CEW Hosts Forum—Elevating Black Women: The Urgency for Diversity in the Beauty Industry

Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) hosted a Diversity & Inclusion Forum on September 30, 2021, titled, Elevating Black Women: The Urgency for Diversity in the Beauty Industry.

The program, presented in partnership with CEW’s Task Force on Advancing Black Women, highlighted results from an industry-wide survey developed by the Task Force.

Underwritten by P&G and Unilever, the survey provides action plans and insights for the beauty industry—and beyond—in advancing Black women toward an equitable future.

Members of CEW's Task Force 

CEW's Task Force on Advancing Black Women is comprised of the following industry experts and thought leaders:

• ESTEE LAUDER CO.'s Susan Akkad, senior vice president, Local & Cultural Innovation 


• UNILEVER's Esi Eggleston Bracey, COO, EVP, Beauty & Personal Care, North America


• IMPALA Inc.'s IMAN Cosmetics' Karen Chambers, executive vice president 


• L'OREAL's Erica Culpepper, general manager, and Task Force Chair


• PARFUMS CHRISTIAN DIOR's Sarah Curtis Henry, senior vice president


• CEW's Carlotta Jacobson, president


• KAPLOW COMMUNICATION's Liz Kaplow, founder & chief executive officer


• FACEBOOK's Ajaa Long, head of global Beauty & Luxury


• Stephanie Davis Michaelman


• SHISEIDO's Jill Scalamandre, president / and CEW chairwoman


• BRIOGEO's Nancy Twine, founder and chief executive officer 


• P&G Beauty's Kelley Vanasse, vice president, communications 


• OLAPLEX's JuE Wong, chief executive officer

At the event, Carlotta Jacobson, president, CEW affirmed CEW’s goal to “truly champion diversity in the beauty industry and advocate to amplify diverse voices.”
She thanked CEW's "Impact Partners," which are 24/seven, Amazon Premium Beauty, Badger & Winters, BFA Industries, BIC, Briogeo, DIOR, Estée Lauder Companies, Facebook, Fairchild Media Group, Givaudan, Google, IFF, IMAN Cosmetics, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health, L’Oréal USA Professional Products Division & L’Oréal USA, Marina Maher Communications, Olaplex, P&G Beauty, Presperse, QVC, RéVive, Shiseido Americas, Symrise, ULTA Beauty, Unilever, and Walgreens.

Diversity and Business

Erica Culpepper, general manager, Carol’s Daughter & SoftSheen Carson, L’Oréal Consumer Products Division, thanked CEW and the Task Force members for “facilitating this courageous conversation.”

Culpepper described the mission of the survey to understand the critical role of diversity in business success; corporate America; and the personal journeys of Black women leaders in navigating the intersection of gender and race.

Walgreen's CEO Rosalind Brewer & Unilever's Esi Eggleston Bracey

She introduced Keynote Speaker, Rosalind Brewer, CEO, Walgreens, Boots Alliance, Inc

Brewer had an in-depth conversation with Esi Eggleston Bracey, COO, EVP, Beauty & Personal Care, Unilever North America.

First, Brewer revealed that insights into her success began with a look at the hard work she observed in her own family. As one of five children, Brewer saw first-hand the value her parents placed on work and perseverance; and as a student at Spelman College, she learned that when stress in remaining quiet was too much, she needed to begin “blazing forward and being her authentic self.”

Next, Brewer explained that although that came with pushback, she sharpened her skills and began building her power.

“Now I can walk into a room and know what I will have to use in my tool box that day,” she said.
     
Eggleston Bracey referred to the data that found that half of all Black women surveyed experienced discrimination based on race, and seven in ten experienced micro-aggressions in and out of the workplace.

Despite Brewer’s accomplishments, she acknowledged that she has been overlooked at meetings, and noted that she still gets followed when she is shopping. Eggleston Bracey said, “Unfortunately, that is a story we can all relate to.”
    
On building a support network, Brewer said she had never been a part of building a really aggressive network, but her network came from building genuine relationships. She made a switch in approach from asking people, to giving to people.

“Getting back from that has been a key aspect in my approach to business,” said Brewer. Responding to a question on how to improve our business culture, she said, “I am in this position for a reason, and I take this opportunity to answer questions and welcome teachable moments."

Brewer continued, "I think we’re doing a good job in terms of numbers, but in the environment, we still need game changing. When a person of some difference walks into a room, we need to embrace them. Having different people at the table with diversity of thought is key. You need a lot of different minds at the table. We have to learn how to respect one another and work collectively.”

Research Results: Task Force Surveys 1k Women

Tiyale Hayes, SVP of Brand Strategy & Marketing, BET Networks, and the CEO of Modulize, presented the results of the survey, "Equity, Inclusion, and the Advancement of Black Women in Beauty."

Hayes also provided an analysis of the survey data, in terms of social change.

The Task Force surveyed 1,000 women of all races, as well as held focus groups, in order to quantify findings, and ultimately extrapolate the data in terms of action plans and insights.

Hayes noted the following findings:

Black women see themselves as key players in the beauty industry. They are committed to driving the equity of Black representation. Overall, organizational representation is still low; and there is not a clear industry-wide commitment to mentorship.

“Success has been found in staying true to the game,” said Hayes. He cited Madame C.J. Walker’s hair care product innovations, the extensive work and participation happening in brands today, including reformulation of products that address Black women’s needs, and building services and organizations; noting that there are increasing options in the beauty industry, and cultural needs yet to be fulfilled.
    
Hayes said half of the Black women working in the beauty industry are working on Black-focused product specificity; and in addition are more likely to have worked at multiple companies to seek growth opportunities.

“This signals that I have not been valued at my current company,” noted Hayes, “versus having opportunities within one’s own company.”

Only 12% of Black women completely agree they have a voice in the industry; and Black women are more likely than non-Black women to have sought professional development outside of work and to have paid for it themselves, versus having it paid for by their company.
    
A video titled, Bringing the Research to Life, produced by Facebook, demonstrated the depth of experience and emotion among Black women today presented via impactful quotes, like, “Sometimes I feel like I’m on a cliff alone,” and “We keep trying to flower in the desert.”

Hayes acknowledged that the “conversation is just getting started,” and provided the following.

Actionable Points

The following are "actionable points," from black leaders in the beauty industry:

• PERFORMANCE: Build a proven track record of technical effectiveness; develop a community of support and a trusted network.


• MENTORSHIP & SPONSORSHIP: Grow a professional network; show up authentically; and do the work toward building professional confidence.


• EXPAND INFLUENCE: Find ways to elevate the impact your career can have on your community.

A Call to Action

In a Call to Action, Hayes provides the following 'top of mind' business points: 

• Having a commitment to reward and value the culture work at the same level as the total market work


• Ensure that high potential Black women are considered for crucible roles inside the company Evaluate salary planning and performance with formal salary review for Black women


• Develop and roll out a successful model


• Create systems for community building among Black women


• Encourage women to speak up in a healthy and productive way when facing micro-aggression and discrimination

Kendra Speed, principal, KNS Consulting, LLC, emphasized how the findings are addressing specific issues on an industry level, as well as company level, vis-à-vis personal experience.

She noted the importance of seeing value in cultural work, saying that once you see it, you can begin to reframe the approach to scaling up, and understand the value of the work and how it is significant for beauty companies, and can enable opportunities in the beauty industry.

Hayes added, “Don’t go it alone. One company can’t change it. CEW can’t do it alone. You need to challenge those around you to become part of the space. Use whatever seat of authority you sit in to challenge others to push for advancement; then you will see a groundswell.”

Hayes reiterated Rosalind Brewer’s message, saying, “You want people to know that you see them.” As Brewer said in her Keynote, “When I see someone doing something, I let them know I see them.” Hayes utilized a running analogy to bring the point home. “You might not be running yourself, but you can root for someone who is.”

The data revealed that feelings of belonging are indeed different for Black women. “The number of Black women still dealing with micro-aggressions is sobering,” she said, asking, “Where are you from the center of the culture of the company you work with? And what can every company do to ensure that everyone’s culture is close to the center and feels a sense of belonging?”

Creating a Pipeline for Workplace Diversity

Porter Braswell is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Jopwell, a diversity and inclusion technology company representing careers for Black, LatinX, and Native American students and professionals.

Braswell spoke with Nancy Twine, founder and CEO of Briogeo, about recruiting and hiring underrepresented talent, and solutions to reach communities of color.

Braswell began his career on the trading floor of Goldman-Sachs, where he was often asked to support diversity recruiting efforts. He created Jopwell to connect top talent with employers, build a diverse professional community, and empower employers to create more equitable and inclusive workplaces.

“You have to be prepared to have meaningful conversations about race. If companies didn’t welcome Black Lives Matter, and real topics about race into the workplace, they are missing real experience," he explained.

"Race and how that plays out in the context of the workplace are necessary conversations to take place. By having these dialogues, we gain new perspectives that we haven’t engaged in before. If it’s happening at work, you’ll train your perspective,” Braswell said.

Jopwell exists to "answer the pipeline challenge," Braswell explained. "We help recruit good people with transferable skill sets. This whole notion about 'pipeline challenge'...it is your job as a company to create a diverse workplace environment," he stated. "And you can come up with the best talent,” he added. 

Briogeo's Twine said, "It starts with senior leadership being able to get it right." 

Braswell added, "Companies need to be clear about their transparent pain points. Think of it as a product. What is your timeline? How is everyone rowing the boat? It helps to get everyone on board; it’s everybody’s job. Everyone has a stake in this game."

Actions include:

• Treat others the way you like to be treated. Retain talent from underrepresented groups.
• Approach dialogues with understanding and empathy.
• Be a good neighbor, have common sense and ask colleagues how they are doing.
• Be alert and have an open mind.
• Define what success looks like, and ask for transparency as an understood value.
• Be intentional in the questions you are asking of your candidates.
• Have an inclusive hiring process, with appropriate level people doing the interviewing.
• Amplify what it means to create a truly diverse workplace.

Navigating the Intersection of Gender and Race

Stella M. Nkomo, strategic professor, Department of Human Resource Management, University of Pretoria; and Ella Bell Smith, Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth University, have added a newly updated Preface and Epilogue to their book, "Navigating the Intersection of Gender and Race."

The book is based on their 1990’s research to understand how Black and white women entered corporate America, and how race interacts with gender in the corporate experience.

Stephanie Creary, PhD, Organizational Scholar, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, moderated, asking how contemporary experience prompted their updated work.

“The current brutality, murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and racial justice protests around the world called for an updating of the book,” said Nkomo, adding that advancing progress on issues of equality continues to inform their research and writing. “Black women are not getting the opportunities that match their qualifications. In contrast to the ‘old glass ceiling,’ Black women faced a ‘concrete wall,’ that didn’t allow access to upper levels of corporate America,” said Nkomo.
    
“In 2001 there were 1.1 percent, and in 2020 there are 1.4 percent of Black women in the corporate suite. We have crept along,” said Nkomo. Smith noted that Black women are often placed into archetypal roles of taking care of people and issues, rather than participating in roles of financial leadership.
    
Smith noted the concept of “ally-ship,” and the importance of asking hard questions, such as “What biases do I bring to the table and how did I learn about race?”

She said that action is required. “While a lot of companies are accelerating toward diversity training, the next level is what needs to be done to change as a company to enable Black women to rise. There’s a need for radical transformational change,” said Smith.

Journeys in Corporate America Panel

A panel addressed inclusion in corporate America vis-a-vis truth-telling, equity and diversity, and critical race theory. Moderated by Kendra Speed, Principal, KNS Consulting, the panel was comprised of:

• Susan Akkad, SVP, Local & Cultural Innovation, Estée Lauder Companies
• Karen Chambers, EVP, Impala Inc./Iman Cosmetics
• Erica Culpepper, General Manager, Carol’s Daughter – SoftSheen Carson, L’Oréal
• Sarah Curtis Henry, SVP Sales and Omnichannel Retail, Parfums Christian Dior
• Ajaa Long, Head of Global Beauty & Luxury, Facebook

Chambers said, “Moving the needle on the conversation is key. A catalyst has been that some companies have taken a top-line view, but maybe not taking a deep dive yet. It is with truth-telling that we can make change.”

Sarah Curtis Henry, Parfums Christian Dior noted that a result of the racial movement in the last 18 months has been a radically accelerated conversation and action.

“This is yielding broader scale of digital commerce, social media revolution, and evaluation platforms. It has also yielded greater conversation regarding diversity and equity, greater voice participation and inclusion,” said Curtis Henry. She explained the importance of participation in corporate roles, “C-Suite visibility,” and inclusion. “What I don’t like is that racial reckoning will be a blip on the scale, but hope it will be sustained as we move forward,” said Henry.

What's Your Career-Defining Word?

When asked to provide one word that has defined each panelist’s career journey, Culpepper, L’Oréal said:

“Intention. Energy flows where intention goes. I have followed my passion and I can enjoy my journey, do purposeful work, and pay it forward. My cup is full.”

Ajaa Long, Facebook, said:

“Impact. Having started in the beauty industry, it was a defining part of my journey. Impact is a core tenet of the products I’ve worked on and the relationships I’ve had.”

Susan Akkad, The Estée Lauder Companies, offered Empowerment as the operative word. She began her career as an assistant at the Lauder Companies, and came back twenty-two years later as an executive.

“Empowerment is key. To understand what your right to feel beautiful means is so important; especially working with innovation for skin of color at Lauder. One of the things that motivates me is my power in that I’m in service for consumers of color,” said Akkad.

The Experience of Black Women in Beauty

In reply to Speed’s question about the experience of Black women in beauty, Long said, “In addition to an organizational and systematic approach, there is also a human connection that’s important, for example, how we address our bias and how we address our support.”

Curtis Henry added, “Fostering inclusion starts at the leadership level. If it’s not embraced at the leadership level it’s not going to be effective. It’s proven to be a strength that organizations that embrace diversity and authenticity see success in business.”

“While recruiting and retention are key, it is not just about retaining and promoting, but also including affinity groups, mentoring, and including everyone. Bringing authenticity and creating an environment that allows people to bring their full authentic selves to the experience adds value,” said Curtis Henry.

Akkad noted network building inside and outside your organization. “On a peer level, it’s very important to ‘have your girls,’ to support you, while it’s also important to be open to who can be your mentor. They don’t have to look like you. The mentors I had were all white men, so you need to be open.” Curtis Henry said, “No matter your level, let your voice be heard even if you’re not the most senior person in the room. Take up space, the time is now, let your voice be heard.”

“Build your personal orb, including mentors and sponsors, and have a growth-minded, evolver mindset. Set big goals and visions, then break them into bite-size pieces, and share your goals and aspirations,” said Long. Chambers said, “Be true to yourself. You’ll know when you’ve hit your stride, and make sure you are aligned with the organization you’re working for.”

Culpepper concluded the panel discussion, saying, “I always advise young women to build as they climb, so you give and receive. Don’t bear the burden of being a strong Black woman, please ask for help and allow others to help.”

The Importance of Black CMO’s

Jerri DeVard, founder, Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA), in conversation with Karen Chambers, Impala, Inc./Iman Cosmetics, shared insights into the experience of being a woman of color and a CMO.

DeVard said she always knew she wanted to help consumers choose a brand that spoke to them, whether it was sports or beauty. “Black executives bear the burden of being a leader and being Black, so that comes with a certain level of expectations. You also have the empathy of those who are ‘outside the door,’ that you want to lift up,” said DeVard.
   
“I think it’s a privilege to have that voice and that platform; and I started BECA because I wanted to emphasize the deep story-telling that had to be done,” said DeVard. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are so important,” said Chambers, asking, “Why is it just plain good business to take that perspective?” DeVard said, “If everyone looks like you, it’s going to be an echo chamber. You need diversity at the table. Brands that are doing well are coming from an authentic place.”
    
“As a business leader you have to know what you’re selling and who you’re selling it to. You can’t just check a box. The more you have diverse people around you, the better off you’re going to be. It makes it so much richer,” said DeVard.
    
Chambers asked how mentoring champions impacted DeVard in her career. “I have to applaud CEW for doing the research and then seeing what it is you have to do. Talent is ubiquitous, opportunity is not. I have been fortunate to have had amazing mentors in my career,” said DeVard.

She emphasized the need to work to cultivate common objectives and welcome honest feedback. “First, ask for support; earn that support; and bring it forward. It’s important to align with an organization that cares, at the top; and you have to set the tone and ask yourself, ‘Have I stood up to take up the issues that have to be done?’

For everyone, representation is key. What has been done, have we moved the needle? The metrics have to be measured and met, and when diverse slates don’t bring diverse hires, you have to find out why,” said DeVard.

Top Takeaways

Esi Eggleston Bracey thanked Carlotta Jacobson, CEW and The Task Force, for providing research that is both “compelling and actionable;” and summarized key takeaways from the forum, with a GRASP acronym denoting company and leadership action points:

• G – Establish growth goals; specifics and measurement are key


• R – Recognize and reach; value and recognize perspectives


• A – Active and authentic advocacy; have the courageous conversations


• S – Sponsorship and mentorship expand and accelerate career advancement


• P – Plan for the future; identify the biggest roles in the organization; Identify what systems need to be dismantled to drive participation.

Three actions for Black women in the industry, per Bracey’s summary:

• Continue to deliver; earn your support
• Be your authentic self; embrace your natural talents and share them
• Create and use your crew; build your sister circle; don’t be afraid to ask for help

Three actions for colleagues, per summary:

• Build your cultural fluency
• Practice active advocacy
• Surround yourself with diversity, in the books you read, the restaurants you frequent, support and celebrate Black women in the industry. Open up and show up together.

Carlotta Jacobson closed the program, thanking Eggleston Bracey for her leadership and collaboration, saying she hoped the program had illuminated the challenges the industry faces.

Share Ideas, Inspire Change 

During her final remarks, Jacobson asked attendees to share their ideas and resources, in an effort to help advance CEW’s research.

We should all continue to share thoughts and ideas, to inspire change.