CHICAGO (Jan. 14, 2021) ― Beautycounter, a mission-driven American cosmetics company focused on safe and healthy beauty products, has appointed Liji Thomas as Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Hanold Associates’ Keri Gavin and Sandra Peña led the search for this Santa Monica, California-based role.
Thomas comes to Beautycounter from Southern California Edison, the electrical supply company for much of Southern California, where she served as Head of Diversity & Inclusion. Reporting directly to CEO and Founder Gregg Renfrew at Beautycounter, Thomas will build and lead a team that will develop and operationalize Beautycounter’s DE&I strategy. She will also run point on building an inclusive culture of attracting and developing top talent from diverse backgrounds and experiences, serving as a partner to business leaders, field leaders and outside consultants. Building upon preexisting frameworks and successes, Thomas will further create a welcoming, inclusive company where employees and consultants feel safe, valued and a sense of belonging.
“Liji is a phenomenal person and leader,” said Keri Gavin, Partner on the search. “She will have an immediate and tremendous impact on Beautycounter and the broader beauty and personal care sector. We can’t wait to see all the meaningful things she and Gregg accomplish together that will change the future of the beauty industry.”
Beautycounter was founded by Gregg Renfrew after she learned people were being exposed to harmful chemicals through personal care items. All of Beautycounter’s products are 100% safe, containing none of the ingredients on the company’s “Never List” of more than 1,800 chemicals. Starting off with a small range of products, Beautycounter now offers lines of skin care, make up, bath and body, gifts and men’s products. Most of the company’s sales come through more than 50,000 consultants but the company also operates four retail stores and an ecommerce platform.
Beautycounter’s passion for safer products is apparent through its lobbying in Washington, D.C. with hopes of inspiring legislation to increase regulation, making the entire beauty and personal care industries safer. This effort culminated in 2019 with Congress’ first vote on cosmetics reform in more than 80 years. The company goes beyond making safer products in many ways and has also taken strides in sustainability and responsible sourcing.
About Hanold Associates
Hanold Associates HR & Diversity Executive Search is a retained boutique executive search firm focused on HR and Diversity & Inclusion Officers and Board Directors. Our client list is diverse across industries, geographies and business scenarios, and culture is at the core of everything we do. Our clients include Abercrombie & Fitch, Allstate, American Airlines, Apollo, Big Ten Conference, Biogen, Blackstone, Carnival Corp., ClubCorp, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Domino’s Pizza, eBay, Electronic Arts, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Fiat-Chrysler, Ford Motor Company, Fossil, Gucci, Kellogg, Kohler, L Catterton, Live Nation Entertainment, Major League Baseball, McDonald’s, Moderna, National Football League, The New York Times, Nike, Northwestern University, Patagonia, REI, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, SC Johnson, Tom Brady’s TB12, TPG, Under Armour, Vail Resorts, Wikimedia and Zoom, among others.
