Women in Communication: Angela Cretu CEO of Avon
When it comes to Avon, it is immediate to think of a female world made up of saleswomen, cosmetics, fashion and above all relationships based on trust. A large family that has been close to women of all ages for decades.
But who are the women of Avon? We met Angela Cretu, CEO of the company, and asked her to explain her point of view on women empowerment and women in the world of work.
Here's what he replied!
What is it like to be a woman in the world of work?
Being a woman is great, in the workplace and out of it, as long as you've found your voice and have faith in your voice. Many women, myself included, have found themselves in situations where they may have had difficulty speaking. We have to take courage, have faith in our abilities and intuitions and speak up. Everyone has a contribution to make. And taking part in it is much more rewarding, because if you have found your voice, you have so much to share and so much to gain.
See also
What was empowerment at 18 for you?
When I was 18, living in my native Romania, I didn't think much about it. At the age of 18 you try so hard to meet certain standards, to meet people's expectations, thinking that your place is already designed and you just have to adapt. It took me years to realize that my place comes to me itself, and not that I've never tried to fit a model. 18 is really an age where on the one hand you feel you can conquer the world, but on the other you feel overwhelmed by the world. I wasn't sure I knew what I could do with that power. It is the age of self-discovery so today I wish all 18 year olds to find the power to have fun.
What would you say to eighteen-year-old Angela today?
Be free. Free from wanting to please anyone. Free to adapt to any standard. Free to love yourself before you can love others generously.
What are, for you, the most important values at work and what are Avon's goals?
Integrity is the first value I think of. And true integrity does not require you to abide by certain rules. Integrity is your own freedom to be in a place where you know your values will be respected, where you know that you don't have to worry about injustices at work and how you will be treated. Integrity is something I don't even want to think about compromising on, regardless of the business context. And then of course they follow the other values but there are so many.
Three words that you associate with women empowerment?
There are more than three! I think female empowerment comes from every woman's inner strength to really make her voice heard, because once she has made her voice heard, it has a ripple effect on society, on the family, on the community, because women they have so much to give. Everything else like freedom, beauty, connections, financial independence, education, are all attributes you can acquire once you have the inner strength and a stimulating environment in which to live and work.
Is there still a need to talk about women empowerment? If so, how should it be done?
It is essential to talk about the emancipation of women. #SpeakOut: we must make our voices heard and express ourselves freely!
Despite the incredible progress made so far, women cannot express themselves in total freedom in all areas of life, from business to politics and the arts. We will kick off the #SpeakOut campaign on International Women's Day, inviting men and women from around the world to join us in talking about the obstacles that could prevent women from having equal equality in expressing their opinion.
The campaign, which will run throughout 2020, invites people to share their stories, words and discrimination by posting a selfie on their social media channels using the hashtag #SpeakOut. Additionally, Avon will collect these stories and share a gallery to celebrate and support all women in the world. To join the movement you can visit the site: www.avonworldwide.com
In addition, the company, also thanks to its Foundation, has raised over a billion dollars, to be donated to associations that work to improve the lives of women in some areas of the world.
