Cosmetics and personal care products leaders from 17 associations representing 59 countries joined executives, innovators and other industry professionals for the Personal Care Products Council’s (PCPC) Annual Meeting earlier this year. In addition to recognizing the industry’s previous achievements and examining the state of today’s global marketplace, the 2019 meeting presented a special opportunity to reflect upon the beauty industry’s past, present, and future as PCPC celebrates its 125th anniversary.
“For more than a century, our industry has provided significant well-being and economic value to society,” said PCPC President and CEO Lezlee Westine as she welcomed attendees. “Together, with the millions of consumers worldwide who trust and depend on our products every day, we look forward to a shared future grounded in safety, quality and innovation.”
Westine acknowledged that this future will include challenges. In collaboration with the featured speakers, PCPC facilitated insightful conversations about the business strategies, policy changes and guiding principles that will enable its member companies to address these challenges and join together in the pursuit of Creating a More Beautiful World, the theme of this year’s meeting.
The program included discussion surrounding the following topics: “How Artificial Intelligence Will Change the Way We Live and Think,” “Future Proofing our Business: Microforces, Challenges & Opportunities,” “Leadership Perspectives on Sustainability Value Creation and Growth,” “Transforming your brand in the new age of wellness-driven marketing: Pinterest and the wellness megatrend,” “The Role of Influence in the Consumer Decision Journey,” and “Environmentally Responsible Packaging in Corporate Sustainability Initiatives.”
New to this year’s Annual Meeting were four workshops, which offered a comprehensive assessment of the following subjects in a smaller, more intimate setting: “An International Standard for Natural and Organic Cosmetics,” “What’s Happening with Brexit?,” “Cannabis & Cosmetics,” and “Chinese Regulatory & Trade Update.”
Also unveiled at this year’s meeting was PCPC’s sustainability initiative, which is designed to:
• Showcase member company sustainability practice and know-how;
• Expand and enhance the industry’s robust sustainability commitment; and
• Provide a strategic framework and focus for PCPC action, resources, and committees
“Our world is changing fast, and there are daunting social and environmental global challenges that can’t be solved by just one institution or company,” said Westine. “By working with each other and with like-minded organizations, our industry has the opportunity to play an important role in creating a more beautiful future.”
“We don’t have to choose between public health and the environment. We can protect both,” PCPC Board of Directors Chair George Calvert added.
The Board of Directors, as elected in its entirety at the Annual Meeting, is as follows: Chairman: George Calvert, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Amway; Vice Chairs: Esi Eggleston Bracey, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer NA Beauty and Personal Care, Unilever; David Greenberg, Group President of Professional Products Division North America, L’Oréal; Alex Keith, CEO, P&G Beauty; Jeff Smith, Global Chief Transformation Officer, Johnson & Johnson; Secretary: Andrew Stanleick, Senior Vice President, Consumer Beauty Division, Coty; Treasurer: David Holl, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mary Kay Inc.
Calvert and PCPC expressed hope for the beauty industry’s continued flourishment in 2019 and beyond.
“We have a very bright future ahead,” said Calvert. “We carry a legacy of creativity, innovation, passion, responsibility and entrepreneurship. We exhibit these traits every day through the thousands of new formulas, products and patents we create and file every year, and the loyalty of the families who use and trust our products.”
The Personal Care Products Council is the leading national trade association representing the global cosmetic and personal care products industry. For more information, visit CosmeticsInfo.org.
