Female Empowerment in the Workplace

For a brand to truly resonate with modern consumers, they must prioritize inclusivity and wave the flag of empowerment. Some brands go above and beyond to ensure that both their staff and their customers feel supported. Whether that’s through the initiatives that they support, or employee benefits to ease the strain on working mothers, every step towards inclusivity and empowerment represents a huge milestone.

With this in mind, we explore three businesses that are paving the way towards a successful and inclusive business mindset.

1. Lil-Lets

If you’re looking for a female-led brand that has been supporting women for over 60 years, then you won’t have to look much further than the sanitary product provider, Lil-Lets. Back in 1954, the SmartFit tampon this brand is renowned for was first developed by a female gynecologist. Naturally, this product was designed with the comfort and convenience of women in mind.

Since then, Lil-Lets has persistently worked to support and empower women in a variety of ways; from, of course, creating sanitary products such as absorbent organic tampons and maternity pads, to acting in the fight against period poverty.

Their work with the charity, Brook - which provides free & confidential sexual health & wellbeing advice and support - shines the light on Lil-Lets’ commitment. As a team, the two organizations are fighting to tackle period poverty among young people in the UK.

As well as fighting to tackle period poverty and empower young women through education, Lil-Lets has also had meaningful impacts on community projects. For example, they’re the official partner of Everton FC Women, supporting them both on the pitch and alongside the Everton in the Community program.                       

2. Bumble

As a concept, Bumble focusses on female empowerment. This game-changing dating app was first developed after its CEO, Whitney Wolfe Herd, left her previous job due to sexism and sexual harassment. She wished to create something new that championed equality. Thus, Bumble — the dating app that encourages women to make the first move — was born.

As well as championing female empowerment through its app (which also offers options for friend meetups and networking opportunities) it empowers its female employees and makes sure that the company benefits them however it can. The Bumble perks include:

• 16 weeks of paid parental leave
• Designated breast-feeding rooms
• 100% health care coverage
• The ability for parents to bring children to the office as needed

With an 80% female executive team, women within the Bumble family benefit from inspirational role models and a company that considers their needs.

3. Fenty Beauty

First launched by Rihanna in 2017, the ‘Fenty Phenomenon’ completely changed the beauty industry. The inclusive “beauty for all” campaign set out to do just that — design beauty products for everyone, regardless of their skin tone and ethnicity. Fenty’s 50 different foundation shades, which range from the palest to the darkest skin tone, serve to provide products for those who struggled to find makeup previously. As well as this, the diverse range also radiates a clear message that resists media whitewashing and assures people of color that they are seen.

Interestingly, the concept of inclusivity was never explicitly stated in Fenty’s marketing campaign.

In the same interview she conducted with Google, Saputo went on to say that this beauty campaign set out to “break and disrupt all the traditional marketing rules and carve a new path,” and to create a “call to action for all industries to do more and challenge the status quo.”

Final thoughts

Each of these businesses has made powerful changes, both big and small. By having their  employees,  customers, and the wider community in mind, they have been able to define their own brands and make sure that their businesses are empowering and inclusive. In 2020, we are seeing more brands strive towards empowerment and it will be exciting to see what the future holds for inspiring campaigns.