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Press Release

Schwarzkopf Million Chances charity initiative	   	                            November 2016

For a better future: Schwarzkopf launches the Million Chances initiative 
Global hair cosmetic brand Schwarzkopf has now launched the Schwarzkopf Million Chances charity initiative. The aim of the initiative is to work with international and local organizations to support projects that empower women around the world to build a successful personal and professional future. 

Düsseldorf – Schwarzkopf’s vision is to give women a successful start in future – no matter where or how they grow up. Working in cooperation with international and local development organizations, the Schwarzkopf Million Chances initiative offers women support at every stage in life. “When women openly talk about their dreams and ambition, many get told ‚You don’t have a chance.‘ With Schwarzkopf Million Chances we want to give these women the chance they need to pursue their dreams,“ says Marie-Ève Schröder, Corporate Senior Vice President of International Marketing at Henkel Beauty Care.

Schwarzkopf Million Chances is involved in projects falling into three categories – “Build Up”, “Move Up” and “Start Up” – thus catering to the needs of women at different stages in life. For the launch of the initiative, Schwarzkopf Million Chances joined forces with the international development organization Plan International Germany to start three distinct projects. With “Build Up”, the initiative supports girls in primary school in rural areas of China, for instance. There, Schwarzkopf Million Chances and Plan International are working to create better sanitary conditions and equal opportunities in education. Next, Schwarzkopf Million Chances supports teenagers and young women on entering the workplace with “Move Up”. Its work with Plan International includes for example supporting young women in the Egyptian city of Cairo. To provide young women with the skills they need for a successful career, they offer workshops and programs like interview coaching. Finally, Schwarzkopf Million Chances empowers women to make a new start in their personal or professional lives with “Start Up”. As part of the project, women in Colombia – who often have no access to education – are offered skills-based training in cooperation with Plan International, which in turn helps them to become financially independent. 

Since 2008, Schwarzkopf Professional and the SOS Children’s Villages have given young people the chance to learn hairdressing through the Shaping Futures project, thus giving them a source of income. Shaping Futures was launched in Cambodia and has since been expanded to include Brazil, Latvia, Morocco, Vietnam and Ukraine. As a global initiative, supported by the Fritz Henkel Stiftung, Shaping Futures is now part of Schwarzkopf Million Chances (category “Move Up”).

Apart from above mentioned international projects, Schwarzkopf Million Chances supports a number of local projects, run by charitable organisations, in every country in which Henkel Beauty Care is represented. These offer employees a platform to engage with their local communities. “In the past, we have been repeatedly asked by our employees about initiatives which they can support. With Schwarzkopf Million Chances we can offer this opportunity and support women worldwide”, says Marie-Ève Schröder. In Germany, for example, Schwarzkopf Million Chances supports the organization ProMädchen (“Move Up”), whose various offers reach more than 2,000 young women per year.

About Schwarzkopf 
118 years ago, chemist Hans Schwarzkopf laid the foundations for a brand that stands for quality, reliability, expertise and innovation. Today, that brand is a global leader in hair cosmetics. Schwarzkopf is the largest Henkel Beauty Care brand and generates revenue of approximately € 2 billion (2015) in over 60 markets worldwide in the branded consumer goods as well as the professional hair salon business. Its products include hair colorants like Brillance and Diadem, and hair are and styling products like Schauma, Taft, Gliss Kur and got2b.

About Henkel
Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market – across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2015, Henkel reported sales of 18.1 billion euros (20.1 billion US dollars), adjusted operating profit of 2.9 billion euros (3.2 billion US dollars). Its three top brands, Persil (detergent), Schwarzkopf (hair care) and Loctite (adhesive) generated more than 6 billion euros (around 6.6 billion US dollars) in combined sales. Henkel employs around 50,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team, united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. For more information, please visit www.henkel.com

Press contact
Press office at Henkel Beauty Care:			PR agency:
Henkel Beauty Care Markenkommunikation		achtung! GmbH
Nicola Surholt						Sabrina Seidl-Zinke 
Phone: +49 (0)211 – 797-1637				Phone: +49 (0)40 – 45 02 10-710
Fax: +49 (0)211 – 798-8518				Fax: +49 (0)40 – 45 02 10-999
Email: nicola.surholt@henkel.com 			Email: sabrina.seidl-zinke@achtung.de

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA