For more than 30 years, The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign (The Campaign) has been dedicated to advancing the possibility of a breast cancer-free world for all. This October, The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month by launching The Campaign in support of the global breast cancer community.
As ELC’s largest corporate social impact program, The Campaign continues to inspire purpose-driven action and is a cornerstone of the company’s social investments in women’s advancement, health and education. Through The Campaign, ELC has also been a longstanding supporter of women in science, research and medicine – funding numerous grants and programs around the world and accelerating opportunities for women in STEM.
The Campaign was founded by Evelyn H. Lauder in 1992 with the launch of the iconic Pink Ribbon. At a time when breast cancer wasn’t spoken about openly, Evelyn and ELC saw an opportunity to bring awareness to the disease and address stigmas in women’s health – inspiring a global movement around The Campaign’s mission to help create a breast cancer-free world for all.
Together, The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign and The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation (ELCCF) have funded more than $118 million globally for life saving research, education, and medical services, with more than $93 million funding medical research grants through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). BCRF, also founded by Evelyn Lauder in 1993, is The Campaign’s leading non-profit partner, dedicated to advancing the world’s most promising research to eradicate breast cancer.
In honor of The Campaign’s 30th Anniversary in 2022, ELCCF made a commitment to donate $15 million over five years to BCRF to fund groundbreaking research that will further the goal of reducing breast cancer disparities and improving outcomes. This comprehensive study of the intersection of social determinants of health, comorbidities and the biology of breast cancer in Black women has the potential to significantly impact breast cancer disparities globally. A diverse steering committee, as well as sub-committees, comprised of BCRF experts in disparities from acclaimed academic and medical institutions from across the country have established initial targets critical to identifying the roots of health equity and disparities in breast cancer outcomes. Information from thousands of patients will build this vital data-generating project and is the first step in this multi-year initiative.
This year, The Campaign will:
- Support +60 organizations worldwide aligned to the diverse needs of local communities
- Honor the 20th Anniversary of The Breast Cancer Campaign in China, including the illumination of No.1 Wai Tan Yuan, Shanghai
- Address disparities that exist across the entire breast cancer landscape
- Fund medical research and fellowships worldwide
- Fund medical resources and services including access to mammograms/screenings for vulnerable groups with limited access to healthcare
- Provide support, therapy and counseling programs
- Host and convene events to advance education on breast health with key opinion leaders and experts – encouraging stakeholders everywhere to become breast health advocates
- Issue an Instagram call-to-action (@esteelaudercompanies) on October 1 to engage audiences and raise funds for BCRF using #TimeToEndBreastCancer
- Engage ELC’s brands: AERIN, Aveda, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Bumble and bumble, Clinique, Darphin, Dr. Jart+, Estée Lauder, Frederic Malle, Jo Malone London, Kilian Paris, La Mer, LAB Series, Origins, Smashbox, TOM FORD BEAUTY and Too Faced – with each donating to BCRF and/or local cancer-focused organizations around the world through product sales or flat donations (brand participation varying by market)
- Illuminate buildings, monuments and landmarks around the world in pink to raise awareness, including Empire State Building, New York City; Eiffel Tower, Paris; Burj Al Arab, United Arab Emirates, among others
“ELC has an unwavering commitment to social impact, with The Breast Cancer Campaign at the forefront of these efforts. I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made ever since my mother, Evelyn Lauder, started The Campaign more than 30 years ago,” said William P. Lauder, Executive Chairman, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. “Our passionate employees, consumers and partners have united to advance possibilities for those affected by this disease. Together, we will continue powering progress, until we realize my mother’s vision of a breast cancer-free world for all.”
The call to end breast cancer is more urgent than ever as breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. As long as breast cancer is a life-threatening disease, ELC’s commitment remains unwavering.
