lululemon announces $2M relief fund for studio ambassadors

lululemon has announced a global relief fund for store ambassadors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calvin McDonald, the company’s CEO, announced the initiative on Twitter and says that $2 million will be used to help their ambassador team that’s been affected by closures caused by coronavirus.

Today, @lululemon announces a $2M Ambassador Relief Fund to assist our ambassador studio owners who have been financially impacted during this time. The fund provides basic operating cost coverage to sweat businesses that have been affected by COVID-19 https://t.co/l3Cy0z1pma

— Calvin McDonald (@calvinmcdonald) March 24, 2020

The ambassador program includes athletes, fitness instructors, creatives, and entrepreneurs from around the world.

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Viviana Varela, spokesperson for lululemon, explains that many of the brand’s store ambassadors are instructors or studio owners within local communities. The brand has approximately 2,100 ambassadors, although this initiative applies mainly to those that own their own studio.

The program will be available to store ambassadors in all global markets and can be accessed through an online portal. A committee of lululemon partners will ensure that applicants are eligible to receive the funds and ensure even distribution.

“The relief fund intends to support brick and mortar sweat-based studios that have been impacted financially by a closure,” says Varela. “Helping them with the cost of their basic operating costs and helping them in getting back on their feet.”

Earlier this month, the Vancouver-founded athleisure company announced that all stores in North America and Europe would be closed from March 16 to 27. The brand also stated that employees would receive pay for the scheduled hours they would have worked.