Marimekko participates in Plan International's Girls Takeover campaign where girls step into the shoes of political, social and financial leaders on the UN's International Day of the Girl, 11 October.
Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko, CEO and President of Marimekko, will step aside for a day as the charming 16-year-old Unna Luoma steps in as Marimekko's Chief Executive Officer. Plan International's campaign seeks to draw attention to discrimination against girls and at the same time, highlight their huge potential.
This year, the campaign focuses on the impacts of climate change on girls' living in developing countries. The positions to take over were selected in companies and organizations that can contribute to the mitigation of climate change.
It is especially the girls living in the world's poorest countries who most suffer the consequences of climate change. Climate change affects their nutrition, access to water and hygiene, increases the rates of early school dropouts and child marriage and increasingly exposes them to abuse.
At the same time, girls in developing countries are a significant part of the solution to climate change. When they get access to education and decision making, their abilities and skills can be incorporated as a part of the solution to climate change. When girls have the chance to take part in making decisions, the future will be better for all.
The objective of Girls Takeover campaign is that the girls taking over the powerful positions can have a genuine and meaningful influence on the decisions made during the day. At Marimekko, Unna Luoma will meet the design team and participate in a management group meeting where she will have the floor.
Marimekko wants to be a pioneer in driving positive change in the textile industry. We are committed to continuously increasing the share of sustainable cotton and other more sustainable materials in our products as well as supporting the development of new, more sustainable materials by enabling different types of experiments in our printing mill in Helsinki.
The Tasaraita (even stripe) pattern is our symbol of equal rights. In 2019, we donate 1 € to Plan International for every full-price Tasaraita shirt sold. Each purchase helps to drive children's rights and equality for girls.
