IMPACT AT HEART
We are passionate educationalists committed to making a long-term impact
We did not inherit the earth from our parents, we have borrowed it from our children
Babilou Family Foundation at a glance:
• Founded in 2017
• 200 000 euros committed to date
• 5 pillars of action
• 6 NGOs supported to date
• In 2019, 3 beehives were installed on the roof of the Babilou Family head office in France
• Since 2017, the foundation had raised €10 million for child cancer research
The only way to change the world is through early education.
As part of our corporate project Growing Together 2020 we have created a Corporate Foundation to support initiatives that help more children across the world to have a better start in life. The Babilou Foundation created in 2017 has become “Babilou Family Foundation” in 2022.
Babilou Family Foundation is jointly headed by Edouard Carle, founder of Babilou, and Sridevi Raghavan, Group Sr VP of Education, Quality & Sustainability at Babilou Family. With an annual budget of of €500,000, the Foundation supports long-term projects and partnerships. The
budget will be supplemented in the future through voluntary contributions from employees and events organized by the Foundation.
Babilou Family Foundation strives for social progress every day. We support actions that have longterm impact on the very fabric of society. Across the globe, in our nurseries, daycares and schools, our teams are preparing the future citizens of the world. Through the Babilou Family Foundation, we want to extend our reach to make a real difference to children everywhere. Babilou Family Foundation is leveraging this international presence to reduce educational inequalities, promote environmental awareness and protect child health beyond our network. We are mobilising our teams on the ground to support actions and initiatives in local communities and on the global stage. It is a natural extension of our education mission. Our profession is rooted in the healthy development of children and the environments in which they evolve. It unites teachers, parents, carers, governments, private institutions and non-for-profit organisations. Together, we have a responsibility to ensure every child is equipped to shape a better world. At Babilou Family Foundation, we are all co-educators with longterm impact at heart.
A global platform for positive change
Established in 2017, the Babilou Family Foundation is reaching beyond the Babilou Family network to become a global platform for social and environmental change. Our teams are linking up with community-based organisations to bring early education to children who need it most. By opening minds, we can transform lives. By reducing inequalities today, the world will be a better place tomorrow.
A springboard for sustainable education
In France, the Babilou Family Foundation promotes sustainable education through partnerships with a range of organisations. Each initiative is designed to support parents and encourage social inclusion while developing environmental awareness, nature conservation and responsible consumption. Today, we want to join forces with grassroots movements everywhere to nurture the eco-citizens of the future.
A research beacon for a changing world
The world is always changing and we are always learning. The Babilou Family Foundation actively supports academic research in cognitive development and early learning neuroscience. By understanding more about how the developing brain functions, we can bring the best out in children. We can help them achieve their full potential in a better informed, more balanced and inclusive world.
5 pillars of action
Child Health
The Babilou Family Foundation is committed to child health. It’s the cornerstone of our educational mission. The very first French nurseries were created to care for children after the first world war. Today, alongside parents and carers, we protect and promote the health of children at every stage of their development. But some health issues are out of our hands. Since 2017, we have been supporting research to find a cure for childhood cancer. When a childhood disease is preventable, we have a responsibility to act.
Social Inclusion
The Babilou Family Foundation supports actions that foster inclusion and create innovative learning opportunities for disadvantaged children. We are committed to supporting social integration and community-based initiatives that ensure nobody gets left behind.
Environmental Awareness
The Babilou Family Foundation advocates for sustainable education. In our nurseries, daycares and schools, all our educational programmes highlight the importance of protecting nature and natural resources. Beyond our network, the foundation supports environmental associations that are making an impact from the ground up through actions that involve children and parents. With the OFA, for example, we have created a special intervention to help parents and children understand the vital role of bees in preserving biodiversity and the ecological balance of the planet.
Scientific Research
The Babilou Family Foundation wants to take research into the developing brain much further. It allows us to develop the talent of our teams who then bring fresh insights and more impetus to our actions, both within and beyond the network. We have been supporting studies in cognitive development and early years neuroscience since 2003. Having this advanced knowledge helps us constantly improve our practices and bring out the very best in children.
Committed to advance in research and Neuroscience
In 2021, Babilou Family Foundation dedicated a significant part of its resources to support scientific research on cognitive development and neuroscience. On September 29, 2022, the Foundation sponsored the first-ever Neurosciences and Early Childhood Conference, which was organized in partnership with the UNESCO. Experts and scientists from France and around the world met to prepare a detailed report of findings and recommendations on the future of early education. This report was presented at the UNESCO’s World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education on November 14- 16, 2022 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The inaugural 1,000 First Days – Neurosciences and Early Childhood Conference made a concrete contribution to research on early childhood development through the development of a detailed action report. The Neuroscience for Early Years conference will be organised every two years by the Foundation with a view to increasing the level of academic research in early education, and to bridge research and practice in the
early years. During the world conference of early childhood education organized by the UNESCO in Tashkent in 2022, Babilou Family Foundation organized a session entitled ‘Neurosciences for the Advancement of the Early Childhood Education’. Panelists brought to light various key messages: the negative impact stress and trauma has on a young children’s long term brain development, the importance of prioritizing social and emotional development, the importance of ensuring a rich verbal engagement right from birth, and protecting children from exposure to the toxic effects of screens.
