Personal Care Products Council Presents Madam CJ Walker Awards for Excellence in DE&I

The Personal Care Products Council presented its 2024 Madam CJ Walker Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) recipients during its Annual Meeting. The award recognizes individuals in the beauty and personal care products industry who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to DEI through strong leadership and sustained efforts with a focus on workplace culture, program and policies, or through external engagement with consumers and communities.

The selection committee honored two executives. Monique Rodriguez, founder & CEO, Mielle Organics was recognized in the entrepreneur category. The corporate recipient was Michelle Wang Goodridge, US president, brand growth, Kenvue.

As a Black-founded business, Mielle Organics aims to empower Black communities economically by inspiring and contributing to future entrepreneurs. More recently, in partnership with P&G, Rodriguez launched Mielle Cares, a non-profit organization that champions the mental health and wellbeing of pre-teens and teenagers by nurturing a positive and resilient mindset to help create a future they can believe in.

“I’m so honored to receive this award. Like Madam CJ Walker, I also started our company from my kitchen, and as Mielle approaches its 10-year milestone, I am proud to reflect on our accomplishments and know that the historic things we’ve done with Mielle Organics will continue to open the door for other Black women to do the same,” said Rodriguez. “I know I have a bigger purpose, bigger than Mielle, to serve our community and our youth. I stand on the shoulders of Madam CJ Walker and aim to continue breaking glass ceilings and setting the trajectory for Black female entrepreneurs and business leaders. Wang Goodridge is a trailblazer, working diligently to create inclusive work environments for Kenvue employees, and ensuring that through her work, brands are collectively advocating and investing in equitable access to everyday care for all consumers. She is widely recognized as an agent of change and serving as a beacon in the industry.

Accepting this award is not a reflection of my efforts alone but a celebration of our collective commitment to diversity and inclusion as an industry,” said Wang Goodridge. “We must continue to take bolder steps to address inequities in care, expand access, and foster inclusive environments and solutions that will ultimately lead to better outcomes for individuals and their families. Together, we can build lasting positive change for people and communities around the world.”

The award honors industry pioneer Madam CJ Walker who started her hair care business at the turn of the century, during a time when women of color had few rights and little opportunity. The award is given to individuals in the cosmetics or personal care industry. Nominees are judged on areas of achievement based on predetermined criteria and selected by the Madam Walker Selection Committee.

“Madam CJ Walker, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein were among the women who started this industry when nobody else was paying attention,” said A’Lelia Bundles, event mistress of ceremonies and Madam Walker’s great-great-granddaughter. “And it turns out that this is not just about products, but it is about empowering people. Making women feel confident, but also giving people economic opportunity. And that’s very much what Madam Walker was about.”

“Madam CJ Walker was a true trailblazer and one of the greatest entrepreneurs in history. She created jobs that helped thousands of women of color achieve financial independence. She is one of the reasons we have people like Monique and Michelle leading the industry today,” said PCPC President & CEO Tom Myers.

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