Estée Lauder Hosts Beautiful Forces Grants Reception with Vital Voices and Global Brand Ambassador, Paulina Porizkova
On the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Estée Lauder celebrates 6 women leaders driving impact worldwide
Company Feature, Oct 3, 2025
Estée Lauder, in partnership with Vital Voices Global Partnership, hosted a private reception alongside the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The event convened leaders across industries, celebrities and tastemakers, and those at the forefront of making an impact towards gender equality.
The evening was in celebration of the 2nd annual Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Beautiful Forces grant winners—6 women from around the world who are leading NGOs, businesses, or initiatives that advance a bold idea for positive social change.
Through the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Beautiful Forces Grants, the brand is deepening its investment in support of emerging leaders globally. This year, the grants will be allocated to 6 recipients, all of whom have demonstrated innovative thinking, a willingness to challenge the status quo, and risk taking to solve pressing issues in their communities.
Launched in 2022 and inspired by company founder Mrs. Estée Lauder, the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders initiative supports organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development, including community building and advocating for emerging leaders globally.
The awardees of the 2025 Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Fund Beautiful Forces Grants are:
- Pauline Otila (Kenya): Founder of Apiculture Venture Limited, Otila promotes food security, women’s economic empowerment, and climate-resilient livelihoods through sustainable beekeeping.
- Aishworya Shrestha (Nepal): Founder of Antardhoni Nepal, Shrestha provides free mental health services for marginalized communities and co-founded Heart of Nepal to empower Dalit women and support children’s education.
- Srishti Pragat (India): Founder of Sky Social, Pragat leads a youth-driven effort to combat gender-based violence, provide survivor resources, and promote community governance.
- Hilda Joanna Teran Romero (Peru): Executive President of Kuska Collective, Romero advances human rights and social justice while strengthening indigenous communities through grassroots activism.
- Stella Kasdagli (Greece): Founder of WHEN Equity Empowerment Change, Kasdagli supports underrepresented women writers in Greece through workshops, circles, and publishing opportunities.
- Oluwaseyi Kehinde-Peters (Nigeria): Founder of Pan African Women Empowerment Network (PAWEN), Kehinde-Peters is building a digital marketplace to strengthen agricultural resilience for African women farmers.
Celebrating Visionary Leadership
The event was co-hosted by Stéphane de La Faverie, President & CEO, The Estée Lauder Companies and Alyse Nelson, President & CEO, Vital Voices. In his remarks, Stéphane reflected on the inspiration behind the initiative.
“More than three years ago, Alyse and I came together to create a partnership between the Estée Lauder brand and Vital Voices with one clear purpose: to champion the next generation of women leaders.” It was a program rooted in the company’s founder and identity, he shared: “Mrs. Estée Lauder was bold, fearless, and a disruptor who revolutionized the beauty industry. The world needs more leaders like Estée Lauder."
Estée Lauder Global Brand Ambassador Paulina Porizkova, who first represented the brand more than 30 years ago, spoke about why she has rejoined the brand at this pivotal moment.
“One of the reasons that drew me back to the brand was not a nostalgic interest in turning back time. It was our shared mission to elevate and empower women around the world, and to amplify their voices and their impact.”
In her remarks, Alyse Nelson underscored the impact of the program. “When you invest in women, you invest in solving the world’s greatest challenges. The 6 women we honor tonight are disruptors, innovators, and visionaries—true ‘Beautiful Forces’ creating ripples of change far beyond their own communities.”
Continuing the Mission
In addition to its support for Vital Voices, the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Fund supports leadership organizations Black Girl Ventures, the Center for Asian Pacific American Women, and the Yeo Lab. The Estée Lauder brand is also an ongoing supporter of Kode With Klossy, the non-profit founded by Global Brand Ambassador, Karlie Kloss.
