Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Beauty Sector



The MBS Group is delighted to share our second report into diversity, equity and inclusion in the Beauty sector, produced in partnership with CEW and ScienceMagic.  

Over the past few months, MBS has undertaken in-depth research, measuring the representation of women and leaders from an ethnic minority background on the Board and at executive committee level in Beauty. We’ve also held detailed conversations with Chairs, CEOs, HRDs and Heads of D&I to hear the steps companies are taking to make their organisations more inclusive.   

We’ve found that the Beauty sector is making good progress:  

• The proportion of women in senior positions has climbed steadily since 2021
Ethnic diversity has nearly doubled at the top-two leadership levels
D&I strategies are highly comprehensive, with ownership from the Board
Accelerator programmes, mentorship schemes and academy initiatives are found frequently across the sector  

But that there is still further to go until the sector becomes truly inclusive:    

• The most senior strategic roles are still held by men: in the top-twenty Beauty companies, only three have a woman Chair, only three have a women CEO, and only four have a woman CFO
• The Disabled community is underrepresented and underserved
Social mobility should be the nest area of focus, as most corporate roles still go to leaders from a specific privileged background  

The report also includes detailed insights from leaders at BeautyPie, Edgewell, Glossier and IFF, on how they are moving the dial in their organisation.
You can download and read the full report here.