A beauty lesson for arts organizations
What does facial moisturizer have to do with museum diversity? L'Oréal USA, which manages more than 30 beauty and fashion brands--including Kiehl's, Ralph Lauren, Maybelline, and Kérastase--has adopted a successful approach to diversifying its senior leadership, part of its realization of Beauty for All, that has some important takeaways for the nonprofit sector.
In a recent article for the Huffington Post, Frédéric Roze, President and CEO of L'Oréal USA, outlined how his company has approached diversity as an essential part of doing business, not just a nice to have. As a framework for infusing diversity and inclusion into the fabric of his organization, Roze signed the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge, committing L'Oréal USA to a set of standards that have been adopted by more than 450 organizations. However, of the 85 educational and nonprofits organizations who are signatories to this pledge, not one is a museum or performing arts organization.
This could be an opportunity for arts organizations to give structure to what could seem like an overwhelming task, take advantage of a network of likeminded organizations from a wide range of industries, and demonstrate to patrons a firm commitment to shared values.
CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion has given Roze and his employees tools and insights that have helped them over the last five years increase by 56 percent the number of women in VP positions or higher. Further, the number of women on the 58-member executive committee has increased from 31 percent five years ago to more than 50 percent today. Imagine if arts boards were all at gender parity. Additionally, 39 percent of L'Oréal USA's employees identify as racial or ethnic minorities. How many museums can say that? I am curious, though, how many of that 39 percent also sit in senior leadership positions. That is where all organizations have the most progress still to make.
L'Oréal USA's commitment does not stop there. They have also signed the White House pledge on pay equity, received certification through the Economic Dividends for Gender Equality, and partnered with Harvard for leadership training in gender equity and unconscious bias. Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace takes more than one person and one action. It requires a cultural shift and a change in mindset. Arts organizations all too often are talking only to other nonprofits, but broadening that conversation to their corporate counterparts can yield some interesting insights into lessons learned. That is to the benefit of all organizations.
