Beauty of Giving luncheon opens a door to corporate social responsibility

16-Dec-2015 - Last updated on 16-Dec-2015 at 19:27 GMT

Heidi Manheimer, (left to right) CEW Foundation chairwoman; Cindy Crawford, Beauty with Benefits spokeswoman; Sonia Kashuk, 2015 CEW Foundation honoree; Carlotta Jacobson, CEW president; and Kate Sweeney, executive director of CEW Foundation

The annual CEW charity auction supports Cancer + Careers, a non-profit that empowers people with cancer to thrive at work, and stands as a commendable opportunity for the industry to join together and benefit society in a meaningful way.

Friday at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, the CEW Foundation hosted the Beauty of Giving luncheon and, with the help of Erin Ward from Star Benefits Auction who took the stage to call the live and fund-a-need bidding, raised an estimated $665,000 for Cancer + Careers.

Travel packages, spa services, tech bundles and exclusive dining opportunities, donated for the event, were auctioned following the luncheon and awards presentation.

A celebration

Over 600 cosmetics and personal care industry leaders and allies filled the room to support the initiative and to honor Sonia Kashuk for her many contributions to the cause, including her role as a spokeswoman for QVC & CEW Present Beauty with Benefits.

Kashuk was introduced at the Beauty of Giving event by Cindy Crawford, who calls her long-time friend “a creative force who never rests on her laurels but constantly strives for better.”

“We’re thrilled to have had another successful Beauty of Giving Luncheon to benefit Cancer and Careers, and to have this opportunity to recognize industry leader Sonia Kashuk,” says Kate Sweeney, executive director of CEW Foundation. “It is always inspiring to see the entire beauty community come together to support one of their own, while raising critical funds to empower cancer survivors to be the boss over cancer.”

Always on

Like any reputable social responsibility program, the CEW Foundation works year round to support Cancer + Careers and encourages other players in the beauty industry to do the same.

Influential women’s magazines, including More (Meredith Corporation), W Magazine (Condé Nast), Cosmopolitan (Hearst), and People StyleWatch (Time Inc.), participate by raising funds through The Beauty Editors’ Closet Sale Program.

Prominent cosmetics companies get involved with cause marketing throughout the year that not only generates dollars for Cancer + Careers but also raises awareness of the non-profit and its resources. Some of those partners are Shiseido Cosmetics America, nügg Beauty, Laura Geller New York, and philosophy.

Numerous brands, from Clinique to Dior and from First Aid Beauty to Tarte, are involved with QVC & CEW Present Beauty with Benefits, which supports the non-profit. And, individual gifts mount during the year as well. Close to 200 such donors were listed by name in this year’s event program.

Better business

Corporate social responsibility is how today’s best brands establish relevance and add value beyond products and services. It’s a chance to build genuine relationships and engage with the community at large.

The potential ROI is tremendous: “There is an undeniable dynamic link between the performance of organizational leadership and the performance of the entire organization,” writes Linda Novick O'Keefe, founding CEO of Common Threads, in an item for the Huffington Post about the importance of CSR in 2015.

“If done efficiently,” she continues, “corporate social responsibility can be an opportunity for businesses to strengthen their bottom line, do good for society, work to reverse some of the growing problems facing the world today, retain top talent, build an engaged Board of Directors and attract customers.”