business4better.org

For Jane Cosmetics, She’s the First was a perfect fit as a nonprofit partner. Like Jane, the nonprofit reaches out to socially conscious

girls and young women with the message of empowerment. Plus, the relatively young nonprofit, which works to educate girls in developing countries, was a good match for a cosmetics company going through a rebirth of sorts.

That rebirth involves a rebranding effort that spotlights the company’s original emphasis on giving back.

Founded in 1994, Jane Cosmetics — which makes beauty products sold at mass retailers and drugstores in the U.S. and Canada — was bought by New York investment firm and holding company Patriarch Partners in late 2009. Lynn Tilton, Patriarch’s founder and CEO, was named CEO for Jane Cosmetics and Stila Cosmetics, another brand in Patriarch’s portfolio, earlier this year.

As it goes through the process of re-launching, Jane is reworking its products and packaging but retaining its socially conscious image, said Janice Nickloff, director of global communications and public relations. As the company explains on its website, the name Jane was meant to represent the girl next door and convey the idea that every woman can advocate for social change.

Jane Cosmetics aims to work with different types of charities through its nonprofit partnership program, Friends of Jane. Last fall, the company teamed with She’s the First as a Friend of Jane and launched a specially packaged lip gloss collection, of which 100 percent of net proceeds go to She’s the First, which also is mentioned on the packaging.

Jane also sponsored She’s the First’s second annual Tie-Dyed Cupcake Bake-off in November, a social media-driven fundraising campaign. In the week-long event, students across the U.S. hold cupcake sales to raise money for girls’ education sponsorships in eight developing countries. The distinctive cupcakes inevitably stop students in their tracks and give volunteers the opportunity to not only fundraise but educate others about the need to support girls getting into the classroom in other countries, said Tammy Tibbetts, founder and president of She’s the First.

The bake sales have raised $60,000 from about 200 student teams in the past two years and given than 4,000 U.S. students direct leadership and entrepreneurial experience. She’s the First has more than 40 active chapters at high schools and colleges, which promoted the campaign via social media and newspapers.

In exchange for a sponsorship fee, She’s the First provided Jane Cosmetics with marketing outreach to Jane’s core demographic — teenagers and young women. Jane’s logo was included in She’s the

Putting Your Best Face Forward:Jane Cosmetics partners with a young social media-savvy non-profit to reach teenagers and young women.

B4B CASE STUDY

Jane Cosmetics aims to work with different types of charities through its

nonprofit partnership program, Friends of Jane. Last fall, the company teamed

with She’s the First as a Friend of Jane and launched a specially packaged lip gloss collection, of which 100 percent of net

proceeds go to She’s the First.

CASE STUDY: Being a Better Business

First campaign materials, including t-shirts and flyer templates for bake sale teams.

For the student participants, the campaign was life changing, Tibbetts said. “They saw that they could organize something that had the power to change the life of a girl who is often their same age but fighting for her chance to get in the classroom,” she said.

“We all have talent to make the world a better place but we don’t all have the opportunity,” Tibbetts said. “They were able to

give others an opportunity for an education because Jane Cosmetics gave She’s the First the resources to engage them.”

Jane’s sponsorship allowed She’s the First to fund a two-day leadership summit in October, bringing its chapter presidents and vice presidents to New York City for the United Nations’ first International Day of the Girl, Tibbetts said. Jane executives joined campus leaders at an assembly at a Brooklyn high school and She’s the First presented Tilton with an appreciation award.

“Her whole message is empowering, enlightening and educating women,” Tibbetts said of Tilton. “When the CEO has those values, it becomes the lifeblood of the company.”

To meet Jane’s goal of conducting targeted product sampling, She’s the First proposed a “Find Your Shine” station where company representatives could offer touch-ups of its specially packaged lip gloss (with profits going to She’s the First) to high school girls during recess on the Day of the Girl, according to Tibbetts.

Jane hopes to work with She’s the First again this year, with a goal of getting its leaders involved in product development, Nickloff said.

Company executives were familiar with Tibbetts from her work as social media editor for Seventeen magazine and knew her nonprofit — with its similar demographic reach and message — would be a great fit, Nickloff said. As it looks for other nonprofit partners, Jane is interested in finding ones with the same dynamic as She’s the First — early-stage nonprofits rather than large, established charities. Young nonprofits align better with the company as it re-launches, she said.

She’s the First’s extensive use of social media — cupcake sales teams used Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to promote the campaign — also is key for Jane. “That’s something I look for in charities, is their ability to help network the brand,” Nickloff said. “In this day and age, it’s important to build that loyal following, whether it’s through Facebook or Instagram, and getting genuine messaging out there.”

She’s the First student volunteers are truly inspiring, she said. “They’re so smart and dedicated, spending their free time raising money to send girls to school...They’re that next generation that has a voice with social media.”

Jane’s other philanthropic work has included providing make-up services during prom dress giveaways for underprivileged girls. The company also teams with organizations that hold special events for girls undergoing cancer treatment. Jane donates its services and products by sending a team of make-up artists to the events to give girls quick makeovers.

“Whether it’s giving them a lip gloss or teaching them how to quickly apply makeup that’s OK for them to use while in treatment can make them feel good about themselves,” Nickloff said. “Little things like that can go a long way.”

“Her whole message is empowering, enlight-ening and educating women,” Tibbetts said of Tilton. “When the CEO has those values,

it becomes the lifeblood of the company.”

business4better.org

Producing Partners Premier Underwriter Organized by:

In Partnership with:Nonprofit Partners

Business4Better’s (B4B) mission is to create successful business and nonprofit partnerships that directly impact communities and expand the meaning of being a better business. B4B brings together business, nonprofits, and CSR thought-leaders to thrive, share, inspire, educate and form partnerships that prove Business4Better is truly better for us all.

ABOUT BUSINESS4BETTER