ELC Australia Gender Equality

At The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), our collective vision is to be the most inclusive and diverse beauty company in the world. Our commitment to gender equity plays a key role in achieving this vision.

When Mrs. Estée Lauder began selling her beauty products more than 75 years ago, she redefined what was possible for women at that time. Through her passion, persistence, and achievements, Mrs. Estée Lauder built the foundation for our business and our belief that gender should never limit one’s ambition or potential. Our company has never lost sight of this vision and we hold firm to her example by working to support women within our organization and in communities around the globe.

As a global company, our workforce is 80 per cent female. Approximately 59 per cent of positions Vice President and above are held by women. In Australia, we are proud that 88 per cent of our Australia and New Zealand leadership team is female, and the ELC Australia workforce is 90 per cent female overall.

The Workplace Gender and Equality Pay Gap shows the difference between the average earnings of women and men across businesses and by industry. This difference is expressed as a percentage. Please note that in ELC Australia, for many years women have earned 100 per cent of what comparably positioned men earned for employees in Australia across all Corporate Functions and Brands, including Point of Sale.

Our Workplace Gender and Equality Pay Gap Analysis shows that ELC has a median gender pay gap, however, we remain well below the industry average. We have a diverse array of roles which can significantly vary in scope, and our analysis shows that our gender pay gap is largely driven by our workforce composition.

Our retail population accounts for 72.5 per cent of our total workforce, of which 89.5 per cent are women. We remain committed to reducing this gap as well as implementing workplace strategies to drive our efforts for longer-term improvements.

From fostering inclusive leadership at every level to investing in increased workplace and leadership opportunities, economic mobility, and access to health care and education for women and girls, at ELC we aspire to make an impactful difference in women’s lives, globally.

The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign

We unite and inspire people globally in the mission of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign to help create a breast cancer-free world for all. Founded in 1992 by the late Evelyn H. Lauder with the launch of the iconic Pink Ribbon, the Campaign is The Estée Lauder Companies’ largest corporate social impact program. Together, The Campaign and The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation have funded more than USD$131 million (AUD$200.3 million) for lifesaving global research, education, and medical services. In Australia, we support a number of charities, including the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Breast Cancer Network Australia, Look Good Feel Better and Garvan Institute of Medical Research.

Flexible Work Policy

We value and support flexibility and have a Flexible Work Policy in place. We encourage every individual to do their best work, whilst also prioritising and balancing business needs and the preservation of our positive work culture.

Paid Parental Leave

In addition to the Australian Government’s paid parental leave requirements, ELC offers 14 weeks paid parental leave to employees, regardless of gender. We also offer a unique, online stay-in-touch program called CircleIn, which is designed to support working parents and line managers through every stage of parental leave.

Sexual Harassment

ELC is committed to fostering workplaces that are not only legally compliant but truly safe, empowering, and conducive to the well-being of all employees. We have a positive duty to prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace and take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate to the extent as far as possible any form of unlawful conduct, such as workplace harassment, sex discrimination, hostile work environment and victimisation.

February 2024