In recent years, I’ve toyed with the idea of directing my salary straight to Sephora, bypassing the bank entirely. My online shopping cart has become a never-ending wish list, packed with products my friends rave about, those I’ve stumbled across on beauty blogs, or items I’ve drooled over while scrolling through their site. Sometimes, I even venture into the store, armed with minimal willpower and just enough cash to do some serious damage—damage I might regret if I wasn’t already joyfully strutting out with a shopping bag full of goodies.
I have a serious obsession with beauty products. But what do I adore just a tad more? Empowering women in the workplace. While my love for cosmetics is what fuels my spending at Sephora, the company’s commitment to elevating women in leadership roles is an even better reason to splurge without guilt.
It’s no shocker that a significant majority of Sephora’s workforce—over 25,000 employees—are women. However, what’s truly impressive is that more than 60% of their digital and tech positions are held by women. Even their digital executive team flaunts five out of six seats filled by female leaders. Heck yeah!
Tech has long been a boys’ club, with fewer than a quarter of tech roles at major Silicon Valley firms occupied by women. Now, if you’re thinking that a beauty retailer would naturally have more women because they cater to a female audience, let’s hit pause on that assumption. Companies like Apple, Google, and Uber boast customer bases that are nearly 50% female, yet they fall woefully short in hiring women for tech jobs. Apple, the best of the bunch, still doesn’t even reach a quarter.
In an interview with the Daily Journal, several former executives from Sephora shared insights on how they attract and advance women in leadership and tech roles, and how this strategy has benefitted their business. Meetings at Sephora are a breath of fresh air, with everyone feeling at ease to share ideas and opinions. Doesn’t that sound absolutely amazing?
One former talent VP described Sephora’s approach as a “longer-range view of talent development,” where recruiters encourage accomplished women to apply for roles they may not feel fully qualified for—especially in digital and tech. This supportive environment allows women to expand their skills, take risks, and learn from failures instead of fearing them. They emerge with a well-rounded understanding of the company and, I bet, a boost in morale.
A study from the Peterson Institute for International Economics last year revealed that companies with more women in leadership roles see higher profitability. Considering Sephora opened 100 new stores in 2016 and experienced double-digit profit growth, I’d say they’re on the right track. So, I’m off to my shopping cart to contribute a little more to their success. There’s something irresistible about supporting a company that uplifts women.
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In summary, if you love beauty products and want to support a company that champions women in the workplace, Sephora is an excellent choice. Not only do they offer a plethora of fabulous products, but they also demonstrate a commitment to fostering female leadership and empowerment.