Andrea Debbane on why the new JLR Foundation is a driving force for change

Walpole: What is the JLR Foundation?

Andrea Debbane: The JLR Foundation is an independent UK charity that’s been established by Jaguar Land Rover to help empower children and young people to reach their full potential, particularly those who are disadvantaged, through supporting access to education, creativity, knowledge and opportunities. 

How will the JLR Foundation work?

JLR will make an annual donation to the JLR Foundation. That will be £2.5 million in its first year, with plans to increase that amount significantly over the next five years as it becomes more established. The JLR Foundation will operate independently from JLR to fulfil its charitable aims by using those funds to award grants to organisations sharing a similar vision, mission and values. Directly supporting them to deliver impact in the community. 

I was delighted to have the opportunity to take on the position of Chair of the board of trustees. I’ve always been passionate and driven by social impact and had the privilege previously of being a board member of Fairtrade International, and Executive Director of the Airbus Foundation, which also had youth development at its heart. So, it’s an honour to be able to bring that experience to the JLR Foundation at the very start as it establishes itself and grows globally over the coming years.

The Foundation Director, Laura Brown joins later this month and, together with our board of trustees, we will work proactively in partnership with charities and sector experts to identify how best to invest for greatest impact. I’m so excited for what’s to come as it’s such an important cause and we have an opportunity to make a significant difference to young people's futures. 

What is the goal of the JLR Foundation and why is this important to JLR as a company?

The JLR Foundation aims to benefit young people and children, particularly those who are disadvantaged. It’s about helping to provide an equal chance for them to reach their full potential as the next generation of leaders – enabling them to influence social and environmental change.

This Foundation is a natural step for JLR. We have a strong legacy of giving back to the community and social impact is a core part of JLR’s company purpose. Our partnership with the British Red Cross stretches back over 70 years, and we’ve invested millions of pounds in youth initiatives over the last ten years, impacting hundreds of thousands of young lives globally. There’s always been a particularly strong focus for JLR on supporting youth and education. 

Our Dream Fund Partnership in China is an inspiring example of how JLR is having a lasting impact. Since it was first established to help rebuild a school damaged by an earthquake in 2014, we’ve been able to develop a deep understanding of the social and educational needs and barriers within that community through continued engagement and support. It’s so rewarding when you hear that now more than 70 graduates from the JLR Hope School have gained admission to university. Later this year work will start on building a new Hope School library too. 

Setting up and funding the JLR Foundation signals our continued long-term commitment to youth development and enables us to extend our impact more broadly. It offers another way for JLR to give back meaningfully and directly to the communities around our operations. Communities that support our business and have done for generations.

What are the areas of focus of the charity? Will it be dedicated to STEM or will it be broader than this?

It won’t be exclusively dedicated to STEM. We believe young people have a critical role in being the next generation of leaders and in helping to create solutions to the most pressing challenges of our time such as climate change and social and economic equality. We want to help harness their creativity, diversity of thought and unique perspectives by providing the necessary skills, tools and self-belief they need to thrive. So that might include opportunities through STEM, but it’s much broader than that. 

What is JLR’s Reimagine strategy and how does that align with the work of the JLR Foundation?

JLR’s Reimagine strategy was announced in 2021 and set a vision for the company that has started us on a journey of transformation. Part of that vision is our aim to create new benchmarks in social and community impact for a luxury business and focuses on four United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: quality education, gender equality, reduced inequalities and climate action. JLR will continue to support and contribute to initiatives that will help us realise that aim and the JLR Foundation will build on that, extending and scaling the impact we can have into broader charitable work. 

> Learn more about the JLR Foundation