Half of Black women in the beauty industry report having experienced open racial discrimination in the workplace. Black women are also less likely to feel welcome in the beauty industry—only half feel welcome. And, while it’s true that Black women are being promoted more frequently now than non-Black women in beauty, is this a movement or a moment?

These challenges, and a host of other issues Black women face in the beauty industry, will be discussed during CEW’s free virtual Diversity & Inclusion Forum on September 30, Elevating Black Women: The Urgency for Diversity in the Beauty Industry.

Serving as the cornerstone of the half-day forum will be results from an industry-wide survey developed by CEW’s Task Force on Advancing Black Women. In addition, more than a dozen Black leaders in and out of the beauty industry will discuss a number of topics affecting the workplace and brand authenticity.

Setting the stage for the day’s event is CEW Task Force Chair Erica Culpepper, General Manager, Carol’s Daughter-SoftSheen Carson, L’Oréal. Erica will discuss the role of CEW’s Task Force, its mission and vision.

Serving as Keynote is Rosalind Brewer, CEO, Walgreens Boots Alliance, who will be interviewed by Esi Eggleston Bracey, COO, EVP, Beauty & Personal Care, Unilever North America, on why diversity in business – and in business leadership – is so critical. Roz will also discuss personal experiences on her journey to serving as one of only two current Black female CEOs at a Fortune 500 company.

Revealing results from  a groundbreaking industry-wide survey  is Tiyale Hayes, SVP, Brand Strategy and Marketing, BET Networks; and Founder, Modulize. Tiyale will share results on Black experiences in the beauty workplace, and the opportunities the industry has to build a more equitable future for all.

In Creating a Pipeline for Workplace Diversity & Inclusion, Porter Braswell, CEO and Co-Founder, Jopwell, will sit with Nancy Twine, Founder and CEO, Briogeo, and discuss how companies cansuccessfully create diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that attract and retain diverse talent—and have meaningful conversations about race and inequity.

Stella Nkomo and Ella Bell Smith, co-authors of Our Separate Ways: Black and White Women and the Struggle for Professional Identity, will speak to the cultural boundaries that women of color often cross when entering a predominantly white workplace in Black Women Leaders: Navigating the Intersection of Gender and Race. The conversation will be moderated by Stephanie Creary, Organizational Scholar, Wharton.

Journeys in Corporate America is a panel comprised of esteemed executives and Task Force Members that will explore their personal journeys in corporate America, how they successfully navigate workplace challenges, and what the industry can do to advance and retain future Black executives. Panelists include Susan Akkad, SVP, Local and Cultural Innovation, The Estée Lauder Companies; Karen Chambers, EVP, Impala, Inc / IMAN Cosmetics; Erica Culpepper, General Manager, Carol’s Daughter-SoftSheen Carson, L’Oréal; Sarah Curtis Henry, SVP Sales and Omnichannel Retail, Parfums Christian Dior; Ajaa Long, Head of Global Beauty and Luxury, Facebook. The panel will be moderated by Kendra Speed, Principal, KNS Consulting.

Jerri DeVard, founder of the Black CMO Alliance (BECA), will speak with Karen Chambers on why diversity in the C-Suite, specifically the Chief Marketing Officer role, is critical to business today in The Importance of Black CMOs.  She will also share what meaningful representation in the CMO role means for a brand and the community at large, and why the Black Executive CMO alliance was created.

Kelli Joy Richardson Lawson, Founder and CEO, Joy Collective, will discuss how brands can have authentic conversations with consumers in Purpose-Driven Marketing to Drive Sales and Make an Impact, sharing examples of top-performing content across diverse audiences.

Esi will close out the event and provide actions and recommendations that all attendees can implement in the workplace, immediately.

More than 900 industry executives have registered for this free virtual event. Be sure to attend one of beauty’s most thoughtful and actionable events on diversity and inclusion by clicking here.