In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, The Moodie Davitt Report is shining the spotlight on different women who are breaking the gender bias and promoting inclusivity and diversity in their respective industries.
For over 25 years, Bobbi Brown has been committed to empowering women and girls beyond makeup. The Estée Lauder Companies-owned beauty brand has partnered with countless non-profit organisations that promote gender equality through education.
In 2019, Bobbi Brown launched the Pretty Powerful Fund, which has donated over US$1 million to organisations such as She’s the First that provide education, mentorship and female-focused resources to more than 170,000 socially-vulnerable girls around the world.
The Moodie Davitt Report caught up with Bobbi Brown and La Mer Global President Sandra Main to talk about the powerful ‘why’ behind Bobbi Brown’s CSR mission.
She discusses the importance of education in closing the vast disparity in opportunities for women, and how projects such as the Pretty Powerful Fund can support ecosystems where girls can thrive. She also reflects on the meaning and impact of International Women’s Day, as she calls on the travel retail industry to come together to create a more inclusive and equal world.
What is the significance of your connection to the Pretty Powerful Fund and what are your key goals today?
As a female-founded brand, championing women is at the core of everything we do. For more than 20 years, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has worked hard to help empower women and girls beyond makeup. The brand has partnered with numerous non-profit organisations to help women and girls develop job skills, sustain a business and gain access to educational resources.
In 2019, we launched the Pretty Powerful Fund with the mission of supporting female advancement through education and have since contributed over US$1 million to organisations that empower women and girls around the globe. Along with continued investment, we aim to raise awareness for our grantees and engage consumers and employees in our pretty powerful mission.
How did Bobbi Brown’s partnership with She’s the First come to be? How does the organisation fit with your CSR-values as a brand?
We came across She’s the First through their partnership with the Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation Fund (ELCCF) and admired the organisation’s approach to creating meaningful change in local communities. Our partnership is centered around a shared vision where girls choose their future and are empowered to advocate for change.
Through our multi-year partnership, we have supported She’s the First with resources to fund global mentorship programs, develop digital resources such as the Girls’ Bill of Rights, gender equity training for students and critical girl-centric resources for COVID-19 relief. We also invest in awareness-raising communications to engage consumers, including a donation-at-checkout feature and social fundraising.
How important is girls’ education and social mobility to Bobbi Brown’s brand mission. And in that context, what role do The Estée Lauder Companies and the wider beauty industry have to play?
While gender equality progress has been made, women still make up more than two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population. Education equates to more than pay parity, it empowers women to have greater agency over their lives and decisions that impact their families. The work of the Pretty Powerful Fund is inspired by the vast gap in opportunity for women.
The Estée Lauder Companies Travel Retail Division has pledged US$25,000 to help She’s the First empower girls to choose their own future. Tell us how please how this grant and the Pretty Powerful Fund support girls’ education?
Our contributions support access to education, mentorship, life-skills training, and critical girl-centric resources to organisations that are best positioned to meet the unique needs of girls in their local communities. Access isn’t the only barrier to education; girls need fundamental resources before they can focus on their own growth and development.
The Pretty Powerful Fund focuses on supporting the whole ecosystem girls thrive in. Each year, She’s the First reaches over 147,000 girls across 42 countries. Our commitment is to ensure long-term, sustainable funding of this growing network of girls and their advocates.
Bobbi Brown has been committed to ‘empowering women beyond makeup’ for over 20 years. Could you tell us more about your social projects outside of the Pretty Powerful Fund?
Prior to launching the fund and over the course of the 25+ years, we supported several causes that echo our vision of creating new opportunities for women and girls such as Dress for Success, Girl Rising, Kiva International, and Smart Works. We also launched a limited-edition cause product – Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge, with proceeds going to these organisations. Empowering women to celebrate their individuality and confidence is the powerful why behind our brand.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you and how is Bobbi Brown celebrating and uplifting women on this special day?
I am fortunate to work alongside a powerhouse community of women supporting one another. This day is a moment of self-reflection, to consider how we can be better allies and lift those around us. To further amplify our efforts, we are lending our social platform to She’s the First for Women’s History Month and hosting an Instagram fundraiser with 100% of proceeds going directly to the organisation.
“When women support each another, we all succeed” — with Bobbi Brown and La Mer Global President Sandra Main
How can travel retail, including your retail partners, play a wider role in raising awareness about girls’ education and gender equality?
While there is much to be done to achieve gender equality, investing in future generations, and raising awareness about the power of girls to enact change is something we all can do. Travel Retail is an industry of committed and passionate individuals, who are invested in their communities around the world. By working together, we can commit to supporting girls and at-risk communities to enact meaningful change.
Do you have a final message to share with the travel retail community on International Women’s Day?
When women support each another, we all succeed.
