Mary Kay Inc. released a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statement celebrating Global Diversity Awareness Month and highlighting the transformative changes the company has enacted within its model, as well as through external touchpoints.
DEI has been a key strategy for the company as it has grown across almost 40 markets and a guide for how it will operate amid that expansion. Mary Kay enhances understanding through employee training, maintaining supplier diversity and inclusive procurement, demanding action and ensuring diversity among its representation and leadership.
The company’s belief in the increased representation of women is seen in action through its own workplace. At Mary Kay, more than half of the company’s executive team are women, and 38% are BIPOC. Of the company’s global workforce, 62% are women, and 60% of the leadership positions in the company’s Top 10 Markets are held by women.
“Mary Kay has operated with an intention to challenge the status quo since its inception, opening doors for women and diverse groups since 1963,” said Julia A. Simon, Mary Kay Chief Legal and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. “We believe the private sector has a fundamental role to play in bringing about social change. Through our corporate actions, we are committed to advancing diversity and ensuring inclusivity in our company. We recognize the fight for equality stretches beyond our walls which is why we champion efforts in communities we touch around the globe.”
External partnerships are also integral to the company’s DEI initiatives, and the company supports community efforts to address gender-based violence, strengthen women’s leadership, promote equitable education opportunities, strengthen entrepreneurial opportunities for women and address bias in emerging technologies. Mary Kay has partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s National Racial Equity Initiative for Social Justice, the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, The Nature Conservancy and the International Women’s Forum to make sure that DEI are represented through action.
“For Mary Kay, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are not just words—they are how we are able to deliver on our purpose to enrich women’s lives around the world,” the company wrote in a statement. “Through our corporate efforts to achieve our DEI commitments and by partnering with change-makers around the world to address gender and racial injustices, we are taking action and ensuring transformative change in our company, across our business partners and in the communities we serve.”
