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Q&A with Ryan Napierski

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Transformation is a Perpetual Process.

Nu Skin President Ryan Napierski was named the DSA Chairman at the DSA Annual Meeting in June. I recently connected with Ryan to talk about his focus and vision for his upcoming new role as well as insights on what is happening at Nu Skin.

We are a couple months from the DSA annual meeting in Austin, where you were welcomed as the new Chairman taking over from Amway’s John Parker. Could you share with us a little about what your focus and vision are going to be as the Chairman?Ryan Napierski

I’m really excited to take on this role. I’ve been participating in the executive committee along with John for the last couple of years, and we’re excited about the progress we’ve been making around selfregulation. I think reputation is a critical part of our responsibility—as an association—how we work and how we represent our industry.

As we look to the future, I want to make certain that there’s continuity between where we’ve been and where we’re going. So I developed a three ‘R’ framework of Reputation, Repositioning, and then Rejuvenation. I briefly spoke about reputation—how do we continue to improve the overall reputation? The self-regulatory movement, the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council, is a critical step in helping us to ensure that companies that are part of our industry—broader than just the association—understand the appropriate way of doing business. That will continue to be a key focus as we move forward in optimizing this new program to improve the reputation overall.

“Our focus is to get culture right and to continuously transform as an enterprise to win in the future.”

Share with us the second and third part of your three ‘R’ framework, Repositioning & Rejuvenation.

In addition to reputation, we need to look hard at the repositioning of our association and our industry. With all the macro trend movements we’re all familiar with—the gig economy, millennials, social, mobile—it really is a different business operating environment. It also poses a very significant opportunity for us—if we position ourselves effectively to play in it. As an association, how we provide value to our members to help us in repositioning ourselves in this new world is a key focus in adding value for our members.

The final element or the third ‘R’ is rejuvenation. This is all around ensuring that the association provides an environment for our member companies to help them be successful. Many of these companies are new. We have all different types of members from very small startup companies to very large, 50-year-old companies. Each one of those companies adds value, respectively to the association, according to what they contribute to it. I think it’s critical that our association represents their needs and provides value to every type of company. It’s also crucial that we create an environment where new companies are teaching old companies how to operate more effectively.

A lot has been talked about both in our magazine as well as the DSA’s Annual Meeting about how we compete going forward. What are we as an industry doing well as an industry, and where do we need to improve?

Ryan NapierskiWhat we’re doing well is we are acting very responsibly as an association. I think the moves we’ve made over the last few years—the last year in particular— are really important for the long-term viability of our industry.

As an industry, we’ve also done really well in building a community of like-minded businesses to learn and share and develop together. It’s something that I would argue is very special to the Direct Selling Association of the willingness to share with peer companies.

I think the things that we need to improve on, especially in light of what I talked about with the repositioning activities, is how do we see ourselves in the future? If we continue to see ourselves as analog lens direct sellers, then we will miss a significant opportunity that’s ahead of us with the gig economy. The broad movement to independent workforces, and the desires of millennials, and even Gen Z, who aspire to own their own business are so much greater than Gen X or the baby boomers. If we position ourselves correctly to win in those environments, I think we will do better.

At times, we continue to look at ourselves through what I would define as an analog lens rather than a digital lens—where many of our companies are not digital native companies. So it’s a much more transformational repositioning that we need to go through as an industry and as an association to capitalize on those trends.

It’s great to see that the U.S. direct selling market had 1.3 percent growth in retail sales for 2018, stopping the two-year slide. From your vantage point at Nu Skin, what did your company learn from your slight downturn in 2013-15 that allowed you to have three years of sustained growth?

We have learned a few key lessons over the course of the last two decades or so about our business. However, I think the last decade has probably been the most significant period of change for Nu Skin, at least in our 35-year history. What we have learned is that the business environment in which we operate today is dramatically different from the business environment that existed for the prior 30 years. That’s largely a result of how our distributors do the business.

The impact of social and the medium itself has significantly changed the behaviors that our sales force utilizes to build their business. You can go all the way back to the hotel meeting model, the three-way calling model, or even the party plan models of the past. Those models today are all facilitated in a totally different manner because of technology. I would argue that perhaps the greatest, most significant lesson we’ve learned over the course of the last decade is that technology, if utilized and positioned within the company correctly, can be a significant, transformational agent for the business.Ryan Napierski

The second thing we’ve learned is that focusing our sales force really matters. This probably doesn’t come as any surprise—but as companies, we tend to feel that the more we do for them then the better off we will be. We still struggle with determining how much is too much versus how little is too little. I think what we’re trying to find is that sweet spot where pushing innovations to market by our sales force are at the appropriate cadence to get them aligned and moving forward directionally in a consistent manner that the company can support.

What are you laser-focused on right now as a company leading into the end of 2019, and into 2020?

We are laser-focused on our transformation as a company. Sometimes people think transformation is a one and done or something you do every 10 years. I’m laser-focused on helping our organization to recognize that transformation is a perpetual process that we must constantly be in both individually, as well as collectively as a company.

While we had an amazing year last year, with nearly 18 percent growth year over year, we recognize that to sustain growth requires perpetual transformation. That’s what I’m focusing on right now with my team.

We have the right culture and principles in place. We just rolled out a new culture construct that we call the Nu Skin Way that goes through our leadership principles around being customer obsessed and accountable, empowered, and being decisive. These are all principles that we’re now trying to ensure that we live on a day-to-day basis across the company. As we all know, the Peter Drucker quote that Culture eats strategy for breakfast is very true. So our focus is to get culture right and to continuously transform as an enterprise to win in the future.

Another Year of Steady Global Growth

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We are pleased each year to provide you with analysis of the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations’ global sales data. Writer Beth Douglass Silcox identifies the 24 global markets with retail sales of $1 billion or more from direct selling. She also digs into the 2018 numbers to not only extract the economic impact our industry is having on economies around the world but also reveals some insights about the future:

  • $192.9 billion (constant U.S. dollars) in estimated retail sales globally—a 1.2 percent increase over 2017
  • Estimated retail sales in China barely eclipsed those of the United States, prompting WFDSA to announce a tie for the top spot for now, with the chance of being restated later in 2019 as actual sales data becomes available.
  • The industry’s global sales force reached 118.4 million, up 1.6 percent over 2017. Since 2015, more than 13.8 million more individuals have joined the ranks.
  • Emerging markets made up 42.7 percent of the global sales total.

In the July issue, I mentioned that each month we will be talking about a separate Core Principle—elements that make the difference between direct selling companies that thrive and those that struggle. Last month we talked about building a distinct, emotionally connected BRAND. While you don’t have control over how your customers interpret what your brand means to them, you create and control the messages that reinforce your brand. This month we are focusing on creating a relevant, simple and repeatable MESSAGE that will stand out. And for these messages to work, they need to be rooted in the belief that customers and distributors are the main characters in your story.

This month we catch up with two iconic companies to see what they have been up to lately. The first is Morinda, who exploded onto the health and wellness scene in the late 1990s, introducing the industry to the superfruit noni. Today, the company has established a new home within the New Age Beverage family of healthy beverage companies.

Next is Mary Kay, an icon in both the beauty and network marketing industries, which has been focused on empowering women since its inception in 1963—long before female empowerment was mainstream news.

And finally, be sure and drop me an email to let us know how we are doing and how we can better serve you. If you have ideas that would be helpful to our readers please send them my way.

DSA: Sale of CBD Supplements Violates DSA Code of Ethics

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The Code Administrator of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) made it known to all member companies in a memo released July 30 stating  “…it is the determination by this office that the sale of ingestible CBD (cannabidiol-based oils) products such as a foodstuff, nutritional supplement, tincture or for any digestible means for humans or animals is violative of the DSA Code of Ethics.”

The association also stated in the memo that they are instituting a 90-day window for member companies selling CBD products during which they will not be cited for DSA Code of Ethics violations, and to account for additional time to permit the FDA to “articulate a path forward wherein sale of these products may be deemed legal.” See below for more on 90-day window.

“…not all supplements qualify for this regulatory exclusion”
The DSA pointed to numerous recent news articles and CBD-product promotional materials have cited the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill as permitting, under federal law, the sale of hemp-based products such as CBD oil:

As DSA members that market nutritional and related products know, federal law generally does not regulate the sale of nutritional supplements as long as those products do not make unsubstantiated claims and/or claims to cure disease or similar medicinal benefits. However not all “supplements” qualify for this regulatory exclusion. The exclusionary clauses of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act provide that a substance approved as a new drug or the subject of substantial clinical investigations which have been made public is prohibited from use in food or dietary supplements unless the substance was first marketed as a food or dietary supplement.

To this point, the FDA has approved CBD as an active ingredient in an epilepsy drug, Epidiolex and CBD is currently the subject of substantial clinical investigations which have been made public. FDA has also stated that the “first marketed as” exemption to the exclusionary clauses does not apply to CBD, as the agency is not aware of any data demonstrating that CBD was marketed as a food or dietary supplement prior to the initiation of substantial clinical investigations of CBD as a drug.

The memo goes on to say that while the FDA concedes it has not yet determined the appropriate path to take in regulating the increasing use of CBD-infused supplements, the fact that the FDA may not be enforcing the law as it exists does not nullify the facts nor vitiate the application of the DSA Code. Section A.1.b. of the DSA Code of Ethics states:

Member companies and their independent salespeople must comply with all requirements of law. …Compliance with all pertinent laws by member companies and their independent salespeople is a condition of acceptance by and continuing membership in DSA (emphasis added).

In conclusion, public statements by FDA officials together with the disclosures made during the agency’s hearing discussed above as well as DSA’s panel discussion at the Annual Meeting confirm that the present sale of ingestible CBD products is illegal under federal law and hence violates the DSA Code of Ethics.

DSA’s 90-Day Window

The DSA states they are aware that the legal status of CBD ingestible products may be in flux as the FDA considers its options in regulating these products. Consequently, for the next 90 days, DSA companies presently selling CBD-infused ingestible products will not be cited for DSA Code of Ethics violations for that sale. This 90-day window will account for additional time to permit the FDA to articulate a path forward wherein sale of these products may be deemed legal.

The DSA concludes by saying that if the FDA does not act within that timeframe, and CBD-infused products continue to be sold in interstate commerce by a DSA member, that company may be deemed to be in violation of the DSA Code of Ethics. The company will be requested to remedy this Code violation by halting sales of those products. If after that final notice the DSA member company is in violation of the DSA Code of Ethics, and CBD-ingestible sales continue to occur, the Code requires this office to notify the DSA Board of Directors of the member’s ongoing violation of the DSA Code of Ethics by such sale.

This story will be updated.

DSA Canada Welcomes Five New Board Members

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The Direct Sellers Association of Canada recently announced the appointment of five new members to its Board of Directors.

The newly appointed directors are:

  • Darla Brown – General Manager Canada, Plexus Worldwide
  • Jackie McClements – Vice President and General Manager, Monat Global Canada
  • Sona van der Hoop – Senior Director North American Sales, Mannatech
  • Marcia Cota – General Manager Canada, AdvoCare
  • Colleen Leithman – Director Legal and Corporate Secretary, AVON Canada

“We are pleased to welcome Darla, Jackie, Sona, Marciaand Colleen to the DSA Board of Directors,” said Peter Maddox, president of the DSA. “I believe their collective experience will be a significant asset to the Board. I look forward to leveraging their expertise as we focus on planning and implementing an effective strategy that meets the needs of our members and advances the direct selling industry.”

The new members will join the current members Rhancha Trick (chair), Gina Bresciani, Nathalie Cormack, Helena Alexandre, Len Iakiri, Lynda Rose and Randall Markus.

Mary Kay Inc. Named Among Most Reputable Global Employers

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Mary Kay Inc. has been recognized in the 2019 Global Workplace 100 Study by Reputation Institute (Ri) as one of the world’s most reputable employers.

Mary Kay is ranked number 42 among the top 100 global companies on the list.

“Our reputation among employees and customers is based on the foundation Mary Kay Ash established when she began her dream company in 1963,” said Melinda Foster Sellers, chief people officer at Mary Kay Inc. “She envisioned a company based on the Golden Rule that made the world a better place through corporate responsibility, innovation, ethical business practices and people-first management—all factors that contributed to our success in this year’s Reputation Institute study. We’re honored to be named among the most reputable employers from around the world in 2019.”

In the study, researchers at Reputation Institute—a leading provider of reputation measurement and management services—surveyed more than 230,000 individuals in 15 countries. Reputation Institute measured companies based on professional development, total rewards, work environment, market leadership, products and responsibility.

According to the research, over the last year, willingness to work for Mary Kay increased by 6.2 percent, the largest improvement among all the companies measured in the Global RepTrak® 100 study. Mary Kay outranks other global powerhouse brands in a variety of industries across the globe.

“Mary Kay is a rising star in the reputation study—showing the biggest improvement in the ‘willingness to work for’ category of all companies measured,” said Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, chief reputation officer at Ri. “Companies like Mary Kay are reaping the benefits of building workplace cultures that foster inclusion while demonstrating concern for the health and well-being of its employees.”

This is the latest in the series of accolades Mary Kay has received highlighting its position as a global employer of choice. Other recent awards include:

  • Top 10 Global CEOs: Reputation Institute named Chairman and CEO David Holl among the top 10 most reputable chief executives in the world according to its CEO RepTrak® 2019.
  • Best Midsize Employer 2019: Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Midsize Employers 2019. Mary Kay is ranked number 97 of the 500 companies on the list.
  • Best Employer for Diversity 2019: Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity 2019. Mary Kay is ranked number 150 of the 500 companies on the list.
  • Global Excellence in the Workplace: Mary Kay Spain and Mary Kay Poland earned the 2018 AON Best Employers Award, recognizing organizations demonstrating excellence in the workplace. Mary Kay China and Mary Kay Mexico picked up the honor in 2017.
  • Family-Friendly Employer 2018: Mary Kay Hong Kong was recognized by Home Affairs Bureau as a top family-friendly employer.
  • Chinese Enterprise Health Management Top 10 Employers 2018: China International Intellectech Corporation honored Mary Kay China.

Young Living Adds New Farm in Ecuador

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Young Living Essential Oils recently announced the addition of the Mera Ocotea Farm, Young Living’s newest corporate-owned farm.

The 120-acre farm, located in Ecuador’s Pastaza Province, is expected to produce harvests of ocotea starting as early as 2023.

With the founding of this latest farm, Young Living seeks to go beyond its 5×5 Pledge goal of adding no fewer than five farms to its family every year. The company sees the Mera Ocotea Farm as an opportunity to positively impact the planet. Young Living has planted more than 5,000 ocotea trees on the farm, accelerating oxygen production in the local environment. It will also use only non-GMO seeds, rely mainly on natural rainfall as a water source and support local wildlife corridors.

“The purity of all our products begins at our farms,” said Lauren Walker, chief supply officer for Young Living. “That’s why we want all our farms—whether they be corporate owned, partner farms, or Seed to Seal-certified suppliers—to be trailblazers in responsible stewardship of the earth. The Mera Ocotea Farm is yet another example of how Young Living is working to counter deforestation in that part of the world.”

The Mera Ocotea Farm is the second member of the Young Living farm family in Ecuador.

DSA, Congresswoman Debbie Lesko Lead Women’s Entrepreneurship Event

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A Women’s Entrepreneurship Event led by U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) and the Direct Selling Association (DSA) was held on Monday, July 29, in Glendale, Arizona.

Independent sales representatives from DSA member companies Amway, Arbonne International, Isagenix International and Mary Kay, Inc. participated in the event. The roundtable discussion focused on getting women involved in entrepreneurship, and the importance of family, freedom and flexibility to operate independent businesses.

“In 2018, 74.8 percent of direct sellers were women,” said DSA President Joseph N. Mariano. “Strong female leaders are critical to our industry and this entrepreneurship roundtable gives women involved in direct selling the opportunity to share their positive experiences with elected officials and to expand their leadership skills.”

Rep. Lesko said, “As a champion for entrepreneurs in Arizona and in Congress, I am dedicated to supporting women who are excited about building a business on their own terms and schedule. It was my pleasure to partner with the DSA on this roundtable and I applaud the Association for seeking out opportunities for their members to share their concerns and new ideas to help promote women in business.”

ORGANO Completes Phase One of Continental Africa Growth Plan

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ORGANO recently announced it has completed phase one of its Continental Africa growth plan.

“The October 2018 opening of ORGANO in South Africa represented a milestone achievement, furthering our goal of providing economic development opportunities for African citizens everywhere and making ORGANO products and services more broadly available around the world,” said ORGANO Director of African Operations Helen Rees. “Over the past nine months ORGANO has had a positive impact on people and communities throughout the countries we serve in Africa. ORGANO currently has full-scale operations in Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia.”

Rees stated that as ORGANO begins phase two of its continental Africa growth strategy the company will open for business in Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda before the end of 2019.

“Expanding ORGANO throughout the African Continent is an important component of our strategic growth plan for the EMEA region,” said ORGANO Managing Director of Global Strategy Leonard Chin. “The ORGANO brand is one of the most well-known and respected brands around the world.  Being open for business in more than one dozen African countries before the end of 2019 brings the ORGANO product lineup to millions of Africans who enjoy great tasting and healthy nutritional foods and beverages. The value proposition will only get better as we add products and services from our other industry verticals including beauty and cosmetics, travel-related products and services and fintech.”

ORGANO offers a lineup of its beverages and specialty nutritional products in Africa. The company pivoted into a new “Vertical Markets EcoSystem” model earlier this year and will begin extending and expanding into new industry verticals in Africa beginning later this year.

“ORGANO’s pivot into a Vertical Markets EcoSystem business model is an innovative move designed to overcome shortcomings rooted in antiquated direct to consumer models,” said ORGANO Chief Operating Officer Norm Perrett. “Our expansion throughout the African Continent represents a long-term commitment to the people of Africa through our Continental Africa Plan, our broader regional growth strategy for the EMEA region and our intention to make ORGANO products and services more broadly available around the world.”

Isagenix’s Powell Receives Prestigious First Chair Award

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Isagenix International’s legal officer and general counsel, Justin Powell, has received a First Chair Award that honors in-house counsel who have made significant contributions to the legal community.

Powell is being recognized in the Top General Counsel category alongside attorneys from several Fortune 500 companies, including Ford Motor Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Southwest Airlines Co. and Amazon.com Inc. Recipients will be honored at the First Chair Awards Conference & Gala on Aug. 28 in Chicago.

Powell, who was nominated by his peers, joined Isagenix in 2012 as associate general counsel and has served as the global health and wellness company’s chief legal officer and general counsel since February 2016. In addition to managing the legal team, he’s responsible for the global compliance, human resources and government affairs departments. Powell also chairs the U.S. Direct Selling Association’s General Counsel Committee.

“Justin is an excellent leader with a terrific legal mind who’s set a great example at Isagenix and among his peers,” said Isagenix Chief Executive Officer Travis Ogden. “He’s also made significant contributions to our company’s success. I’m thrilled he’s receiving a First Chair Award. He is well-deserving of this recognition.”

Among Powell’s contributions is helping Isagenix navigate several complex opportunities, including significant international expansion and transitioning to an employee-owned model through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Powell also worked with his team to help launch the Isagenix Legacy Foundation, allowing the company to align its giving more closely with its mission of impacting world health and wellness.

“I’m honored to receive the First Chair Award, as I view it as a reflection on all my team has accomplished,” Powell said. “I’m privileged to lead such a strong and talented group of individuals. Together, we’re ensuring Isagenix is in the best position possible to inspire healthy change and transform lives around the world.”

Traveling Vineyard Releases Charity Wine to Benefit NMFA

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Traveling Vineyard has partnered with the National Military Family Association (NMFA) and released a new wine to support military families.

The Ipswich, Mass., direct selling company has partnered with NMFA of Alexandria, Va., to award a $14,000 scholarship to Tessa Fulmer, a military spouse pursuing her master’s degree in teaching at Clemson University.

The scholarship was funded in advance by Traveling Vineyard and will be supported through sales of 2015 Sky Blossom, Mendocino County Syrah, California. Sky Blossom was created exclusively to benefit military spouses and to support NMFA’s mission. For every bottle of Sky Blossom purchased through Traveling Vineyard’s network of independent Wine Guides, $1 will be donated to NMFA on an ongoing basis.

“We have been inspired by so many military spouses and former military within our own Traveling Vineyard family,” said Rick Libby, CEO and “Chief Grape Stomper” of Traveling Vineyard whose father, Edgar, was a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army. “We have witnessed their stories, sacrifices, and joys firsthand. Supporting NMFA and giving opportunity to military families is a tangible way for us to show our appreciation.

The scholarship was awarded to Mrs. Fulmer in a surprise presentation at Traveling Vineyard’s Harvest Conference for Wine Guides at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, in front of 500 of the company’s independent Wine Guides.

“We are so grateful to Traveling Vineyard for its commitment to military families and the work we do at the National Military Family Foundation to support them,” said NMFA Executive Director Joyce Wessel Raezer. “Military spouses often have to put their academic and professional goals on the back burner. Thanks to Traveling Vineyard, Tessa and other spouses like her will be one step closer to achieving their dreams.”

Natura &Co Takes Decisive Step in Fight Against Climate Change

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Ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit in September, Natura &Co is stepping up its commitment to set a new level of climate ambition as part of “Business Ambition for 1.5°C: Our Only Future” campaign.

As part of this commitment, Natura &Co, together with 21 other companies with a total market capitalization of over $1.7 trillion, will pledge to limit its contribution to global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and reaching net-zero emissions by no later than 2050.

This commitment supports the most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which warned of catastrophic consequences should global warming exceed 1.5°C.

“The UN Secretary-General has called on leaders to come to the Climate Action Summit in September with clear plans for major cuts to emissions on the pathway to a zero-net emissions economy by 2050,” said Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Climate Action Summit. “It is very encouraging to see these climate leaders in the global business community taking action, both to help tackle the climate emergency and because taking climate action presents huge opportunities for early movers. By sending strong market signals, these companies are showing governments that they need to urgently ramp up their national plans in line with the latest climate science.”

Roberto Marques, executive chairman of Natura &Co said, “For the sake of the next generation, we cannot ignore the climate emergency we face today.  Business, governments, civil society and individuals must act together, and we must be more ambitious. Because when it comes down to it, we cannot run businesses on a dead planet. This campaign is a great start and I would encourage every business to get involved.”

This is the first major commitment made by Natura &Co since its formation following the union of Natura, Aesop and The Body Shop to form a purpose-driven cosmetics group.

Avon Foundation for Women Donates $100,000 to Malala Fund

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Avon Products, Inc. announced that the Avon Foundation for Women is donating $100,000 to Malala Fund, a charity that champions every girl’s right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education.

The donation will be channeled directly to advance education for girls in Brazil, Avon’s largest market.

Breaking down the barriers holding women and girls back, to create a better world for everyone, is a common goal for Avon and Malala Fund. Avon’s global program, stand4her, aims to improve the lives of 100 million women by creating opportunities to build success on their own terms. The plan includes initiatives such as the Avon Academy, a training platform to enable Representatives to learn beauty and business skills and the Global Scholarship Program, offering financial support to Avon’s beauty entrepreneurs and their families to continue their studies.

Malala Fund was founded by Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, and her father, Ziauddin. Malala Fund works towards a world where every girl can learn and lead, breaking down the barriers that hold girls back. With a focus on the 130 million girls out of school worldwide, Malala Fund invests in local education activists known as Gulmakai Champions, amplifies girls’ voices and advocates to hold leaders accountable at local, national and international levels.

“In Brazil, indigenous and Afro-Brazilian girls are disproportionately marginalized and struggle to complete their education,” said Malala Yousafzai. “Malala Fund’s Gulmakai in Brazil are fighting for their future and we are grateful to the Avon Foundation for Women for investing in their work.”

The donation from the Avon Foundation for Women will be directed towards one of Malala Fund’s Gulmakai Champions who is working to advance girls’ education in Brazil by sparking social and systemic change for girls. In Brazil, 1.5 million girls are currently denied an education as a result of racism, exploitation and poverty.

“Like Avon, Malala Fund aims to break down the barriers keeping girls from achieving their full potential,” said Patricia Eisner, chief development officer of Malala Fund. “We share a vision to see a world where all women and girls can learn, and Malala Fund is grateful to the Avon Foundation for Women for investing in our work. Unlike countries with millions of out-of-school girls, Brazil could see every girl in school relatively soon.”