Contact us 
Our actions in 2024
In this context, we supported 25 nonprofit projects across 12 countries in 2024, all working to protect forests and maintain trees outside of forests in Europe, by and for local communities.
“In 2024, the COP16 Biodiversity Conference in Colombia once again highlighted the challenges of nature conservation. Although negotiations stalled on many fronts, a major step forward was achieved: the recognition of local and Indigenous communities as key stewards of biodiversity preservation. This commitment deeply resonates with the mission of the Maisons du Monde Foundation.
We support projects led by and for local populations, who are the true guardians of the world’s forests. From South America to Indonesia, and across Tanzania and Madagascar, our partners work hand in hand with communities to protect these ecosystems by strengthening their skills and capacities.
Our efforts also continue in France, Italy, and Spain, where we contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and trees, both in rural and urban areas, through key partners such as the Fonds pour l’Arbre and Des Enfants et des Arbres. Our “Journées au vert” events in Italy and Spain are further proof of our desire to involve our employees in the protection of these ecosystems. We also supported the documentary series “L’Arbre qui cache la forêt,” broadcast in 2024 on Arte in France and other European countries, to further raise public awareness.
Additionally, our commitment extends to supporting and strengthening the organizations we partner with, following the creation of our Partner Community in 2023. In 2024, we launched a peer group, a workshop, and two training sessions to help build their capacity and ultimately reinforce their impact on the ground. We were also honored to receive the 2024 Grand Prize for Philanthropy from the Ficade Group in the “Biodiversity Conservation” category, in recognition of all the initiatives we have carried out.
Collective action is essential. Together with our partners and everyone who shares this vision, we will continue to work toward a future where forests and local communities remain at the heart of the solutions.”
Hélène Guiet, CSR, Quality, and Maisons du Monde Foundation Director.
A whole world of projects
In 2024, we directly funded 15 nonprofit projects across 9 countries, all contributing to forest conservation and the preservation of trees outside of forests. Among these, 9 are located in the Global South and 6 in Europe.
In addition, 10 other projects (6 in developing countries and 4 in Europe) are being financed by donations made by Maisons du Monde customers when making a purchase in France. These projects, which follow the same selection process as the ones financed from our own funds, are chosen by the brand’s employees who vote for their favorites.
Forest conservation
Trees do so many things for us, including conserving biodiversity, fighting climate change, protecting soils and improving water quality. In order to protect them, we are supporting those on the ground all over the world.
1. We contribute to the preservation of the most endangered forests in developing countries.
According to the 2023 report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 10 million hectares of forests are lost every year (an area almost equivalent to the size of Portugal), with 90% of this loss occurring in tropical regions. Given the urgency to act, in 2024, we supported 15 projects focused on the preservation of trees and forests in developing countries.
While more than half of Colombia’s territory is covered by natural forests, the country has lost nearly 6 million hectares of forest since the 1990s, according to an article published in Le Monde. To address this issue, the Tchendukua – Ici et Ailleurs association, which we have supported since 2018, works alongside the Kogi, Wiwa, and Arhuaco Indigenous peoples to recover their ancestral lands in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Using their ancestral knowledge, they participate in forest regeneration, helping to preserve biodiversity and their cultural heritage.
“Since 2015, at the initiative of the Kogi people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Tchendukua has taken on a challenge: to engage in dialogue as equals with representatives of this people, so that together we can heal the land and rethink our relationship with the living. This dialogue, supported by the Maisons du Monde Foundation, contrasts the ancient science of this people – the science of the unquantifiable – with our modern science, which seeks to measure everything. An example is Governor Kogi Arregoces Conchalala, who invited us to cool our brains, which were overheating like the glacier feeding the Rhône that lay before him. Accepting to question our perception of the other opens pathways we continue to explore with scientists and the Kogi. Small seeds for the future that, like the contributors to the ROUND-UP at checkout, allow us to envision something bigger. The beginning of an adventure…”
Michel Podolak, President of the Tchendukua association
Visit the Tchendukua project page to learn more about the association and the project we support.
2. We contribute to the valorization and preservation of trees outside forests in Europe.
Beyond forest ecosystems, trees play a fundamental role and must be protected to help halt the decline of biodiversity. This is why, in 2024, the Maisons du Monde Foundation supported 10 projects aimed at valorizing and preserving trees in both urban and rural areas across France, Spain, and Italy.
Among these projects, the Conservatoire Méditerranéen Partagé works to preserve cultivated biodiversity in the Mediterranean basin through its Vergers d’Avenir (Orchards of the Future) program. Beyond conservation, this program focuses on training in agroecological practices, which are essential for preserving cultivated biodiversity and strengthening the sustainability of Mediterranean ecosystems.
“The Conservatoire Méditerranéen Partagé is dedicated to conserving the varieties and traditional knowledge of Mediterranean agriculture. These varieties, often overlooked within each species, form a biological and genetic reservoir of solutions for the future. Indeed, some varieties are more resilient than others to the effects of climate change. They represent diverse forms, tastes, and flavors waiting to be rediscovered in our meals. It is therefore crucial to ensure their preservation and promotion. Thanks to its support since 2021, the Maisons du Monde Foundation has enabled our Vergers d’Avenir program to expand and grow in the South of France, establishing a dozen conservation orchards and preserving 265 fruit varieties across the Bouches du Rhône, Var, and Alpes Maritimes! A big thank you to the entire endowment fund team for their commitment, support, and trust alongside us.”
Claire Mignet, Director of the Conservatoire Méditerranéen Partagé.
Want to learn more about the Conservatoire Méditerranéen Partagé project? Visit our project page.
Promoting environmental awareness
Because forest preservation requires both individual and collective awareness and action, the Maisons du Monde Foundation runs its own environmental awareness programs.
1. Raising Public Awareness
Created in 2018, our movement for trees aims to raise awareness and encourage everyone to take action for tree preservation. As part of this effort, we partnered with the Paris-based We Love Green festival, known for its commitment to sustainability, for the third consecutive year in June 2024. At our stand, festival-goers were able to take part in activities to reconnect with trees and learn more about their preservation.
2. Engaging & Raising Awareness Among Employees
Solidaritrips and Green Days take employees to the field, where they discover a project supported by the Maisons du Monde Foundation, helping to raise awareness about environmental preservation. Solidaritrips, lasting 10 days, invite randomly selected employees (on a voluntary basis) to experience the trip of a lifetime by participating in the association’s activities and immersing themselves in the daily lives of local communities. Green Days, on the other hand, aim to raise awareness among Maisons du Monde’s Good is Beautiful ambassadors and engaged employees through one-day environmental activities.
To learn more, visit here.
3. Raising Awareness Among Customers
Maisons du Monde customers have the opportunity to make a micro-donation at checkout in stores across France, benefiting associations supported by the Maisons du Monde Foundation. This initiative helps raise funds to support projects aimed at preserving trees and forests.
Visit the dedicated page for ARRONDI en caisse to learn more.
Interested in learning more about our projects? Stay updated and discover all the upcoming news for 2024 by following us on LinkedIn and Instagram!