Estée Lauder launches fund to help women develop leadership skills

Estée Lauder, the cosmetics brand owned by the eponymous American group, is launching the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders (ELEL) fund. This charitable fund aims to challenge gender stereotypes and empower women in the workplace by helping them develop and strengthen their leadership skills.

"The 75-year legacy of the Estée Lauder brand shows what one visionary woman can achieve. Through the work of the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Fund and its program partners, we will champion women to contribute and lead in their workplaces and communities," said Stéphane de La Faverie, president of The Estée Lauder Companies.

Estée Lauder has made an initial investment of $1 million in ELEL to support international organizations that strive to bolster these emerging leaders. Its first partner is Vital Voices, a global nonprofit organization that helps women accomplish their dreams for social change.

"At Vital Voices, we recognize that women lead differently, and that distinction is exactly what our world needs. Our partnership with the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Fund will identify emerging leaders with a bold vision for positive change and provide them with the skills, network and resources they need to make that vision a reality," said Alyse Nelson, president and CEO of Vital Voices. 

Vital Voices and ELEL will co-launch a seven-week long online and offline customized leadership development program in July. Applications for the first and second cohorts are now open on the Vital Voices website.  

In the third quarter of its 2022 fiscal year closed on March 31, the Estée Lauder Group, who additionally owns cosmetics brands such as M.A.C and Clinique, recorded sales of $4.25 billion (4.02 billion euros), up 10% from the previous year