Chairman of the Board of Directors, L'Oreal
ADL's Never Is Now 2021 | Courage Against Hate Award Presented to Jean-Paul Agon Chairman of L'Oréal
Jean-Paul Agon is the recipient of the 2021 ADL Courage Against Hate Award. He became CEO of L’Oréal in 2006, and then Chairman and CEO from 2011 to 2021.
In 15 years, Jean-Paul Agon adapted the company by leading in-depth strategic transformations, notably the digital and e-commerce revolution and the one of responsibility and sustainability. With a double ambition: combining economic performance and exemplarity in environmental, social, ethical and societal fields.
The Ethics Resource Center awarded him the “Pace Leadership in Ethics Award” for L’Oréal’s achievements in the area of busines...
About Jean-paul Agon
In a June 2020 interview, Agon expressed confidence in the beauty market's ability to recover from the coronavirus crisis, stating that L'Oréal has historically seen a strong bounce back after crises. He described the situation as a supply crisis rather than a demand crisis, noting that consumers in China were eager to buy beauty products once restrictions were lifted. Agon acknowledged that the speed of recovery would depend on the duration of the pandemic and its economic impact, but argued that beauty products are inexpensive items that consumers may use to indulge themselves after a period of frustration. In earlier appearances, Agon emphasized the importance of digitalization for L'Oréal, stating in 2018 that "the future of beauty will be digitalized" and that the company's profit margin had accelerated alongside its digital efforts. He also discussed the company's decentralized operational structure, which allows local adaptation to consumers. In 2015, Agon spoke about L'Oréal's "Sharing Care" program, which aims to extend social benefits to employees outside France, arguing that economic and social performance are intrinsically linked and that companies have a duty to share social advances globally.
Transcript (2 segments)
P
Presenter0:08
Thank you Jordan Robinson for sharing with us how you combat anti-Semitism on campus, and thank you to Hillel for continuing to be one of ADL's most valuable partners in educating and inspiring students around the country. Our future is in good hands with the next generation of change makers. Today I have the distinct pleasure to introduce my friend Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman of the L'Oréal Group, who exemplifies corporate responsibility through his relentless effort to fight hate on a global level. I am so pleased to present ADL's 2021 Courage Against Hate Award to Jean-Paul in recognition of his long-standing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, respecting human rights, and confronting anti-Semitism in society. Jean-Paul and L'Oréal understand the importance of education and have partnered with ADL on a multi-year initiative to fight anti-Semitism. With the expertise of our successful Echoes and Reflection program and L'Oréal's partnership, this new initiative will create direct student digital classroom activities that will reach more than 100,000 middle and high school students and create an engaging way to learn about the lessons of history that are still so relevant today. None of this would be possible without Jean-Paul's leadership and the vision he set forth to use L'Oréal's platform for good. In his 15 years at the helm of the company, he has transformed L'Oréal in so many ways. Jean-Paul joins other Courage Against Hate Award recipients who have used their influence and commitment to fight bias and discrimination, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, and Merck former CEO and Executive Chairman Kenneth Frazier. Without further ado, please welcome my friend, our partner, and the 2021 recipient of ADL's Courage Against Hate Award, Jean-Paul Agon.
J
Jean-paul Agon2:18
Dear Jonathan, thank you for your very generous words. They go straight to my heart. Today I feel profoundly humble and overwhelmed with emotions. This award bestowed on me is an immense honor. The fight against anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred is one of the toughest, if not the toughest, universal challenge of the 21st century. We absolutely need organizations like the Anti-Defamation League to be at the forefront of this cause. I have the utmost admiration for your outstanding work and for you, dear Jonathan, for your courage and determination. Standing by ADL's side for the last three decades in your mission to secure justice and fair treatment for all has been a privilege. I also feel proud not of myself but of all the members of the L'Oréal family. If there is one thing I have learned during my career, it is that respect and inclusion cannot be decreed from an executive office. I have been blessed to be surrounded by my 85,000 colleagues who share my belief that companies have a responsibility to be a force for good. If we have shown courage against hate, it is thanks to the commitment of each one of them. This is their world. I also feel an immense sense of responsibility. Who could have imagined the unprecedented rise of hatred and anti-Semitism we are suffering today? The past years have reminded us how easily they can insidiously creep back into every corner of our societies like poison. I solemnly make this pledge to you: to continue doing my utmost to help say never again. Sixteen years ago, my predecessor, Celine Sewan Jones, was honored by the ADL with the International Leadership Award. Elie Wiesel was the keynote speaker of the ceremony. He reminded us of the need for people not only to speak up but to demonstrate indeed how to make our world more humane. While I listened, I asked myself what I could do as a leader of a global company. I had to act, not just to do better but to do what was needed. I have used whatever power and influence I might have to fight strongly for what I believe in ever since. At L'Oréal, we fight to embrace diversity, promote equality, and encourage acceptance. One of the first decisions I made as CEO was to name a Chief Ethics Officer and a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, both directly reporting to me, not just as a symbol but as a clear and firm message that always fighting against any form of rejection was a top priority. For 12 years running, we have been named one of the world's most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Our commitment is governed in particular by our global human rights policy, reflected in how we do business, from respecting human and labor rights to fighting against discrimination at work, from universal social standards to inclusive training and hiring of people at risk. We are embracing a leadership role in this global fight, enlisting our entire ecosystem alongside the United Nations and other key stakeholders to make a difference in people's lives. We commit to pushing back ignorance and aberrance through education. It is our collective duty to future generations to consider how we will teach the Holocaust tomorrow. It is our responsibility to be faithful to the memory of its victims by fighting against its oblivion or worse, its trivialization or even negation. We are honored to be supporting ADL's low-cost education program for students. We strongly believe promoting understanding and empathy regarding what has been the greatest manifestation of hatred in history will contribute to turning back the rising tide of anti-Semitism. Finally, it is about standing up together for the world we want for our children. We only need to continue our never-ending efforts on this path to a fairer world. In the face of those who disseminate hate, we shall raise a more powerful voice to make tolerance and fraternity prevail. In the face of anti-Semitism, injustice, and discrimination, we need organizations like yours and people like you to fight prejudice wherever it reaches its ugly head. I promise you that now more than ever, we will do our best to continue to live up to the wonderful spirit of this Courage Against Hate Award. You will always have an ally in your friends at L'Oréal. We will stand by your side to make the world a better and more beautiful place. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.