L'oréal - for a better life

The “L'Oréal - For A Better Life” program was established to address sustainable employment for women through a high-level skill training program and job provision in the beauty industry, specifically hairdressing. This originated from three main reasons:

1. At the time the program was established, there were many short-term hair training courses from Women's Union facilities; however, the content and techniques were not advanced, and practice opportunities and quantity were limited. This caused many women, after completing their courses, to still have to struggle to find other job opportunities to earn an income to cover their living expenses.

2. According to reports on cross-border women trafficking from the Ministry of Public Security in the media, the reality showed that many young women from provinces and remote areas were being trafficked across borders. Most of this was due to them being too gullible and believing in the promises of these trafficking groups, thinking they would learn about trade and have stable jobs in big cities.

3. The Vietnamese beauty industry at the time of the program's establishment was 10-20 years behind developed countries. The vast majority of hair salon owners were students from "learn-as-you-work" salons who opened their own shops after a period of time. Due to the lack of a methodical training program, the operation of these hair salons was often personal and small-scale, failing to create developmental motivation for the entire Vietnamese beauty industry.

The initiative creates a methodical and formal hair training program for women in difficult circumstances. On the other hand, the hair industry is characterised by human-related care services, for which women tend to be more naturally suited.

Work in this industry also helps women have a flexible working environment and hours, making it easy to combine childcare and family duties to fulfil both traditional and modern roles, while enhancing personal development and earning an income for themselves and their families.

The initiative helps train a high-tech workforce that is constantly updated with modern techniques and healthcare skills for hair and scalp, serving as a solid foundation for the development of the Vietnamese hair industry.

In addition to creating a highly skilled workforce to meet the market's development potential, the model of opening home-based hair salons and providing home-based beauty services in low-income areas have helped stabilise labour distribution, avoiding migration for work that causes overcrowding in large urban areas.

From a social value perspective, this initiative has helped women find their status within the family and society. Women have a better voice in the family when they are economically independent, contributing to the enhancement of women's rights in a modern society and supporting women to develop stably and sustainably in a modern service industry that is growing strongly globally.

Objective

Women often aim for efficiency in whatever they do; therefore, if there is a force of women participating in socio-economic activities, they can also perform miracles for the country, just as men do.

The goal of the program is to help every vulnerable woman become stronger, helping them always look forward, and encouraging them to work to demonstrate their role and participation in society. Instead of just talking about women's empowerment, it is time to implement a truly effective initiative to make a difference for women belonging to vulnerable groups in society.

Vision

The program was created based on a deep belief that empowering women is important in every era. Because every child learns from their mother, the foundation of society is laid by none other than women.

Properly empowered women will be able to ensure the creation of a well-educated young generation. If every woman is treated with respect and fairness, this will automatically boost their self-confidence, helping them succeed in life and bringing happiness to their own families and those around them.

The best way to empower women is to provide them with opportunities, equip them with skills to learn, grow, and master their lives, and demonstrate their social position. It is undeniable that women have the power to change lives. Therefore, if there is active participation from many women in social activities, it will have a huge impact on the overall development of the country.

Implementation Process - Scope

The project is implemented with an indefinite commitment, intended for all women belonging to vulnerable groups referred by social organisations, or they can directly access the program through training facilities or social platforms.

In 2009, the program was established in Ho Chi Minh City, bringing career opportunities with stable incomes to 200 vulnerable women after 16 weeks of study and practice in the first year of implementation.

After 3 years of implementation in Ho Chi Minh City, in 2012, the program expanded its scope to Quang Binh province to support changing lives for women in poor districts and remote areas of the province.

In 2013, the program continued to open a centre in Hanoi to meet the employment needs of women in the capital city of Hanoi and the Northern provinces.

Specifically in 2014, with the connection of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Ministry of Public Security, the program was approved for introduction into prisons to train skills for female inmates preparing to complete their rehabilitation period, helping them quickly reintegrate into the community and minimise the recidivism rate of those who have served their sentences.

In 2016, the program collaborated with the Nghe An Provincial Women's Union and the Can Tho Women's Union to open training and job placement programs for many women in difficult circumstances.

Since 2016, the “L'Oréal - For A Better Life” program has received much support from domestic and international non-profit organisations, bringing a new life to more than 5,000 families across many provinces and cities nationwide.

Budget

The program reaches vulnerable subjects through a diverse network of partners with a presence across provinces and cities. Students are trained in assistant skills such as shampooing, blow-drying and styling, perming, straightening, dyeing, nails, and makeup, with a study period consisting of 576 hours of practical training over 12 weeks at training centres and local training facilities nationwide.

Students are also evaluated by industry experts and leading salons during the graduation exam and are arranged into workplaces according to personal requirements to stabilise their lives. For students wishing to participate in the main stylist course (hair cutting, advanced hair dyeing, salon management, customer service, marketing), they must complete at least 6 months of work as an assistant before continuing to advance to main stylist training.

After completing the program, students are connected with credit support programs to open hair salons and conduct business in the industry they have learned. All students are granted a certificate of course completion after a working period of 6 months or more, and will continue to attend annual skill enhancement courses to have opportunities for development in the beauty industry in Vietnam.

Training and job placement costs are 100% sponsored by L'Oréal. The total investment cost for the program from 2009 to date is 45 billion VND.

The connection of social organisations, non-governmental organisations, beauty industry experts, and hair business establishments has helped standardise the skill training program.

The program has produced outstanding results in vocational training and sustainable livelihood creation. A total of 11,200 students have been trained, including 200 female inmates reintegrating into the community. Activities were implemented through 11 training centres nationwide and 19 local classes in remote areas. Notably, 100% of students secured jobs after graduation, while also contributing to the creation of 4,500 indirect jobs. Regarding the professional scale, the program supported 9,000 hairstylists and 2,200 hair salons. The income of hairstylists increased by 250%, while the income of hair salon owners increased by up to 500%. Besides the economic impact, the program also recorded positive social effects, being implemented in 45 provinces and cities, with 100% of participating women showing a positive change in their voice within the family.

The “L'Oréal - For A Better Life” program originated in Vietnam, was replicated into an international model, and has been implemented in 35 countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Colombia, etc.

The hair industry training model was positively evaluated by the international auditing organisation EUROMONITOR for its potential for replication in Vietnam as well as globally, before officially becoming a globally recognised program in 2016.

In 2019, the program received support from the German Business Association, expanding the model to the northern mountainous region of Vietnam through the provinces of Dien Bien, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, and Yen Bai, helping to change the lives of more than 500 ethnic minority families through the beauty profession.

The program also created a new service industry in localities, providing an additional 1,000 jobs for remote areas. The model of training and connecting with the beauty industry has been and is being shared with non-profit and non-governmental organisations to bring a better life to all women in Vietnam and around the world.

Not only that, but the program also plays an important role in improving the quality of life to help women have more of a voice in the family and society. They can master their lives when they have economic stability and financial independence.

L'oréal - for a better life

L'oréal - for a better life