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A childhood for all
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A childhood for all
We are the LEGO Foundation – an independent Danish corporate foundation working with partners around the world to support children’s needs and champion the dignity of childhood.
We believe every young person deserves a childhood that protects them, respects them, and lets them be a child. And that’s what we’re working to build.
The LEGO Foundation
The LEGO Foundation is overseen by a Board of Directors with six members elected in accordance with our charter. The Board sets the Foundation’s strategic direction and decides how our resources — including grants — are used.
The Board also supports and supervises the organisation, ensuring that we are managed responsibly and in line with relevant legislation and our charter. In addition, the Board appoints the CEO, who is responsible for the Foundation’s overall leadership and day-to-day operations.
About Thomas Kirk Kristiansen
Shareholder of KIRKBI A/S and representing the fourth generation of the LEGO® owner family.
About Jørgen Vig Knudstorp
Member of the KIRKBI Group leadership team with responsibility for brand and business development. Served as Executive Chairman of the LEGO Brand Group 2017-23, and CEO of the LEGO Group 2004-2016. Member of IMD Supervisory Board and Executive Advisor to the venture fund Innovation Endeavors, LLC.
About Agnete Kirk Kristansen
Fourth generation of the LEGO® owner family and shareholder of KIRKBI A/S.
Founder of Center for ADHD S/I in Aarhus, Denmark.
About Malou Aamund
Former managing Director of Google Denmark and former member of Parliament in Denmark.
About Elhadj As Sy
Chancellor of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Chair of Institut Pasteur de Dakar, and Chair of Kofi Annan Foundation Board. Previously served as the Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Former Director at UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNDP and the Global Fund.
About Hilary Pennington
Previously served as Executive Vice President of the Ford Foundation, leading the Education, Creativity and Free Expression division from 2013-2017 and global programmes from 2018-2024.
She co-founded Jobs for the Future and previously worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The LEGO Foundation is led by CEO Sidsel Marie Kristensen
The LEGO Foundation benefits from the leadership of CEO, Sidsel Marie Kristensen, and a dedicated Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for approving the Foundation's strategy and guiding the allocation of resources, including grants, to impactful initiatives.
The Board offers essential support and oversight, ensuring the Foundation operates effectively and in compliance with all regulations and its mission. The Board also appoints the CEO, who manages the Foundation's leadership and daily operations.
About Sidsel Marie Kristensen
Before taking on her role of CEO, Sidsel was General Counsel at KIRKBI A/S. She holds a Master of Law from Aarhus University and a Master in International and European Business Law from University of Leuven. Sidsel is a member of the Board of Directors in Merlin Entertainments Ltd., Koldingvej 2, Billund A/S and a number of subsidiaries in the KIRKBI Group.
Sidsel is the Chair of Imagination Lab Foundation, a board member of the Danish publisher Gyldendal and a member of The Committee on Foundation Governance. She serves on the board of BrainPOP, a leading digital learning provider and fully owned subsidiary of KIRKBIA/S.
The Lego Foundation Charter
Firstly, as part-owners our role is to safeguard and support the continued development and success of the LEGO Group, acting as custodians of the LEGO Group’s future. Secondly, our philanthropic mission is to support initiatives within education, research, and child development. The two purposes are inherently intertwined, as the commercial success of the LEGO Group enables our philanthropic ambition.
We are governed by our charter, which stipulates the role of the LEGO Foundation as a commercial foundation.
Got a question for us?
Below you’ll find answers to the questions we’re most frequently asked about the LEGO Foundation – from our policies and partnerships to practical information. If your question isn’t covered below, you’ll also find guidance on where to go next.
