Like many industries, the beauty industry has grown to be one of the fastest evolving markets with consumers who demand authenticity, representation, and innovative products that fit their unique needs. At The Estée Lauder Companies’ (ELC), our collective vision is to be the most inclusive and diverse beauty company in the world as well as the employer of choice for diverse talent and the brand of choice for our global consumers. Because of this, we understand that talent today don’t just want to know what companies WILL do as it pertains to inclusion, diversity, and equity, but have a genuine track record and a commitment to current and future leader’s career advancement.

We are consumer obsessed and because of this we focus our priorities on ensuring our employee population reflects the communities we impact by ensuring equitable access to professional development and advancement opportunities.

Driving Professional Development within HBCU Communities

As an organization dedicated to professional development and education, we pride ourselves in our ability to deliver on our ID&E commitments through external programs with our employee populations and HBCUs. To date, ELC has partnered with Howard University, Spelman College, and Florida A&M to provide virtual networking and career advancement programs for alumnae seeking ways to transition to the beauty industry.

• She’s Howard – ELC’s partnership program with Howard University was inspired by ELC’s longstanding relationship with the University that began in 2018 through an increased focus on HBCU recruiting. Since its inception in 2021, the program continues to be a resourceful networking tool for all Howard Alumnae. 

• Let’s Talk Beauty – ELC’s partnership program with the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College was designed to serve as a platform for ELC to connect with Spelman Alumnae through intentional conversations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities to provide career coaching and insights into the beauty industry. 

• FAMU 10-Week Travel Retail Program – ELC’s partnership program with Florida A&M University was designed to engage rising juniors and seniors by providing an inside look into the fast-paced world of Travel Retail. Participants join for a 10-week program during which 41 merit scholarships of US$10,000 were awarded to students in the University’s School of Business and Industry over the course of five years by the University on behalf of The Estée Lauder Companies. 

Leading From Every Chair

We believe in the power of leading from every chair and are committed to creating space for talent with unique backgrounds and perspectives to support and lead innovation. As one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products sold in approximately 150 countries and territories, we offer a number of opportunities for undergraduates, early career professionals and our internal community of employees to continue to challenge themselves and contribute to a number of exciting business priorities. 

• Lauder Summer Internship Program – A 10-week program that offers undergraduate students in the U.S. the opportunity to think critically in real-world corporate situations. Students have the opportunity to apply for openings in our corporate functions or at one of our brands, and they will be assigned based on their academic backgrounds and interests once they are accepted into the program. 

• Presidential Associate Program – An intensive, 18-month rotational program specially designed for undergraduates. This program integrates professional rotations with continuous leadership development, coaching, mentoring, hands-on practical experience, group networking opportunities, and strategic thinking initiatives to optimize talent and build business acumen and capability.

• From Every Chair Program – In June 2020, William P. Lauder, Executive Chairman, and Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer, shared ELC’s Commitment to Racial Equity. As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure Black employees have equal access to leadership trainings and mentorship programs with senior executives, the Global Talent team and the Inclusion & Diversity COE, in collaboration with the Network of Black Leaders and Executives (NOBLE) Employee Resource Group, created the From Every Chair (FEC) Leadership & Development Program. This 9-month Sponsorship and Mentorship program for current employees focuses on one-on-one mentoring sessions, curated professional development seminars and dedicated coaching from highly regarded executive coaches. Since its inception, the program was designed to develop and advance Black talent through enhanced programs focused on soft skills and career coaching for all participants.

• ELC Grow – In 2022, ELC launches its internal Talent Marketplace designed to connect employees to personalized recommendations for full-time roles, project and networking opportunities that can empower our community to grow their skills and careers. By matching employees with internal opportunities autonomously we encourage an environment of continued learning and fueling future career aspirations and interest.

Head over to The Estee Lauder Company’s company profile to learn more about the company and for information on open roles!

The post Learn How The Estée Lauder Companies Champions Diversity & Career Advancement in the Beauty Industry appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When you’re deciding where to start your career, you may want to work for a company that doesn’t just believe in diversity and inclusion (D&I) but supports it as well.

Northwestern Mutual believes in having a diverse workforce that benefits the company, its employees, and local communities.

We spoke to employees at Northwestern Mutual to learn about how the company has built strong diversity initiatives, and what this means for employees, clients, and communities alike, including how Northwestern Mutual intends to keep the needle moving.

Diversity Enables the Company to Reach More Clients

According to Northwestern Mutual, “the best client service and financial industry leadership starts with creating a diverse team and an inspiring, inclusive workplace where everyone can be, and do, their best every day.” A diverse workforce is what will help them deliver the financial solutions their clients need.

Having diverse advisors on your team enables the company to increase its reach, influence, and appeal to a wider range of customers.

While it could be comforting talking to someone who has a similar background to you, representation matters. It can lead to impactful business relationships and work environments.

Ability to Bring Your True Authentic Self to Work

Everybody still wants to bring their authentic selves to work. This means no matter what race, ethnicity, sexual preference, or demographic you represent you feel confident in showing your colleagues, boss or manager, and the customers you work with who you truly are.

Shannon Redmon, Director of Recruiting at Northwestern Mutual, discussed why being accepted and supported at work is important to him.

Through learning sessions and coaching programs about allyship and inclusive culture, the D&I council, and employee resource groups, Northwestern Mutual fosters a place where Shannon can be his true self. As a result, he feels proud of the work he is doing and the company it is for.

Supporting Diversity in the Community

There is no end to the lengths Northwestern Mutual will go to ensure they are championing diversity and creating a company where employees can truly be themselves and reach their goals.

In fact, Northwestern Mutual has made several monetary contributions to communities and entities outside of their organization emphasizing their desire to create a truly diverse world. Here are just a few of their charitable acts:

• $26M invested in under-served neighborhoods
• $20M invested in startup companies founded by women 
• $6M in grants for nonprofits nationwide
• $1.6M to strengthen education and career opportunities

Why Northwestern Mutual?

Whether it’s their initiatives, the resources they provide, or the direct contributions they make, Northwestern Mutual is a place fostering diverse minds while encouraging representation.

There are people just like you who need help planning and reaching their financial goals, will you be the one to get them there? Head over to Northwestern Mutual’s company profile to learn more about the company and for information on open roles!

Northwestern Mutual Financial Representatives are Independent Contractors whose income is based solely on production.

Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with the titles “Financial Advisor” or “Wealth Management Advisor” are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide advisory services.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in Milwaukee, WI.

The post Learn How Northwestern Mutual is Championing Diversity in the Finance Industry appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

There are a lot of factors to consider when determining where you want to work. Location, salary, position, and culture are all crucial details that will impact your experience with a company and ultimately, the trajectory of your professional career.

In addition to these crucial factors, one characteristic that everyone seems to be looking for in a company is an inclusive environment. As we’ve come to understand, fostering a culture that acknowledges and supports people from different backgrounds leads to incredible growth for the company, the employees, and oftentimes the industry as a whole.

But what does an inclusive company look like? And how are you supposed to know if your particular background and individuality will thrive there?

In order to find out, we spoke with Meritage Homes Vice President of Inclusion and Culture, Regina Rivera, and Assistant Construction Manager, Madison Martin, about what diversity means at their company. In our conversations, they spoke about the company’s interpretation of diversity, why it’s important, how the company supports it, and all the benefits gained from embracing inclusion.

Diversity of Skills, Behavior, and Experience

One of the most fascinating pieces of information that arose from our conversation with Regina is how Meritage Homes interprets diversity. Regina emphasized that they don’t singularly look at someone’s particular race or background; they also focus on their skills and experiences.

Being that we think and behave based on our life experiences, this made perfect sense. While someone’s race or gender may have led them to particular experiences in life, Meritage Homes focuses on the results of those experiences. Regina described how they think about diversity “not just through the race and gender lens, but the diversity of behavior” as well.

She went on to talk about how professionals from outside the industry “can speak and share different perspectives and comment on the work from a different angle.” At Meritage Homes, this is what they believe will help drive innovation.

Why Diversity And Inclusion Is Important

At Meritage Homes, the end goal isn’t to meet some quota or percentage. While they do care about increasing representation in their company, Meritage Homes doesn’t base their success solely on numbers. They base it on how well the values of their company are being embraced and demonstrated by their employees’ values that are enhanced by collaboration and a supportive network.

Regina spoke about one of Meritage Homes’ behavior anchor statements regarding “playing to win” and “collaborating as a team.” She stated, “To live out the concept of diversity, equity, and inclusion is to live our [Meritage Homes’] values.” The whole idea of collaboration is to create with people who can provide different perspectives and insight than you. What better way to do that than by creating a workforce filled with people who had different experiences and come from a variety of backgrounds?

While diversity is important in its contributions to the growth and profitability of the company, one of the most important differences it makes is to the employee experience at Meritage—their level of comfort, belonging, and connection in the workplace.

How They’re Supporting Diversity and Inclusion

So it’s clear that Meritage Homes knows what diversity and inclusivity look like and why it’s important, but how do they support and empower it? Meritage is committed to weaving diversity, equity, and inclusion into the company fabric. They emphasize to their team members and leaders that DE&I isn’t something extra that they must do but is a part of strategy and operations every day.

Raising awareness has definitely been a starting point. The willingness to have conversations, acknowledge one’s bias (both conscious and unconscious), and actively take steps to pause and consider alternative ways of doing things is essential.

Through regular communication, training, micro-learning, modeling, linking and labeling behavior, Meritage is sharpening an inclusive leadership mindset and building DE&I skills throughout the organization. 

Today, Meritage Homes continues to lead this inclusive revolution by not only diversifying their employee base but training them to lead in a way that reflects Meritage’s core values as well.

The Benefits of Diversity

While the benefits of Meritage Homes’ actions and initiatives towards diversity are felt in the workforce, marketplace, and workplace, we’d like to concentrate on the workplace as it has the most immediate influence on what the day-to-day will be like as an employee.

Madison Martin, an Assistant Construction Manager, is a perfect example of how Meritage Homes’ inclusive ideals were beneficial. When Madison first came across the job listing, she wasn’t sure if homebuilding was right for her as she had preconceptions about the construction industry.

However, during the interview process, Madison realized that Meritage Homes doesn’t believe in one particular background for any of its roles. 

Madison said this discussion about the value of people with different backgrounds and areas of expertise ultimately helped her make the decision to join the Meritage team.

Madison shared that she immediately felt welcomed and was treated like a member of the team. She has felt both challenged and supported as she has learned her new role. 

Madison joined Meritage Homes as an intern and after a few months, she was offered a full-time position as an Assistant Construction Manager. 

By redefining what diversity means and reshaping what an inclusive environment feels like, Meritage Homes has created a revolutionary culture that is bound to send waves across the industry.

Their lens is a unique one and their mission is a brave one. Will you join Meritage Homes as they seek to enhance the home building industry one job at a time?

Start browsing open positions and internships today.

The post How Meritage Homes Is Diversifying the Home Building Space One Job at a Time appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.