The Foundation in Focus

Recently, friends and family of Vagabond Shoemakers gathered at our HQ for an evening hosted by the Vagabond Shoemakers Foundation. The focus was on the work of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), one of the organisations supported by the foundation. 

Three representatives from MSF shared their perspectives and experiences, two of whom had worked in the field: Caroline and Annelie. The duo discussed their ongoing projects, which include around 450 initiatives across more than 70 countries, providing medical and humanitarian aid in areas affected by conflict, disaster, and displacement. The organisation centres on essential care, often the kind most people associate with everyday stability. In the past year alone, MSF supported over 368,000 births and carried out more than 16 million outpatient consultations, with everything from diabetes medication to psychological support. 

When asked what message they would like to leave the audience with, one of the speakers said, “Don’t lose hope.” A simple reminder in a complex time.

The evening formed part of the broader work of the Vagabond Shoemakers Foundation. Established in 2023, the foundation became the owner of Vagabond Shoemakers when the founders transferred their entire company, including trademark rights, to the newly formed foundation as a gift. The ownership structure ensures that the company’s profits support six designated purposes, including research, education and humanitarian aid. With the foundation as owner, giving is embedded within the company’s framework rather than existing as a separate initiative. 

2025 marked the foundation’s first year of grantmaking, distributed to organisations working across humanitarian relief, social sustainability and research. Among them were, except Doctors Without Borders, UNHCR, BRIS, Mercy Ships, HUG and Mitt Livs Val. Two larger multi-year grants were awarded to the Alzheimer Foundation and Hand in Hand, alongside support for fourteen additional organisations, several of which are based in Varberg, the birthplace and home of Vagabond Shoemakers.

The foundation represents an extension of the company’s values — a way of ensuring that long-term responsibility grows alongside the business itself. 

The evening at HQ offered an opportunity to listen, ask questions and better understand the work being done on the ground. A reminder that meaningful change is often built through sustained commitment and through partnerships that extend beyond a single season.