Statement on International Women’s Day 2021 by Julia Simon, Chief Legal and Diversity Officer of Mary Kay Inc.

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Below is a statement by Julia Simon, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Diversity Officer, Mary Kay Inc., on International Women’s Day 2021.

Empowered women empower women. This belief serves as the foundation on which all work, internally and externally, rests at Mary Kay Inc. This mantra inspires Mary Kay’s tireless efforts to hire and promote women in leadership positions, support the Women’s Empowerment Principles established by UN Women and UN Global Compact, and develop entrepreneurship and economic opportunities to increase women’s participation and combat gender bias everywhere. If we lift one, we lift all. On International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021 that message rings especially poignant.

The theme of this year’s IWD is “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.” While I always wish to encourage our peers in the private and public sectors to amplify women’s voices, it is just as important to challenge ourselves as we challenge others. In 2019, Mary Kay launched in partnership with six UN agencies, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator, a strategic initiative designed to inspire, educate, and empower women entrepreneurs around the world. Our mission is to remove barriers to economic freedom for countless women in underserved areas over the next ten years. Our hope is that, in turn, their example as leaders will empower the next generation of girls.

Today and every day, we must work to achieve an equal future. A world free from violence, gender bias and discriminations. Women can’t wait. #IWD2021 #GenerationEquality

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her beauty company 57 years ago with three goals: develop rewarding opportunities for women, offer irresistible products, and make the world a better place. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skin care, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements and fragrances. Mary Kay is committed to empowering women and their families by partnering with organizations from around the world, focusing on supporting cancer research, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Mary Kay Ash’s original vision continues to shine—one lipstick at a time.