Key Takeaways:

• Sol de Janeiro has committed $7 million to its new foundation, founded entirely by the brand. 
• The foundation is built on two core pillars: conserving and restoring biodiversity, and empowering young women worldwide.
• It has 13 partners, including Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas in Brazil and Girls Opportunity Alliance, a program of the Obama Foundation.

Sol de Janeiro is the latest beauty brand to expand its social impact agenda with the launch of the Sol de Janeiro Foundation. Established in 2024, the foundation has committed $7 million to two core pillars: protecting biodiversity and empowering women.

Unlike many corporate foundations that depend on outside donations, Sol de Janeiro is the sole donor, with $6 million already contributed ($4 million in fiscal year 2025 and $2 million so far in fiscal year 2026). The brand is reinvesting its own growth back into causes that reflect its mission of “making the world a better place while feeling good doing it.”

“Sol de Janeiro started with passion and purpose,” said Heela Yang, Chairwoman and President of the foundation board and co-founder and CEO of Sol de Janeiro, in a press release. “We’ve always believed that beauty and responsibility go hand in hand, and thus the Sol de Janeiro Foundation was born.”

Already, the foundation has deployed $5.77 million in grants across projects ranging from rainforest protection in Brazil to increased educational access for young women in various countries.

At the foundation’s heart is its work with the Atlantic and Amazon rainforests. Partnering with the Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ), Brazil’s third-largest NGO, the foundation is helping restore biodiversity corridors in Bahia to reconnect critical forest fragments. Along with SOS Mata Atlântica, the foundation is working to produce 1.7 million native seedlings over the next five years. Sol de Janeiro has also teamed up with the nonprofit, Filha do Sol, to equip local female leaders with skills in climate resilience and restoration practices.

At the same time, the foundation’s global reach extends through a five-year grant to the Girls Opportunity Alliance, a program of the Obama Foundation, which has already impacted 120,000 girls in over 40 countries. The initiative provides education, resources, and gives confidence to help young girls reach their full potential.

By supporting both local action in Brazil and global strategies for women’s empowerment, Sol de Janeiro is meeting consumer expectations for sustainability and equity, while remaining true to its brand ethos.

“The Sol de Janeiro Foundation is our way of giving back and ensuring our success drives meaningful impact,” said Yang. “It’s about community, impact, and leaving the world better than we found it.”