Ulta Beauty commits $50 million to DE&I for 2022

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Feb 6, 2022

Bolingbrook, Illinois-based beauty retail giant Ulta Beauty announced it will invest $50 million into its latest diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments for 2022. 

As part of this year’s efforts and its “commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices”, it will dedicate approximately $25 million in media investments with multicultural platforms to nurture personal connections with Latine, Black and other multicultural beauty enthusiasts. 

In addition, the company said it will invest $8.5 million to brand marketing support for Black-owned, Black-founded and Black-led brands within the company’s assortment. 

In line with it’s “commitment to curating and nurturing a diverse assortment,” it will launch a Brand Partner Accelerator Program focused on early-stage BIPOC beauty brands. It is equally allocate $3.5 million to in-store merchandising support so guests can more readily find the Black-owned, Black-founded and Black-led brands in-store. 

Likewise, as part of its “commitment to guest experiences”, the Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation will donate $2 million to BIPOC and LGBTQ+-focused non-profits with volunteering and education opportunities for associates. 

The company said it will also now enforce its in-store training launched in 2021 to reinforce inclusivity and address unconscious bias, while textured hair and shade matching education trainings will be further enriched across every Ulta Beauty salon.

Finally, to support its “commitment to associate experiences,” its Diverse Leaders Development Program continues to grow, while Ulta Beauty will continue to significantly invest in incremental efforts to support its diverse slate recruitment efforts. 

“As a values-driven company, we believe we have a responsibility to drive diversity, equity and inclusion in our company, industry and world,” said Dave Kimbell, chief executive officer, Ulta Beauty. 

“Looking back at 2021, I’m proud of the work we did to meaningfully grow our assortment, elevate and celebrate underrepresented voices, invest in our associates and create equitable experiences. Our forward-looking 2022 DE&I commitments ensure that we remain energized, creative and extremely dedicated to leading in this critical space.”

Ulta Beauty operates more than 1,300 retail stores across 50 states and also distributes its products through its website. In December, it announced a 28.6% increase in third-quarter net sales. For the third quarter ended October 30, 2021, sales totaled $2.0 billion, up from $1.6 billion in the same period in the previous year.