Pura, Laneige and L’Oréal invest in women’s empowerment initiatives

As International Women’s Day (Mar 8) approaches, various industry players have announced collaborations, partnerships, and donations to empower women and girls.

Pura and the Malala Fund released a collection focused on girls’ education. K-pop beauty brand Laneige launched a partnership with Step Up, a US-based mentorship non-profit. Meanwhile, L’Oréal committed an additional €50 million (US$57.9 million) to L’Oréal’s Fund for Women.

The industry often pursues philanthropic initiatives aligned with its business ethos and products. Givaudan recently talked to us about its donations to disaster areas, while Revive’s CEO told us about the value of social engagement for next-generation markets.

Pura x Malala

Pura’s fragrance collection celebrates girls’ education with the Malala Fund.

Home fragrance brand Pura has collaborated with the Malala Fund on a fragrance collection inspired by the bravery of the girls who fight for their right to an education. The collection features four fragrances themed after countries where the Malala Fund conducts its work: Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Pakistan.

Malala Fund was founded by Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel laureate and girls’ education rights activist. Yousafzai was famously targeted and shot by the Taliban in 2012 for her vocal support for education equality — she was 14 years old at the time. Yousafzai survived the attack and continued her activism and education.

Malala Fund’s work is based in countries where girls’ access to education is severely limited. The Fund engages community-informed solutions under local knowledge and leadership, aiming to create long-lasting positive impact.

The collection arrives as the latest expansion on Pura’s four-year partnership with the Malala Fund. The olfactory inspiration behind the product portfolio stems from the countries it represents.

Breath of Courage draws on Brazil’s local tropical fruit heritage and offers notes of passionfruit, acai, and coconut.

Future in Bloom is inspired by Pakistan’s national fruit and flower — mango and jasmine.

Heart on Fire from Tanzania celebrates the country’s rich spice culture and features cardamom, clove, and black pepper.

Finally, Hope For Tomorrow represents Nigeria’s dry, warm climate through its starfruit, hyacinth, and patchouli profile.

“This collection reflects a shared belief that girls’ education is one of the most powerful investments we can make,” says Lena Alfi, CEO at Malala Fund. “We hope these fragrances spark curiosity, conversation, and action to support girls and the local leaders defending their right to learn and helping them unlock their potential.”

Eight percent of the net revenue generated by the collection will be donated to the fund, in addition to Pura’s annual investment.

Laneige x Step Up

Laneige partners with Step Up to empower young women in their careers.

Laneige and Step Up have launched a year-long partnership to support young women and teens in their career opportunities and professional development. The initiative aims to help women build confidence, navigate their careers, and develop leadership skills.

The k-beauty skin care brand credits its “Open to Wonder” ethos as the driving force behind creating opportunities for young women by empowering them and providing the tools to broaden their leadership abilities and gain real-world skills.

Throughout the year, the partnership plans to offer mentees workshops, mentorship sessions, and experiences to help deepen their understanding of different industries.

“By creating direct access to industry leaders and learning opportunities, we’re proud to support young women with the networks and confidence they need to take the next steps in their journey,” says Allison Pollack, vice president of Marketing at Laneige US.

“Mentorship is a powerful accelerator of career advancement, and Laneige’s commitment ensures that even more teens and young adults can access Step Up’s free programs,” adds Delores Druilhet Morton, CEO at Step Up.

The partnership and Laneige’s donation help Step Up provide free programs to teens and young women. Furthermore, Laneige is looking to expand its philanthropic endeavors further than the core mentorship program into volunteer engagement, national events, and future initiatives.

L’Oréal renews its commitment to empowering women through its Fund for Women.

L’Oréal Fund for Women

L’Oréal has made a five-year commitment by renewing its attachment to the L’Oréal Fund for Women. Founded in 2020, the Fund was created to address “social emergencies” worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The beauty giant aims to empower and improve the well-being of five million women by the end of this commitment in 2030.

Working with expert associations and NGOs, the fund focuses on four key areas of impact — economic empowerment, education, the fight against violence, and access to sexual and reproductive health.

In a societal context in which women and girls are vulnerable to volatile, tumultuous realities, the Fund aims to serve women and girls facing highly precarious situations.

“For over a century, women have been at the heart of L’Oréal’s societal commitment. In a context that is ever harder on them, our conviction that women’s empowerment is key to a fairer and more sustainable future for all has led us to renew the L’Oréal Fund for Women, allocating 50 million euros over five years. This is true to our values and our mission to create the beauty that moves the world,” says Nicolas Hieronimus, CEO at L’Oréal.

“Since 2020, the L’Oréal Fund for Women has contributed to support more than 6 million women, in partnership with over 500 associations worldwide. We think it is our profound responsibility to amplify our unwavering commitment to women,” adds Ezgi Barcenas, chief corporate responsibility officer at L’Oréal.