Sephora is the first brand to take #The15PercentPledge to support Black-owned businesses. Started by fashion designer Aurora James, 15% Pledge is a nonprofit organization that asks retailers to commit to dedicating 15% of their inventory to Black-owned companies. As they announced on Instagram, Sephora has committed to achieving this in three actionable stages: taking stock of current shelf space and contracts, taking ownership of findings, and taking action to publish and execute a plan to achieve the 15%. Additionally, the brand’s internal incubator program Accelerate, which usually focuses on female founders, will now focus completely on women of color. (Vogue, The Cut)
