AS Watson supports gender equity with commitment to empowerment principles by UN Women

MANILA, Philippines — This International Women's Day, AS Watson, the world's largest international health and beauty retailer, proudly announces that it’s the first health and beauty retailer to be a signatory of the Women's Empowerment Principles.

This global movement under UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment) is dedicated to advancing gender equity and women's empowerment.

In support of this movement, AS Watson strengthens its commitment to fostering a workplace, marketplace and community that promotes inclusivity and opportunities for women.

Malina Ngai, CEO of AS Watson (Asia & Europe) says, "At AS Watson, we are dedicated to empowering women to be more beautiful and confident. With over 80% of our 160 million members and over 70% of our 130,000 colleagues being women, our top priority is to inspire and support every woman to become the best version of themselves.

“We are also proud to create an inclusive work culture where women are valued and offered equal opportunities for career growth. AS Watson aspires to leverage our scale for good and inspire every woman to radiate beauty from the inside out. We believe in The New Beautiful—a new kind of beauty that exists within everyone."

AS Watson’s commitment to women's empowerment is demonstrated through its partnership with Operation Smile in the Women in Medicine program.

This empowers women in the medical and healthcare fields by providing them with educational opportunities and specialty training for them to become global leaders in medicine, healthcare, and surgery.

It has successfully trained 30 female plastic surgeons through all-women surgical and educational programs and thousands of smiles will be reconstructed every year.

AS Watson is committed to sponsoring a total of 10,000 surgeries by 2030.

In echo with the “Inspire Inclusion” theme of International Women’s Day, AS Watson and its 12 retail brands across 28 markets launches a series of women empowerment activities for both their people and customers.

Watsons kicks off with "Our Time is Now" campaign today, furthering the commitment to empowering women to be their true selves. Throughout the month, Watsons will