Sephora launched their Belong Initiative in May of 2019 with the aim to lead the industry in inclusion and diversity. Following the Identify as We campaign, which launched in June, is Color Up Close, which states retailers must personally acknowledge and embrace all shades and backgrounds while serving a diverse clientele.
The franchise has over 16,000 employees across 400 stores and is continuing to challenge themselves to foster a culture that celebrates racial diversity and creates safe spaces for all customers. Sephora is looking to tackle the unconscious bias in retail that can affect the experience of people with diverse backgrounds negatively.
In the Color Up Close intiativie, Sephora will examine internal practices and culture while promoting industry-wide change. Tactics include ongoing employee education, which will have the entire U.S. staff participating in at least 10 different training touchpoints focused on better understanding and relating to all clients and employees.
Sephora has also convened a group of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the NAACP, the National CARES Mentoring Movement, the National Black Justice Coalition, and the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and the Sephora Equity Advisors. The group will lead recommendations to advance inclusivity and improve retail experiences for everyone. The effort is being managed by Values Partnerships.
There will also be a donation to support the work at large and placing values in practice.
You can see Color Up Close creatively in Sephora’s across the country and can receive more information regarding the campaign at Sephora.com/Belong.
It’s time to talk about color face to face. Thank you to our incredible cast and crew for bringing our shared vision to life. https://t.co/uS0iTmTKbf pic.twitter.com/baGQbGGfkm
— Sephora (@Sephora) August 15, 2019
