Introducing positive changes: Fondation Lombard Odier celebrates its 15th anniversary

The foundation funds innovative solutions to address the most pressing educational and humanitarian challenges whilst actively engaging in the development of the philanthropy sector on a large scale.

Since it was established in Geneva in 1796, Lombard Odier’s primary mission has been to grow its clients’ assets and pass them on to future generations. Its Managing Partners’ open-mindedness and sense of responsibility have shaped their vision and commitment. Thus, for seven generations, Lombard Odier has been active in the field of philanthropy.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Fondation Lombard Odier, created by the Group’s Managing Partners to respond to developments in a world characterised by rapid change. The foundation funds innovative solutions to address some of the most pressing challenges in the education and humanitarian sectors. Its objective is to work together with partners on whom it has an impact and to whom it can offer more than just financial support.

The ICRC’s humanitarian investment programme illustrates this commitment as a philanthropic actor linked to a financial institution: by making its expertise available, it contributes to providing essential humanitarian services to people in countries affected by conflict and violence. This first-ever bond with a humanitarian impact currently allows the ICRC to finance three new physical rehabilitation centres in Africa.

In the field of education, Fondation Lombard Odier created a fund to launch strategic initiatives in 2014, which enables EPFL to initiate, finance and develop ambitious projects without having to first obtain full funding. This has made it possible to co-finance flagship projects such as the Center for Digital Trust, a platform aimed at developing solutions in the fields of cyber security and data protection. With the Prix des Voyages Extraordinaires (Amazing Voyages Award), the foundation also encourages young people from French-speaking Switzerland to discover different cultures, to gain an understanding of the world around us and to broaden their horizons.

Convinced of the importance of philanthropy in society, Fondation Lombard Odier is also actively involved in developing the philanthropy sector to encourage research and the dissemination of knowledge, foster dialogue and innovation among stakeholders to shape the world of philanthropy of tomorrow and contribute to the establishment of frameworks that are favourable to philanthropy. The study entitled “Doing better more effectively: measuring and improving philanthropic vitality”, conducted on the occasion of the foundation’s 15th anniversary, is part of this vision.

For Patrick Odier, President of Fondation Lombard Odier and Senior Managing Partner, “the world is changing and so is philanthropy. We believe that by remaining true to our convictions – providing the impetus for philanthropic financing that catalyses change, making our financial skills available, and working with stakeholders to solve a problem – we will continue to initiate projects that can make a difference on a large scale.”