so many young people face today.

In addition, Burberry has made a donation to The Prince’s Trust Women Supporting Women initiative, a longstanding charity partner. Our donation will enable hundreds of women to access virtual speed interviews with employers, online courses to develop employability skills and education support through the Change a Girl’s Life campaign.

Erica Bourne, Chief People Officer, Burberry said: “Charities such as London Youth and The Prince’s Trust play a pivotal role in improving the lives of young women and we are proud to support their work on International Women’s Day. Driving gender equality across our business and communities is critical to creating a truly inclusive future, and we were inspired by the powerful reflections and stories of the women in our celebratory film. In adopting the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, we are reinforcing our own commitment to diversity and inclusion and adding our support to those who are driving real impact.”

Pam Batty, Secretary to The Burberry Foundation and VP of Corporate Responsibility, Burberry said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on young people. By providing vital resources for mental health, nutrition, education and protecting community spaces, we can ensure they have a brighter future. We are delighted to be embarking on this new partnership with London Youth, working together to help communities overcome challenges, unlock new possibilities and create meaningful lasting change.”

Rosemary Watt-Wyness, CEO of London Youth said: “The International Women's Day Burberry Voices campaign has been an incredible experience for young women from our youth board, providing a high profile, creative platform from which their voices can be heard. After such a challenging year of their lives, it’s wonderful to see Maya, Shakira, Kalliyah and Margarett emerge with such inspirational messages of hope for us all. We’re pleased to continue our close partnership with the Burberry Foundation to help ensure young Londoners have the support that they need at this crucial moment.”

Frances Milner, Director of Fundraising at The Prince’s Trust, said: “The pandemic has impacted all of us – and for many young women, their challenges seem insurmountable. During the pandemic, they may have lost their jobs, taken on greater caring responsibilities, been affected by domestic violence or mental illness. The Prince’s Trust helps these young women rebuild their lives. The #ChangeAGirlsLife campaign aims to harness the power of brands and raise life-changing funds around International Women’s Day. It is more important than ever that we work together to support young women in the UK and drive real change for the next generation.”