Rooted in inclusivity and propelled by allyship, the beauty industry’s DE&I journey has been decades in the making. But three years ago the world shifted — and beauty took a renewed action. At CEW’s 3rd annual DE&I forum, thought leaders acknowledged beauty’s progress and its continued commitment to moving the needle so women of color can succeed. Speakers shared their challenges, triumphs, and success stories, and spoke candidly about what it takes to build inclusivity, providing insights for all career levels, from early career to C-suite.
Session Breakdowns
Keynote: Industry Vanguards: Breaking Barriers, Allyship, and Paving the Way for Inclusion
Speakers: Allure Editor-in Chief, Jessica Cruel; Honest CEO, Carla Vernon; and co-founder of ThirteenLune, Nyakio Grieco
Description: Breaking the glass ceiling may be the goal, but what happens after you make it happen? When you’re the first to do it in your field, family, community, you soon realize it’s not only the first of many barriers to overcome, but an opportunity to pave the way for progress as a leader. Join Allure Editor-in Chief, Jessica Cruel; Honest CEO, Carla Vernon; and co-founder of ThirteenLune, Nyakio Grieco, in a fireside conversation to share their insights, successes, challenges, and goals as leaders driving diversity & inclusivity within the beauty industry across media, retail, and brand. With a devotion to DE&I, these industry vanguards share how far we have come and where we can go from here.
Using AI to Identify Inclusivity Gaps from Boardroom to the Beauty Counter
Company: SeeMe Index
Speakers: Asha Shivaji, Jason Klein
Description: The SeeMe Index’s groundbreaking work utilizes responsible AI to uncover inclusivity gaps in the workplace, creating a roadmap to improve a brand or company’s overall SeeMe IQ (inclusivity quotient). By analyzing a cross-section of a brand’s assets, product lines, and DEI commitments, the SeeMe Index provides guidance so that a brand can measure and benchmark its consumer-facing inclusivity efforts—and improve its IQ. In this presentation, SeeMe will share industry insights by identity dimension (such as skin tone, age and gender expression, to name a few) and show where the beauty industry is excelling and where they have the largest opportunities to drive inclusion. They will also feature brands to watch who are distinguishing themselves from the competition.
A Holistic Approach to Hiring for Diversity
Company: True Search
Speaker: Keri Gavin
Description: Leading C-Suite talent search firm True Search explores the significance of inclusive leadership practices, strategies to attract and retain diverse talent, and the positive impact it has on fostering innovation and meeting the evolving needs of the beauty market.
Real Talk: Navigating the Workplace as a Woman of Color
Panelists: Kia Lowe (Loved01), Maria Llanos (Live Tinted), Anitra Marsh (P&G), Tammy Tran (Tatcha)
Moderator: Karen Chambers
Description: Join a diverse and dynamic panel for a deep-dive conversation centering on navigating career pathways as women of color. We’ll get into real talk about how these executives have excelled in their careers, their highs, lows and pivots, and ask questions that will benefit attendees from all points in their careers.
The Beauty of Inclusivity: Redefining the Industry
Company: BrainTrust
Speaker: Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Founder and CEO, BrainTrust and General
Partner, BrainTrust Fund
Description: Inclusive beauty is becoming table stakes for the beauty industry. From
gender-neutral makeup to male personal care, niches are creating huge
opportunities for multinationals and new brands alike. This discussion will dive into the
Beauty of Inclusivity and how it’s redefining our industry, including what defines
inclusive beauty, the investment landscape, markets of the future, and next steps for brands.
Driving Innovation of Representation and Storytelling
Speakers: KR Lui and Fleur Massena
Description: A conversation with KR Liu, Google’s Head of Brand Accessibility, about how beauty companies should get serious about inclusion through:
- Inclusive design and marketing
- Innovation in representation and storytelling
- Making sure that people of marginalized groups are part of the decision making process
The Future of Work & Generational Behaviors in the Context of DE&I
Company: Sparks & Honey
Panel: Terry Young, Davianne Harris, Mary Wood, Joon Park
Description: On the heels of the upcoming 2024 election, what does DEI mean in today’s cultural landscape? What are the key amplifiers and how do brands navigate with the current cultural backdrop? Based on research from the s&h Responsible Marketing Index, sparks & honey will explore the cultural headwinds and tailwinds shaping the complexities surrounding the future of work, generational behaviors, and the beauty industry through the lens of DE&I.
Speakers
Impact Partners
