ELC’s Advocacy Shines During Pride Month

The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) is a longtime advocate of LGBTQA equality and during this June’s Pride Month, we celebrate the bold community of individuals that make up our ELC family.

ELC employees celebrate the pride of diversity

“As a company that champions the individuality and expression of our employees, supporting the LGBTQA community is woven into the fabric of The Estée Lauder Companies. We are proud of our long history of ensuring that our employees feel a sense of belonging, as well as our proven track record of driving societal change and acceptance around the world,” says William P. Lauder, Executive Chairman, The Estée Lauder Companies.

Supporting LGBTQA Legislation

In recent years, ELC has taken concrete steps to support the LGBTQA community. In 2019, the company signed on to The Business Coalition for the Equality Act, a group of over 160 businesses that support the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in its efforts to drive legislation in Congress. The Equality Act guarantees explicit, permanent protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people in the United States under existing U.S. civil rights laws. In 2013, the company became a member of The Business Coalition for the Uniting American Families Act, urging that LGBTQA employees should be treated on equal terms as others under U.S. immigration law. In addition to joining these coalitions, the company has signed and supported several amicus briefs that advocate for same-sex marriage and transgender rights. The goal of these legislative undertakings has been and will continue to be ensuring the equal treatment of all people.

In Appreciation of Nancy Louden: Advocate, Facilitator and Changemaker

Nancy Louden, Senior Vice President, Global Public Affairs, ELC

Nancy Louden, Senior Vice President, Global Public Affairs, joined ELC 26 years ago, serving in a variety of legal and global public affairs roles. Over the years, she has proudly combined her legal and government relations expertise with a commitment to advocacy to advance the company’s LGBTQ policies and its stand on other important national and societal issues. At the height of the AIDS crisis in the 90s, as the company’s employment lawyer, Nancy worked with Human Resources and helped ensure caring and respectful employment practices were in place for those affected by the disease. Her compassion was also evident in 15 years of service as a director of the M∙A∙C AIDS Fund (now known as M∙A∙C VIVA GLAM). Nancy ensured the company achieved the coveted 100% ranking on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) early on, working closely with ELC’s Employment and Benefits teams. More recently, Nancy facilitated ELC signing on to important LGBTQ-related amicus briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court (and other courts). While many of Nancy’s actions were carried out behind the scenes, the impact of her legacy will be felt by ELC employees and consumers for many years to come.

Workplace Recognition & Benefits

For multiple years in a row, ELC has been recognized as a “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), after the company achieved a perfect score of 100 on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index. This year marks the tenth time ELC has achieved this recognition by the most distinguished benchmarking report in the U.S. for LGBTQ-related corporate policies and practices. 2019 is also the second consecutive year that ELC was named to Bloomberg’s 2019 Gender-Equality Index, which measures what companies do to drive transparency and advance gender equality within their respective companies and communities.

ELC’s LGBTQA Employee Resource Group leads, pictured with Fabrizio Freda, President and CEO

In 2018, The Estée Lauder Companies enhanced its family-related benefits for eligible U.S. employees to include 20 weeks of paid parental leave, a back-to-work flexibility program, and an adoption assistance program for expense reimbursement up to $10,000 — regardless of an employee’s gender, marital status or sexual orientation. These benefits recognize that families are diverse and show that ELC values all definitions of family, helping to make ELC a great place to work for every individual, including those in the LGBTQA community.

M∙A∙C’s VIVA GLAM Impact

M∙A∙C Cosmetics has always been a leading force in celebrating diversity and individuality — all ages, all races, all genders. Since acquiring M·A·C Cosmetics in 1994, ELC has supported the mission of M·A·C’s VIVA GLAM campaign, to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. To date, VIVA GLAM has raised more than $500 million for the global fight against HIV/AIDS, helping millions of people worldwide. M·A·C employees take great pride in volunteering for VIVA GLAM cause-related activities and events such as NYC Pride Parade. This year, M∙A∙C Cosmetics and ELC will be sponsoring dozens of Pride events across the globe, including 20 across the US and Canada.

M∙A∙C Cosmetics employees walk at the 2019 NYC AIDS Walk

To celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, the mission of M·A·C VIVA GLAM has expanded to focus on healthy futures and equal rights for women, girls and LGBTQ communities, as well as reaffirming its commitment to ending HIV/AIDS.

Employee Engagement

wELCome, our Employee Resource Group for LGBTQA talent, was created in 2012 in New York and now operates in several affiliates around the world. From hosting panels about gender-fluid beauty, to driving participation and engagement in nationwide Pride Marches, volunteering with LGBTQ Non-Profit organizations such as SAGE and Tyler Clementi Foundation, to simply creating a support network for employees, wELCome has been instrumental in giving ELC employees a true sense of belonging.

ELC employees walk in Hong Kong’s Pride Parade in 2018

As the world marks the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, the key turning point in the LGBTQ rights movement and World Pride, being held in New York City for the first time, the Estée Lauder Companies is proud of its actions and support on behalf of the LGBTQ community.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the equal treatment of all people.