Victoria’s Secret Launches The Tour Impact Fund to Champion Gender Equality in the Arts and Advance Economic Empowerment

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio, Sept. 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Victoria’s Secret (NYSE: VSCO) is delighted to announce The Tour Impact Fund, a significant step forward in advancing gender equality and empowering voices in the communities where the VS20, a group of innovative creatives from the Victoria’s Secret World Tour, live, operate and create their art.

The Tour Impact Fund is an integral part of The Tour, a captivating fashion event, film and celebration that offers a unique glimpse into the artistic process and personal narratives of the VS20 from the vibrant cities of Bogota, Lagos, London and Tokyo. The fund will provide critical support to organizations in these cities working to:

• Advance the opportunities available to and success of women entrepreneurs: Empowering and equipping women entrepreneurs with the resources and opportunities they need, the fund aims to foster sustainable growth and economic empowerment. 
• Create opportunities for emerging women artists: Recognizing the importance of nurturing creativity and aiming to provide emerging women artists with platforms to showcase their talents and flourish in the art industry.

"We believe in the power of women entrepreneurs and artists to drive positive change in society,” said Christy Tostevin, Senior Vice President of Community Relations at Victoria’s Secret & Co. “With The Tour Impact Fund, we’re dedicated to advancing gender equality and amplifying women's voices worldwide. We aim to drive meaningful change and support organizations that share our vision of a more inclusive and empowered world."

Joining Victoria’s Secret in this work is acclaimed actress, producer, and entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra Jonas who will be an ambassador to The Fund partner organizations, serving as a mentor and advocate for women artists and entrepreneurs.

In addition, Victoria’s Secret and Chopra Jonas will host a panel and reception on gender equity alongside Project Everyone, a United Nations Global Partner for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocacy and outreach. The event will take place at Goals House on Monday, September 18 during the UN General Assembly and important halftime moment for the SDGs, with only 15 percent of the goals on track.

Uniting industry leaders, influencers, government officials and decision-makers to accelerate action and progress towards SDG 5 - Gender Equality, the panel will feature Dr. Lisa Newman, Chief, Section of Breast Surgery, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Christy Tostevin, SVP VS&CO Community Relations and the VS&Co Foundation, as well as Chopra Jonas. The panel will be moderated by Trisch Smith, Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Edelman.

“Real progress in gender equity requires collective action across the public and private sectors,” said Chopra Jonas. “Companies and individuals with large platforms must play a more significant role in shining a light on and addressing barriers. I’m delighted to join Victoria’s Secret in advancing our shared commitment to gender equality.”

Through this work, Victoria’s Secret and Priyanka Chopra Jonas hope to advance gender equality and leave a lasting mark on the lives of women creatives, entrepreneurs and communities around the world. 

Initial Impact Fund partnerships include:

Japan Institute for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (JSIE): Helping people unlock their full potential to promote social change with an innovative mindset and entrepreneurial spirit. VS will fund a cohort to attend the Women's Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment in May 2024 to inspire women and younger generations to lead rebuilding sustainable communities. It will conduct a three-day innovation challenge workshop in rural communities in Japan that has strong traditional male-dominating values, by bringing entrepreneurs from other areas, to build a collaborative cross-regional inclusive platform for social entrepreneurs. VS was connected to JSIE through Global Giving, an intermediary entity that vets organizations and retains control over funds received.

Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF): an award-winning pan-Africa women economic empowerment organization. The Impact Fund VS is supporting a seven-month program to enhance the investment readiness of early- and growth-stage women-led businesses. The program will support women founders and business owners from different sectors in Nigeria, preparing them to be investor ready and facilitates access to funding and investment opportunities for scaling.

KUTA Arts Foundation: supporting creativity and funding the work of Nigeria’s up and coming artists. VS is supporting 10 emerging and underserved female artists to participate in a residency from February - April 2024. This in-person residency program provides a safe space, art materials among other educational resources to participating artists. The resident artists connect with established artists who guide them as they develop their work over the course of three months.

Fundacion ArteSumapaz: a center for art and culture, provides residencies for international, national, and emerging artists, driving women’s business leadership and entrepreneurship. The Victoria’s Secret Fellowship for Artist Residencies at Fundacion ArteSumapaz will provide twelve, one-month residencies to Colombian women creatives.

About Victoria’s Secret & Co.

Victoria’s Secret & Co. (NYSE: VSCO) is a specialty retailer of modern, fashion-inspired collections including signature bras, panties, lingerie, casual sleepwear, athleisure and swim, as well as award-winning prestige fragrances and body care. VS&Co is comprised of market leading brands, Victoria’s Secret and Victoria’s Secret PINK, that share a common purpose of inspiring and uplifting our customers in every stage of their lives, and Adore Me, a technology-led, digital-first innovative intimates brand serving women of all sizes and budgets at all phases of life. We are committed to empowering our more than 30,000 associates across a global footprint of approximately 1,350 retail stores in approximately 70 countries. We provide our customers with products and experiences that make them feel good inside and out while driving positive change through the power of our products, platform and advocacy.          

For further information, please contact:

Media Relations:
Brooke Wilson
communications@victoria.com