One year later: More brands are taking on the 15 Percent Pledge. 

One year later: More brands are taking on the 15 Percent Pledge. When Aurora James founded 15 Percent Pledge, she did so as a response to the Black Lives Matter protests—and to encourage brands to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands. Sephora was the first major retailer to commit to the group’s mission followed by West Elm, Rent the Runway, MadMen, Vogue, and Yelp, but since then, even more brands like Madewell and Ulta have joined as well. Altogether, 27 retailers have taken the pledge. According to James, the beauty industry is “at the forefront of taking the pledge,” and wants to continue seeing growth that is “healthy and sustainable.” Last year, she told YPulse: “It is harder for Black-owned businesses to thrive in today’s economy. If a brand walks into a bank with a purchase order from Whole Foods or Sephora, that lends a ton of credibility.” (Glossy)