The Lego Foundation

The LEGO Foundation aims to build a future where learning through play empowers children to become creative, engaged, life-long learners. They are a Danish corporate foundation based in two locations – Billund, Denmark and Baar, Switzerland. Their core team of dedicated employees has several nationalities but one shared passion: to make children’s lives better – and communities stronger – by making sure the fundamental value of play is understood, embraced and acted upon. Their work is about challenging the status quo by re-defining play and re-imagining learning. Re-defining play means changing the way people understand the importance of play –especially the huge value it has in helping children learn essential skills for life in the 21st century. To re-imagine learning they want to work with parents, carers, school systems, institutions and governments to use the transformative power of play to improve learning for millions of children all over the world. Their focus is on children aged 0-12, with a special emphasis on early childhood where children develop most rapidly, both physically and mentally. THE LEGO HERITAGE They benefit from more than 80 years of LEGO Group experience, the strong reputation of the LEGO® brand, and an unwavering focus on a positive impact on children and society. They share a mission with the LEGO Group: inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. The story of the LEGO Group is a story of three generations of family ownership. Ole Kirk Kristiansen, a carpenter, founded the company in 1932. He came up with the name LEGO from the Danish words ”leg godt” which means "play well" and the company grew to become the LEGO Group. Today, his grandson, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, is the owner of the Group and the chairman of the LEGO Foundation board. Common to all three generations is a focus on play, creativity and children’s development. As part of the ongoing commitment to giving children better opportunities to reach their full potential, the LEGO Group owner family is actively engaged in the LEGO Foundation board of directors and has chosen to transfer ownership of 25% of the Group to the LEGO Foundation. This is how we fund our activities.