The Estée Lauder brand has announced a three-year partnership with Amanda Gorman, activist, award-winning writer, and the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. This is the first such multi-year partnership for Amanda and the first integrated partnership by The Estée Lauder Companies and the Estée Lauder brand to acknowledge and celebrate a new generation of leaders inspiring change.
As part of this unprecedented partnership, The Estée Lauder Companies will contribute US$3M over three years to support WRITING CHANGE, a special initiative to advance literacy as a pathway to equality, access, and social change. In addition, Amanda will bring her voice of change to the Estée Lauder brand through campaigns debuting in Spring 2022.
“Our company was founded by an extraordinary woman, Estée Lauder, who paved the way for women everywhere to believe anything is possible. Our first of its kind partnership with Amanda was created under these very same trailblazing ideals,” said Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Executive Group President, The Estée Lauder Companies. “Amanda’s powerful presence and inspirational voice brings hope and confidence to the next generation of leaders. Together, we will create real and meaningful impact through literacy, voice, and self-expression.”
The news comes shortly after The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) UK & Ireland announced a three-year £150,000 commitment to the National Literacy Trust, supporting the charity’s Words for Work: Dream Big Programme and two important new research grants.
National Literacy Trust’s Words for Work: Dream Big programme helps primary school children aged 5 –7 each year to develop literacy skills, raise their aspirations and challenge stereotypes. In addition to providing funding, ELC UK & Ireland volunteers will work with pupils to develop children’s literacy skills and encourage them to think about the world of work.
The donation will also fund two new research grants. The first will focus on reluctant girl readers and how literacy engagement among girls aged 8 – 18, a group of children who are not often a focus area for research, has been impacted both pre-COVID-19 and during the pandemic. The second research grant will conduct a literature review and survey of 3,000 young people exploring issues around speaking for empowerment and effective communication skills.
