Today, as Avon celebrates 136 years in business as a brand that supports and uplifts women by giving them an opportunity to be active participants in the economy through its direct-selling model, the multinational beauty company has made an Impact Challenge that will continue to create better futures for women.
Globally, women only make 77 cents for every dollar earned by men according to the United Nations (UN). As a result, there’s a lifetime of income in eulogy between men and women with more women retiring into poverty.
In South Africa, the labour market is more favourable to men than it is to women according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey of the 2nd quarter of 2021. The proportion of men in employment is higher than that of women; more men than women are participating in the labour market as the labour force participation rate of men is higher than that of women, and the unemployment rate among men is lower than amongst women.
“For 136 years, Avon has always believed that by creating a better world for women, we are creating a better world for all,” says Mafahle Mareletse, Managing Director of Avon in Turkey, Middle East and Africa. “As we celebrate Founder’s Day, which is the day Avon came into existence which has led to global empowerment of women socially and economically, we understand that the need to uplift more women has never been dire taking into consideration the current economic climate. We have made an Impact Challenge that will see us dedicating more than 20% of every sale to creating a better future for women, globally.”
Through its #DoBeautyYourWay campaign, Avon is putting women in good stead to take advantage of a growing beauty industry in South Africa by enabling prospective Beauty Entrepreneurs to take advantage of the flexible opportunity that Avon provides to do Beauty their Way. “Whether one works full-time or part-time, works from home, or is just simply passionate about beauty, our digital channels allow anyone to do Beauty their Way anytime, anywhere. Being an Avon Representative provides an opportunity to earn an income by selling high quality, affordable beauty, and personal care products with integrated support from the company,” adds Mareletse.
However, many aspiring entrepreneurs are dissuaded from starting their business by the capital outlay required or the hassle that comes with starting a business. Avon is aware of these challenges hence it makes it very easy for micro-entrepreneurs to realise their own ambitions.
The company has already put in place an online registration platform that automates the process of joining Avon to do Beauty Your Way. The online registration platform has enhanced Avon’s lead management process by removing the manual application, registration, and account setup process and replacing it with a one-stop automated solution where new Representatives are registered and assigned immediately to Avon Business Owners who sign them up for success by providing them with all the necessary tools and resources to start earning from sales of Avon products.
“Much more than enabling women to change their circumstances for the better, we will continue supporting NGOs, campaigns, and initiatives that stand up against social ills that women are subjected to including GBV, fighting Breast Cancer, and heightening awareness for detection,” notes Mareletse. “We are firm in our belief that the social settings that women find themselves in have to be conducive for their success therefore we must contribute to the betterment of the daily realities.”
Avon has also marked Founder’s Day with the release of a Beauty Your Way video which profiles the positive impact that women across the world have experienced by doing Beauty their Way. The video can be accessed here.
