Diversity, Equity & Inclusion #FragranceForwardTFF
by April Long:
The Fragrance Foundation is committed to making the fragrance industry more inclusive, and is taking news-making steps to bring this message to the forefront. On October 13th, TFF announced #FragranceForwardTFF, an ambitious and focused initiative to open the doors of the fragrance industry to all, marshalling its members to devote resources towards education, mentorship, and recruitment, while also pushing for awareness and acceptance and non-discriminatory employment opportunities across the board.
On October 20th, TFF kicked off the initiative with Industry Perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a free webinar featuring a thoughtful and engaging discussion from panelists Chris Collins, the founder of World of Chris Collins, Corey Smith, Head of Diversity and Inclusion for North America, LVMH, Rob Smith, CEO and Founder of The Phluid Project, and Linda Song, Senior Perfumer at Givaudan. Each of these inspiring individuals shared their personal stories with moderator Helen Shelton, Global Chief Diversity Officer and luxury brand marketing communications expert at Finn Partners, as well as a wealth of insight and actionable advice both for those inside and outside the fragrance industry.
Jerry Vittoria, Chairman of the Fragrance Foundation Board of Directors, opened the webinar, naming DEI as the number one priority of TFF, and outlining the broad definition of diversity that the organization considers important to its mission. “Our definition of diversity goes beyond gender,” he said, “to include all contexts in which people may identify themselves as part of a minority group. These include ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, different abilities, age, and a variety of backgrounds.”
Fragrance Foundation President Linda G. Levy outlined the #FragranceForwardTFF goal, “to foster a fully inclusive industry that truly represents the world,” and introduced the panelists, all of whom had passionate and nuanced thoughts to share on how the entire industry can ignite and propel positive changes.
They all shared personal stories—Collins discussed his journey from fashion into fragrance, and his acknowledgment from the outset that “Whether you’re Black or you’re a woman or you’re LBGTQ+, you have to work three times as hard for anyone to take you seriously”; Song recollected her “love story” with raw materials that drew her in, and mused on how being Korean in America, and a woman, has shaped and enriched her work; Smith outlined his journey from Macy’s and the corporate world into the Phluid Project, the world’s first gender free store, and the Phluid fragrances. “Why should anything be strictly male or female?” he asked. “It should be about what makes you feel good and brings out your authentic self”; and Smith, who has spent more than 20 years working in DEI, highlighted the challenges and importance of initiating changes within an industry that cherishes heritage.
The panel touched on everything from the need for visibility and representation in marketing to the critical importance of the three A’s: allyship, advocacy, and activism. Smith drove home the point that all efforts need to be 360—and while pledges are important, what’s even more important is “having diverse products on our shelves, products created by diverse people for diverse people.” They offered advice for anyone, but especially minorities, to break into the fragrance business, from networking to mentoring, to just sticking with it. “Don’t be afraid to fail,” said Collins. “If you’re afraid to fail, that means you’re afraid to take risks. You have to be courageous enough to know that you’re going to get some things wrong. As long as you get more things right than wrong, that’s the goal. You have to learn from your mistakes. And you can’t be afraid to ask for help.”
Song spoke about the importance of having this conversation at all levels of the industry, and thanked the Fragrance Foundation and Michael Edwards for taking a strong stance about the use of the term “oriental” in the fragrance industry, recognizing that it is outdated and offensive, and announced that Givaudan will now be using the classification Amber-y in its place. Corey Smith talked about how critical cognitive diversity is, and all agreed that greater diversity means greater creativity, output, and success. “There is a value in difference,” he said. “Innovation comes from difference. Productivity, efficiency. All of that comes from a bunch of different people sitting around a table and debating until the best idea rises to the top.”
And as for how we move the needle in the right direction? It will take everyone, individually and together. “Accountability is individual, then it’s team, then it’s organization,” said Corey Smith. “It’s a level of self-awareness, learning, unlearning, respecting difference. All of that contributes to what we call inclusion.” Rob Smith advised taking leaps, having conversations, listening, being aware, and celebrating every individual. “You’re going to have to do things that are untraditional in order to make space for untraditional brands to succeed,” he said. “We’re never done with this journey, so let’s keep pushing and challenging each other.”
At the end of the riveting, thought-provoking conversation—a true must watch for everyone in the community and beyond—Levy closed the event with an announcement of the #FragranceForwardTFF pledge: “I commit to being fragrance forward by holding myself and my company accountable at all levels to drive diversity, equity and inclusion. I commit to breaking barriers for people of all backgrounds in launching, growing, and sustaining careers in the fragrance industry. I commit to actionable steps to broadening my perspective, changing my workplace, and changing the industry.” And with this, TFF is leading the way, shining a light forward to a future that will be diverse, inclusive, and equitable for all.