'The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.' Pierre Corneille

Informed by a 30-year legacy of nourishing our communities, Aesop's philanthropic endeavors involve partnering with charities that amplify the voices of those who may not otherwise have a platform, with a particular emphasis on the development of literacy.

Literature has a unique ability to unite, liberate and empower—to raise awareness and foster empathy as well as compassion. In 2021, two Aesop stores celebrated London Pride by devoting their spaces to the amplification of queer voices and stories. Following similar gestures in The Americas, the ephemeral queer library saw the shelves of Aesop Soho and Aesop Borough cleared of product for one week to make way for titles by LGBTQIA+ authors and allies from the UK and around the world. The library consisted of cherished works of queer literature chosen by Aesop’s retail and office teams. As a way of supporting local independent business, over 3500 volumes were purchased from Bloomsbury-based institution Gay’s The Word—the oldest queer bookstore in the UK. To complement this, our long-time literary partner Penguin Random House made a generous donation of more than 1500 books. Overall, the collection featured more than 80 titles spanning fiction, nonfiction and poetry.

In celebration of Pride, Aesop Edinburgh would like to invite the public to explore a range of LGBTQIA+ literature in our St James Quarter Store on the 25th and 26th of June. These titles will be offered as complimentary gifts to all visitors, regardless of purchase. In return, we kindly ask that a donation be made to Waverley Care, Scotland's leading HIV, Hepatitis C and Sexual Health charity with whom we have built relations with in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our charitable organization, The Aesop Foundation, is the philanthropic arm of Aesop and was established in 2017. The Foundation will be matching all donations made by the public on behalf of Waverley Care.

Waverley Care was set up in 1989 to build the UK’s first purpose-built AIDS hospice, in response to the growing HIV epidemic in Edinburgh. A site was made available on the grounds of the retired City Hospital and Milestone House opened its doors in January 1991. As well as supporting people living with HIV, they offered services to partners and family members, and developed the very first individual and group support for children and young people both living with and affected by HIV. The advent of new drug treatments in 1996 shifted the focus of their work towards helping people to come to terms with living longer with HIV. In 1999 the hospice, Milestone, adapted its services to provide more respite care rather than palliative care. They have continued to grow and adapt as treatment and attitudes evolve, not only helping to reduce new HIV and Hepatitis C infections, but smashing stigma, tackling health inequalities and promoting good sexual health. Waverley Care's existence is a crucial part of Scottish LGBTQIA+ heritage, empowering people across Scotland—free of judgement.

On behalf of Aesop, we wish everyone a wonderful Pride.