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NEW YORK (AP) – Beauty retailer Sephora said on Wednesday it would boost the number of black-owned brands, reduce the number of third-party security guards and offer more inclusive marketing as part of a plan campaign against racial prejudice in its stores.
The company revealed its plan by releasing the findings of a study it commissioned that took an in-depth look at racial bias in the retail shopping experience in the United States.
The study, based on a combination of employee and buyer surveys and academic research, began in fall 2019 and ended in late 2020. It found that two US retail buyers on five had personally suffered unfair treatment because of their race or skin. Your. He also found that black buyers are more likely than white buyers to receive unfair treatment based on their skin color.
The issue of racial prejudice has become increasingly important to businesses following nationwide protests against police brutality last summer following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
As part of the plan, Sephora, a division of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, plans to double the assortment of brands owned by Black to 16 by the end of the year. It will also highlight and promote black-owned brands through a dedicated tab on Sephora’s website. It also plans to roll out a new welcome system for shoppers across all stores to ensure a more consistent experience.
Among other changes: Sephora will also reduce the presence of third-party security guards at its 500 U.S. stores and use more in-house specialists to minimize buyer concerns about the police.
“We know that we are well positioned to influence positive changes in the retail sector and in society in general and it is our responsibility to mobilize ourselves,” said Jean-André Rougeot, President and CEO of Sephora Americas, in a statement.
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