I’ve been a part of the Edgewell team (through various acquisitions, divestitures and spin-offs) for more than 25 years and have really enjoyed a career path that’s been anything but “textbook” or linear. Having grown through previous roles in Finance, Sales, Strategic Planning and General Management, I am now serving the company as Chief Human Resources Officer.

Along the way, some of the moves I made were lateral and others may have been viewed as backward steps, but I didn’t give that much thought at the time. To me, the journey was more important than the ultimate destination. With the cross-functional moves, I tried to enter each new role with a mindset of asking questions and listening to and learning from my teammates to get grounded and understand the situation through their eyes.

As I became more familiar and comfortable in the roles, I thought about the skills & knowledge I had acquired from my prior experiences and how they could help me to engage the team to set an ambition, shape a strategic agenda and do some great work, together! Our most recent work on the People Strategy for Edgewell is an example I’m very proud of. I believe it reflects an in depth understanding of the business and how the HR function can contribute towards improving company performance, in partnership with our people leaders.

We’re all wired differently in terms of career philosophy, but for me, a career is a long time, and my curiosity took me in different directions at a few key inflection points. I was fortunate to have bosses along the way who supported me and didn’t think my career aspirations were crazy. Years ago, I never envisioned landing in HR, but things have a way of working out and I feel like I’m now in a function where I can add a lot of value at this stage of my career.

I wouldn’t have been able to make the career moves I did without a culture that supports individual growth and active sponsorship from key leaders. Regardless of where you are coming from or where you’re headed, Edgewell believes that supporting teammate growth is part of our People First value and key to our success. It’s my job to lead the HR function in a way that’s laser focused on delivering a teammate experience that maximizes engagement and performance which ultimately enables business success. It’s also my job to ensure that our People leaders are working closely with their direct reports and having robust discussions about career development.

My own journey at Edgewell serves as just one example of how career-pathing can take shape if you advocate for yourself and are willing to make a few trade-offs (it’s not always about getting a more senior title with every move!) along the way. We have other stories like mine at EPC, where career paths have taken unexpected, yet welcome turns. The career path of one of my HR teammates, Eric Treschuk, comes to mind. Starting in the Air Force, Eric transitioned into Marketing and General Management for much of his career, then he made a career leap into Change Management a few years ago and now serves as the VP of People Strategy and Development, leading our Talent and Analytics and HR Systems teams while using his prior experiences to also lead major corporate transformation initiatives. He was able to take his learned skills and talents and merge them with his own personal goals and passions to form his own path - we know there’s tremendous value in that.

In addition to Edgewell people who are already forging their own unique careers, you might be wondering what else are we doing as an organization to support cross functional moves and growth from within? Well, we’re working hard to foster and enable this by creating a clear and transparent progression process. One example comes out of our Global Finance and IT departments where in partnership with HR, they’ve implemented a broad-scale functional program called “Career Voyage.” The program provides a standardized framework that delivers a deeper understanding of different roles and career opportunities within both departments. It also has given many of our teammates the opportunity to work on projects with teams in different regions that they might not interact with naturally. By breaking down exactly what each role does, how it operates and what functional skills and capabilities are needed to perform the job, our teammates can get a better understanding of their workspace and actively influence their career development and succession planning accordingly.

A primary goal at Edgewell is to make sure our people feel fulfilled in their careers and can apply their best talents in a way that is helpful to the business. We strive to make sure that our people are happy with their path forward, whether that means transitioning their talents to a cross-functional role or prioritizing promoting from within. All these paths allow for fresh perspectives to be brought to our work and ultimately contribute towards stronger team performance.

My own path and career changes were humbling and, at times, daunting, but along the way I learned the importance of supportive executives, managers, peers and direct reports in creating a foundation and open mindset from which I was able to succeed. It makes me very proud to be a part of an organization that fosters and protects a supportive culture, so I can pay it forward and be that support system for others’ careers.

At Edgewell our Purpose is to Make Useful Things Joyful. If we succeed in creating joyful careers for our teammates, I’m confident this will drive performance and be useful to the business!

It’s my hope that my path might inspire others to also take an unconventional leap, trust in their foundation and move forward, even if it’s not a straight path.

To find out more about our team and opportunities, check out https://edgewell.com/careers/

At Edgewell, we are dedicated to making useful things joyful. In my role as the leader of the Global Innovation and Insights Team, part of contributing to our purpose is identifying global trends and consumer demands, partnering with our regional marketing teams to understand commercial opportunities, and the partnering with R&D to deliver new innovations that are meaningful to our consumers. I see our teams working toward this every day and it’s one of the many reasons I’m so proud to be here.

Specific to the area of waxes, we noticed over the years that hair removal sales in key markets were impacted by consumers who had moved to salons for alternate methods of hair removal. E-commerce wax offerings were mainly driven by hot waxes of various formats, which were largely under-represented in stores. Rather than in the aisles of their pharmacy or grocery store, consumers were looking to expert professionals for hot waxes, partly because they felt it was too complicated to do at home. Then when the pandemic hit, we noticed that consumers were pivoting to DIY (do-it-yourself) waxing methods as salons closed, but they were limited in options. Coming out of the pandemic lock-down, those DIY habits continued on, so the longer-term opportunity space quickly became apparent to us and we had to move fast.

As we started to develop the business opportunity, our insights team found that most of the on-shelf retail assortment was composed of ready-to-use cold wax strips. With this discovery we knew that the wax aisles were ripe for innovation and consumers were craving more options.

From here, the innovation and marketing teams brainstormed solutions that would be easy to use, affordable and preferential for consumers to do at home while still achieving professional results. As an example, we first recognized that hot wax roll-ons are widely used by salons and that expert professionals use a warming station that takes up space and is expensive. Given this, the team looked at ways we could make this same process possible at home – and that is how our Sugar Wax Roller was born!

Once we had our product concept identified, we then went through multiple rounds of tests to improve the product proposition. The team also conducted home-usage tests to make sure we delivered on performance.

One of the biggest challenges we faced was speed to market, requiring a short development timeline to launch while the opportunity space was still ripe for innovation. We worked with a co-manufacturer to develop for us a total of four SKUs in U.S. and six SKUs in Europe. In total, this resulted in 11 formulations and 25 pieces of artwork. This required laser sharp focus from all project team members in order to successfully launch on time, which, thanks to the team, we were able to do. The process shined a light on how each team member was genuinely and completely engaged and up for the challenge. It also demonstrated their ability to seamlessly and successfully work across functions to make all this happen.

With all this hard work, we were fortunate enough to see the products resonate with consumers on the sales and marketing side as well. In April of this year, we saw our Schick Hydro Silk Sugar Wax Roller had become the #1 selling wax both on Amazon.com and in physical retail stores¹. That same product also went viral with 15M TikTok views from community sourced user generated content, as well as one of our most recent organic TikTok posts going viral with 3.2M views and counting.

At the core of my job, I aim to lead and inspire my team toward developing, revitalizing, expanding and evolving our well-known brands through specific consumer insights that result in successful, consumer-centric innovation. This wouldn’t be possible without an extremely talented and hardworking innovation and insights team. I am so proud of the work put into Schick Hydro Silk’s new line of waxes and it has been nothing but a joy to see how well its resonated with consumers across the globe.

To find out more about Schick Hydro Silk or purchase these new wax products, you can head to www.schick.com.

¹IRI InfoScan, Multi-Outlet data for the 13wks ending 6/4/23.

Behind all the amazing brands, innovations and products of Edgewell, it is a company made up of amazing, individual people, before anything else. In fact, the sentiment, “People First” is our leading value and a key aspect of our corporate purpose. As the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Edgewell, that’s one of the many reasons why I’m so proud to work here. Keeping that core value at the forefront of my everyday work, I ensure that DEI supports our purpose and the focus on our people, and serves as a foundational function to support Edgewell’s values.

This is where our Teammate Resource Groups (TRGs) come into play. TRGs are a voluntary teammate-led group intended to build networks around groups that have been under-represented in the workplace. Our goal in launching these was to find a way to enable our vision that every teammate embraces our own it together mindset when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. We wanted to engage teammates, provide a forum for our people to share experiences and challenges, and support DEI on a broad scale.

After initial listening sessions and a company-wide survey aimed at honing in on how we could make sure our teammates feel more supported, we set out to launch our first resource groups. The first TRGs were CARE: Cultural Awareness Respecting Everyone and WISE: Women and Individuals Supporting Equality. In November of 2022 we launched a Veterans TRG and most recently, in June 2023, we’ve launched a TRG in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Members of our CARE TRG at a local CT chapter of the Boys & Girls Club.

While they are still new, what’s come out of these TRGs is truly amazing. Each group is supported by an executive sponsor, volunteer TRG leaders and amazing teammates who are active and engaged in what’s important to them. They are empowered to host discussions, learn from one another, have conversations or make suggestions about culture, what’s important to them, and create outreach events – internally and in the community.

One example from this past May, was our CARE TRG which held its second-annual community outreach event with a local CT chapter of the Boys & Girls Club. Teammates were able to meet with the kids, play some dodgeball, host an ice cream party and spend a day encouraging them to celebrate their own individualities. Some left wanting a dodgeball rematch (or at least a recount…), but everyone was encouraged to spend the day embracing themselves as individuals and emphasizing how our unique qualities make us stronger together. Our WISE TRG hosts internal events in support of International Women’s Day and Women’s History month and bring in external speakers on topics such as Assertiveness with Grace and Tackling Period Poverty, to name a few, that educate the group on important topics. Not only have the WISE members created amazing events in support of International Women’s Day, they also inspired local sites as well. Additionally, our newest LGBTQ+ TRG has sponsored Pride events around the world. These efforts are so much more meaningful to me because they are suggested by and supported by our teammates directly.

Another element our CARE TRG offers is book clubs and movie suggestions based off conversations and topics suggested by the group. While it might not seem hard-hitting to some, it’s the small moments that are the most impactful. When someone has expressed that they were excited to see that we had a movie or book for a group of individuals that looked like them, that’s powerful. Knowing that they recognize that they’ve been seen and represented within the Edgewell community is a huge foundational part of what we strive for. On a personal level, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to connect with teammates internally that I wouldn’t normally have the chance to interact with. Being witness to all the folks who attend, participate, and run these TRGs is amazing, and I am so appreciative and impressed by their passion every day.

I could not be more excited for our recent Veterans TRG and our brand new LGBTQ+ TRG to grow and support our mission of supporting our community and creating a more open and inclusive environment. It’s so important to be able to empower our teammates with spaces where we can freely share our experiences and challenge old paradigms.

Although we’re still in the beginning stages, the work our teammates have put into these groups has already created a tighter community amongst our teammates and made connections that would not have normally been made. Everyday I’m encouraged by the support, engagement, and conversations it has fostered. I’m optimistic about the supportive spaces we’ve built here and couldn’t be more excited to continue the journey towards expanding and supporting our TRGs at Edgewell.

One example of celebrating International Women’s Day & Women’s History Month.

This week, Edgewell Personal Care is proud to have received a B score for our 2022 Climate Change impact report from CDP, a global non-profit that runs the world’s leading environmental disclosure platform. This score demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement and transparency, and reflects our company’s ongoing efforts to operate responsibly and sustainably, all while producing innovative and high-quality products for our customers and consumers.

Our sustainability mission at Edgewell is to create products that people love to use to take care of themselves, with careful consideration of our planet and everyone who shares it. Our Sustainable Care 2030 strategy provides a roadmap for delivering on our ambitions and guides us to ensure that we are a successful and responsible business not just today, but for generations to come.

Part of executing on this strategy is our focus on reducing our environmental footprint. More specifically, in our disclosure to the CDP this year – and following the advice of leading climate science to align to a 1.5°C pathway – we’ve shared our commitment to reduce our absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, which is more aggressive than our previously stated goal to reduce GHG emissions by 10% compared to 2019 levels. Edgewell's ambition is to go beyond this goal, to achieve carbon neutrality across our global operations for Scopes 1 and 2.

We are proud to join over 20,000 businesses around the world who also disclose data to CDP and believe that through measurement we can drive better performance. We recognize the importance of being transparent with our stakeholders and remain committed to taking action on climate change.

To learn more about Edgewell’s approach and sustainability commitments, please visit our 2021 Sustainability Report. I look forward to sharing more updates on our progress in the coming year when we release our 2022 Sustainability Report!

The biggest and most interesting challenge I’ve faced since joining Edgewell as a Global HR Leader is the transition to a more flexible hybrid working model.

Flexibility has always been a part of the culture at Edgewell. On our annual teammate experience survey, ‘Flexibility’ always surfaces as one of our top three strengths (along with ‘Empowerment’ and ‘Collaboration’). Before the pandemic, it was seen as a way to help people find a balance when they needed it, rather than a standard working model. Now, both our teammates and Edgewell as an organization have experienced the benefits of more radical flexibility, so we’ve focused on developing a hybrid working model, rooted in our core values, so our teams can have more choice when it comes to how, when, and where they work.

1. From Flexible Working to a Hybrid Working Model, we put People First

We’ve always adopted a flexible view of how work can be completed. We understand that not all appointments can be outside of work hours and that many of our teammates have families, so we have a natural understanding within our teams that flexibility is necessary to do our best work. We encouraged our teams to use their office spaces as a place to get work done, meet their colleagues, and feel connected to their teams. This hasn’t changed since the pandemic; it’s just evolved more than anyone could have expected.

Recently, as we began our global launch of hybrid ways of working, we’ve doubled down on this approach to flexibility. As more organizations begin to mandate that their employees to return to the office, we have instead chosen to deploy a team-based approach, which gives the power to our teams so they can choose the ways of working that best suit each individual team. While a remote environment helps many teammates to stay productive, increase their work/life balance, and bring more joy to their lives, there is also a need for in-person collaboration. Things like brainstorming, onboarding a new teammate, team building, and professional development are not well-suited for remote work. Because of this, we have deemed Wednesdays as Collaboration Days where our teammates can come into the office to work together.

Even as we move from remote to hybrid, we strongly believe in the power of flexibility and promoting a healthy balance between work and life. We understand that teammates may not be able to join a collaboration Wednesday from time-to-time or that work hours may need to be adjusted. This understanding is adopted at the highest levels, so our teams can be confident in their choice to work remotely without ever thinking that it might negatively impact their careers. Even our our CEO, Rod Little, and our Global Leadership Team split their time between remote work and the office, acting as role models for our teams across the globe so they can have confidence to make their own decisions about hybrid working.

Just as we want our teams to be confident and comfortable working in a hybrid environment, we know this can only be effective if they feel heard. We believe that the key to successfully adopting a hybrid working model is by speaking to teams across all levels of the business. As I mentioned earlier, ‘flexibility’ the most important quality that teammates say they need from Edgewell. When we dug a little deeper, this need for flexibility came from a desire to have a choice. Giving our teammates a choice about where and how they work, without any preferential treatment or expectations, means they will be able to achieve better work-life integration, productivity and, most importantly, joy in their work. For anyone looking to create their own hybrid working plan, the most important advice I have is to listen.

2. Hybrid Works Better When We Listen Before Taking Action

By talking to our teammates, we found that there were those who wanted the flexibility to work remotely, but others who missed the office or didn’t have home environments conducive to work. By listening to what our teammates needed and wanted, we were able to create a plan that allowed them to have a choice. This choice supports them to do their best work while also living their most joyful lives.

After lots of research, surveys, focus groups, and discussions with our teammates, we uncovered the following insights that have helped us to successfully execute our hybrid working plan:

• Accountability for deliverables and results is what matters, not how much time is spent in person (presenteeism) vs. remote
• Trust is the foundation to build empowerment and hybrid working
• Many of us have been working ‘remotely’ successfully for some time- across different locations, countries, time zones and functions of the business
• We strongly believe in the power of in-person collaboration and personal learning and development, and the positive impact they have on culture and team dynamics.

There’s no ‘one size fits all’ solution that works, so our managers:

• Meet one-to-one with each of their team members to learn their individual needs and preferences, as well as what support they need to be set up for success in a hybrid environment. Flexibility means different things to different people.
• Bring the team together to put a ‘Team Agreement’ in place. This ensures the whole team can input and then commit to ways of working
• Build the Team Agreement around Wednesday collaboration days
• Review the Team Agreement at least every three months, making changes to continually improve

As you can see, flexibility, choice, and trust are crucial to adopting a long-term hybrid working plan at Edgewell. Based on everything I knew from my years in Human Resources, and the culture of our organization, we could not devise and implement this plan without listening to understand our teammates and effectively owning the plan together.

3. Successful Integration and Adaption Happens When We Own It Together

To own it together, we must balance individual ownership with teamwork and collaboration, and that means ensuring teams are in the office at the right moments. Everything we developed and actioned during the process of developing our hybrid ways of working was created to drive team alignment. We wanted to give our teams the choice they needed, while providing some structure.

As a global organization, we needed to consider three different types of team structures:

• A team based mostly in the same location
• A team where there are different functions in one location working on the same goals
• A team where the members work in many different locations

While the example scenarios may seem quite different, we believe that asking the right questions can help ensure each individual team has a plan for hybrid that works for them and their needs.

For us at Edgewell, this is achieved by teams coming together and discussing the following questions:

• For what and when will we work together in person, other than the collaboration day (e.g., in the office)?
• For what and when will we work together apart (e.g., virtual meetings)?
• Are there any times when we need to work alone and in-person? When is the best time for this?
• What times will we reserve for no meetings to ensure we have time to focus?
• How can we communicate better as a hybrid team?
• How can we better share information as a hybrid team?

These questions, as simple as they may be, allow each team to be on the same page, know what is expected of them, and have their say to feel engaged in this journey toward the future of working at Edgewell.

4. What Hybrid Working Looks Like at Edgewell as we Move Forward

At the end of the day, myself and the HR team have seen that our teammates feel more productive when they are in control and when they have flexibility. We’ve known and appreciated this for some time, but now our eyes have been opened to just how much control we can give our teams while still maintaining productivity. It may have taken over a year of forced remote working to help us develop our hybrid ways of working, but the reason why a hybrid working model comes so naturally to our leadership and our teams is because we’ve always put people first, listened, and worked collaboratively.

As COVID rates improve in many regions around the world, including in the U.S., we are excited to be leading the charge as a people-driven employer that not only makes useful things joyful for our consumers, customers, and investors, but also for our teammates.

I hope this insight into Edgewell’s approach to hybrid working has been useful, and perhaps better enables you to think about, craft, and develop a hybrid working plan for your own organization. If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear them. Feel free to comment below to let me know your thoughts or to share what you’re doing to bring a hybrid working approach to your organization. Alternatively, if you’re looking to join a company that puts your needs, development, and joy first, we are hiring across a number of functions at Edgewell. You can head to our Careers page to learn more about the exciting opportunities available.

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/taking-people-first-approach-hybrid-working-edgewell-personal-care

After nearly five years in my role on the eCommerce team at Edgewell as Senior Vice President, I’ve seen our team grow from 5 people to nearly 50. It’s been an exciting journey, and the work we’re doing is becoming more impactful and increasingly necessary as digital evolves. While teams across the globe at Edgewell unite to make useful things joyful, we help the business move forward toward our digital transformation ambitions. It hasn’t been a straightforward journey, but it has been an exciting one filled with purpose, learning and growth. As the world moves faster than ever and our need to keep focused on what lies ahead, it’s important to reflect on how far the eCommerce team has come and how we’ve gotten here so we can understand how best to move forward for the future.

What it takes to move eCommerce forward

What I’ve learned throughout my time at Edgewell has been instrumental in helping me create a thriving team focused on our goal of moving forward. Not only have I learned a lot personally, but I’ve also learned so much about what it takes to build a talented team, especially when what we do requires such specialized capabilities.

We’ve worked hard to ensure that everyone on the team is passionate about the same goal, without necessarily having the same background or expertise. Over the years we’ve found that it’s our combined skillset that really makes the magic happen in eCommerce. As a management team, we dedicate time to finding the right candidate for a role and don’t set any boundaries for ourselves. We keep our eyes and ears open for talent with the right skillset we need, whether they’re already part of the Edgewell team and are looking for a new challenge, or they’re on the other side of the world but have the skillset we’re looking for. We prioritize finding the right people who will help us grow and accomplish our goals.

One of the best ways we move eCommerce in Edgewell forward is by recognizing potential talent and ensuring we put plans in place to give our teammates the training they need to grow and develop. This people-first mentality flows from the broader Edgewell values into the vision for our eCommerce team.

I take pride in being an approachable leader for my team so everyone can run their area of the business and I can play a supporting role where and when I’m needed. I make sure my team are comfortable and confident in the skills required to help a global brand like Edgewell find their place in this growing digital world. When I first started at the business, our eCommerce was done through Amazon alone—now we’re finding ways to bring our portfolio of brands to more people in more places, so it takes a lot of organization and ambition to get the job done. Ensuring our teams can build relationships, work successfully with different people and have the confidence to own what they do so we can all move forward together is hugely important. I’m there in a supportive capacity to remove any roadblocks, but its each member of the eCommerce team that drives our division of the business forward. It really is a privilege to see this diverse and multi-talented group do the work they do and do it so successfully.

To move forward we need that specialized skillset, and we’re fortunate to have the flexibility to find those perfect candidates. While we’ve been lucky enough to share our team with talented individuals from across the globe for some time, the beauty of the Hybrid Working model at Edgewell means that we have even more scope to find the right person wherever they may be located. Right now, our team includes people from across the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific but can come from anywhere. By fostering a collaborative and diverse team, we’re ready for whatever lies ahead.

Finding your feet in eCommerce at Edgewell

As I mentioned before, the rate at which our team is expanding is a testament to the incredible work the team is doing. They bring their all to work every day, whether that’s through their commitment, their ideas or their ambitions to help us drive our digital transformation ambitions forward. While we’re a diverse team, we do have a few things in common. The biggest commonality we all share is certain behaviors that embody the culture we have here at Edgewell.

Firstly, we take being decisive seriously.

Just as we’re open to making the right call on the right candidate regardless of where they’re located, we take making the right call in our day-to-day seriously as well. This is all part of how we own it together. When we make a decision, we’re confident in it. Whether it turns out to be the right one or not in the long-term, we know that in the moment it was the right decision for us. Things change so quickly that we need to think fast, decide fast, and adapt fast. So far, this is something which has helped us grow and really make an impact to how people across the globe find those useful Edgewell products that bring them joy.

Next, we make sure to create a supportive environment so we can try, create and learn.

Just like making the right decision in the moment may not lead to the best outcome down the line, this is never something we worry about. When we make a mistake, or the decision doesn’t go the way we thought it would somewhere down the line, we take it as a learning. It’s just another opportunity to learn and grow. Personally, I don’t think we’d have gotten to the place we are now, or we’d have had the successes we’ve had as a team, without that safe environment to try something new, experiment and learn as we go. No one has all the answers, but we try our best to give the best answer we can and work together to do the right thing—for ourselves as individuals, our team and the broader businesses at Edgewell.

Moving forward together to make eCommerce matter

Just like the ever-changing digital world we all experience in our day-to-day lives, our role on the eCommerce team at Edgewell is never the same day after day. As we strive for transforming the business digitally, as a team we’re flexible and ready to tackle whatever a new day brings. This flexibility is key, and our team needs to be able to color outside the lines because a lot of times things are so new to us and there’s so much to be done.

This is where doing the right thing comes into play, it’s a huge part of how we move forward toward our digital transformation ambitions. By focusing on the behaviors that unite us both in the eCommerce team like being decisive and a willingness to try and learn, we can move forward to make eCommerce matter at Edgewell. We know we’re never going to have the perfect strategy, so that’s where the whole team can come together to make an impact.

The next step for us as an eCommerce team at Edgewell is to be a little disruptive within a traditional organization. We’re trying to challenge. We ask questions, like how can we do this quicker, or is there a benefit to positioning this to a digital-first approach? In order to move forward we have to think about how we play a digital role in this traditional world by working with other teams at Edgewell to ensure we’re making things work for every team along the production and distribution chain. There’s a big role to play for the eCommerce team at Edgewell with a lot of opportunities on the horizon, and as we make a bigger impact quarter by quarter, we’re looking for the right people to help us do it.

I hope this has given you an insight into the team here at Edgewell—what we do, why we do it and how we’re moving not only our team forward, but also the impact Edgewell has across the globe too. I am so proud of my team and all they’ve accomplished, and I’m excited to see where we go.

Whether you’re placed in a role with another team at Edgewell and have a real interest in eCommerce and digital transformation, or you’re already working in the space and want to bring your talents to Edgewell, we always want to hear from you.

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This week, top business and government leaders have been convening virtually for the World Economic Forum’s #Davos Agenda. With 2020 behind us, it is gratifying to see that sustainability and conservation are central to WEF’s agenda and critical to the organization’s approach to drive our global recovery from the pandemic.

A deep commitment to the planet and our people is nothing new to Edgewell. Last year, I had the privilege of rolling out Edgewell’s Sustainable Care 2030 strategy, which enables us to sustain and grow our business and operate responsibly today and into the future. Edgewell also unveiled a new corporate strategy in November 2020, with sustainability as a core driver of corporate success.

While I am energized by our ambitious targets and commitments – such as the use of 100% renewable electricity; reducing use of virgin petroleum-based plastic content; aiming for 100% recyclable, compostable or reusable plastic packaging; enhancing our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion; and more – I am equally excited about how we are going to achieve these goals.

Central to our path to success is our deep commitment to leading with purpose. At Edgewell, we make useful things joyful in everything we do – for our people, our consumers, our retailers, and our suppliers. What does this mean for our sustainability vision? It means that we focus our efforts on nurturing a world where the joy of caring for yourself is balanced with caring for our shared planet and society. Purpose fuels strategy, and we have a unique ability to operate with agility and lead through purposeful decisions, improvements, actions and results.

To quote some recent words from our CEO, Rod Little, during a sustainability discussion, “Our sustainability strategy through 2030 is a key part of our journey. As a company who creates a wide range of products that global consumers use in their daily lives, it’s important now, more than ever, that we look inward to ensure that we are leading with purpose and living by our values. Whether we’re in discussions with a retailer, a consumer, investors, or a potential new employee – many are looking to support or work with brands and companies whose values match their own. I believe that we can operate in environmentally- and people-friendly ways and also have it be compatible with good business results. Doing the right thing is always a good business decision.”

I encourage you to learn more about Edgewell’s approach and sustainability commitments in our fiscal 2019 Sustainability Report. And I am especially excited to keep you all updated on our progress in the coming months when we will release our fiscal 2020 Report. Stay tuned!

View Sustainability page

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Edgewell is global, and as a leader in Talent Acquisition across the Americas my job is to seek out talented people that can potentially fit in with our incredible teams. For us, it’s so important to build our teams with diverse talent and varied backgrounds - this mix helps make our teams and products the best they can be. It really fills me with joy to meet these incredible people and see them flourish in their roles at Edgewell. I thought I would share some of what I’ve learned about matching experience and personality to a company’s values to help you prepare for an interview and decide your next step.

At Edgewell the way we work is defined by our values. Understanding these values is a huge part of the recruitment process because it allows you to put your best foot forward in the interviews and assessments. They are an obvious clue as to what organizations look for and should be a key focus of your preparation. And of course, we would encourage candidates to outline their own values when preparing for an interview. What is important to you? Are you seeking a structured environment, or flexibility for example? We ‘value’ our values and believe you should value yours too.

Here are a few of my tips on how you might prepare for an interview with us:

Put People First

I’m sure it’s no surprise that, at Edgewell, people are our priority. From our teams to the communities we reach, by putting people first you can help bring out the best. Approachable and personable characteristics are really important but a shared understanding that it is people that drive our business and will drive our future success is something we look for when recruiting. We want to create the best environment for all to thrive in and every hire we make can have an impact on that. Why not prepare some examples where people were at the forefront of a decision you made?

Own It, Together

Throughout Edgewell, we find joy in collaborating because we know teamwork leads to great things, but we always remain personally accountable ourselves. Teams at Edgewell are made up of all types of personalities and, to me, that’s what makes us work so efficiently. Your difference is what makes you unique and desirable as a new hire, embrace it and don’t be afraid to show us a little of your personality during the interview stages. It is beneficial to have polished answers but find a way to tell us about you, the real you.

Move Forward

At Edgewell, we learn from our mistakes and continue to pursue innovative ideas with a passion and joy which is unique to our business. Don’t be afraid to take small risks and move forward quickly. We understand that failure is sometimes inevitable, and that’s ok. Recognize your past successes and failures and take pride in your resilience. My top tip is to have examples where you’ve learned from and had to adapt to a given situation. Be prepared to be asked questions around this too and think of your answers in terms of the STAR model; What’s the SITUATION, What TASK did you complete, Describe the specific ACTIONs you took, Close with the RESULT of your actions.

Listen Up, Speak Up

At Edgewell we prioritize sharing honest, compassionate feedback and helpful insights, so our teams find joy in moving forward together. As you explore roles and advice, welcome new voices and actively seek out different opinions. During your job search, keep an open mind and ask for honest feedback where you can, that little bit of advice could help you land your ideal role. So, these are a few of the values we live by at Edgewell and I hoped they helped shed a light on whether you might be a right fit for us or gave you a helping hand with your job search. My last piece of advice is to remember all that YOU can bring to a role. Your outlook, life experience and personality can always add to any organization. Own it, embrace it, and I wish you the best of luck on your search. If Edgewell sounds like a place you’d love to work—join us! We spend our days making useful things joyful and finding new and innovative ways to bring sustainability and best practices to the products you know and love. Check out our careers site to learn more and to see our current vacancies: View Careers page

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Today is Veterans Day here in the U.S. and so before I share my story, I want to acknowledge my fellow servicemen and -women who served. You built and preserved the foundation of freedom on which we stand. Thank you for your service.

Having been at Edgewell for nearly three years, I realized many of you probably don’t know much about my background and experiences. Each year on this day I reflect upon the contributions and sacrifices of my fellow servicemen and -women, past and present and I decided it was time to share a bit more about myself and how my time in the military has shaped my life and leadership approach.

The military is the ultimate team sport.

I was fortunate to spend nine years in the U.S. Military – four as a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy followed by five as an active duty officer in the U.S. Air Force.

When most people find out I was in the Air Force, their first question is, “Were you a pilot?”, and so I’ll answer that straightaway. Yes and no. I had my private pilot’s license, but I didn’t have a passion for flying. What really drew me to the Academy was its academic rigor and the opportunity to serve my country. I saw it as a highly competitive environment that would push me, challenge me, and help me grow and develop. So, I passed on pilot training and instead went on to work in the Air Force Research & Development organization after graduation.

The U.S. Military is a special and unique organization that, in my opinion, is not replicated elsewhere in business, sports, or other militaries around the world. Those who join this all-volunteer organization believe in the mission of preserving independence and freedom in the U.S. as well as democracy and freedom around the world. I was fortunate to work for some amazing people who taught me what great leadership looks like.

As I reflect on my time in the Air Force, it’s easy to draw the parallels between my service and how I choose to lead in business.

Team Mentality

My colleagues at Edgewell know I am a big promoter of the team-first mentality – of having a winning mindset and believing wholeheartedly your team will prevail. I truly believe this is how we must operate to be successful – we win together, we learn together, we pick up our teammates when they are in need, and we always look to the team first for advice and guidance. Much of this mindset comes from my service.

As I reflect on my time in the Air Force, it’s easy to draw the parallels between my service and how I choose to lead in business.

The focus is always on the team unit, with a deep conviction that service, success and delivery on the mission are more important than the individual. Relying on others to achieve objectives, forms deep bonds and trust. In any team situation, belief that you are on the best team ensures success, regardless of the circumstances.

Results-Driven

The military is a results-oriented business. It’s win or lose, live or die. Everything that happens on any given day is focused on achieving victory. As a result, all decision-making structures, specific roles, and individual objectives are clear and directly linked to the team’s goals.

I’ve taken this approach to my role as CEO of Edgewell, where I consistently seek to trust, build and empower my team. Individual goals for every person in the company should link directly to the overall mission and objectives and provide line of sight on how their work and contributions help deliver success. My job is to ensure the right leaders are in place, they are clear on their objectives, and they are able to get the best from everyone in the organization.

My role is to motivate, develop and coach the team to deliver.

To drive results, there must also be a constant focus on learning and development – with a balance between experiential and “classroom” learning.

Diversity is the Key to Success

Diverse teams deliver better results. The military is a true reflection of the broader U.S. population and because the focus is on the higher order of mission and winning, it creates strong bonds and common objectives between people that otherwise might not have been on a team together in civilian life. The diversity is truly unique – a range of ethnicities; residents of small towns and big cities; men and women; poor and wealthy; highly educated and little to no education – all come together on a level playing field as part of the same team.

Diverse teams deliver better results. 

I saw the power of diversity in action in the military and know the best results are driven when conventions are challenged, and a range of diverse options are considered. People from different backgrounds provide critical views and perspectives simply by virtue of having different experiences – this shapes outcomes and results that otherwise might fall victim to narrow viewpoints and herd mentality.

Taking Stress in Stride

Nothing in the business world has stakes as high as what I experienced in the military. If we get a business decision wrong or execute poorly, we simply miss a commitment, and worst case may be I get fired – but nobody dies. The stakes are completely different, and my frame of reference allows me to rarely, if ever, feel stress from what happens with work and the business. Sure, like anyone else I think about competition, the pandemic, the future, etc., but it’s always from a place of positive energy and eagerness to solve the issues at hand rather than a stressful, worried mindset that can lead to inaction or erratic decisions.

Crises and difficult situations are opportunities to excel and build the team.

Overcoming the most trying times often builds the greatest level of trust among teammates and a feeling of true accomplishment.

Leading by Example

While there is a clear hierarchy and structured lines of reporting, leaders in the military are taught to be selfless and step up to do what is right, regardless of the official hierarchy. The best lead by doing – going to the front to lead the team, never asking their team to do something they wouldn’t do themselves and never leaving anyone behind.

This is the single most important aspect of being a leader and is the reason I strive to be hands on with every aspect of the business. There is nothing I would ask my team to do that I haven’t already done or be willing to do myself.

 Teams know if you have their back and are in it with them.

If you are still here with me, thank you for taking an interest in my experiences and learning. I do this to shine a light on how the military isn’t just training fighters, it’s shaping leaders and providing important skills that many of my fellow servicemen and -women can use throughout the rest of their lives to excel, regardless of career choice.

Thank you to all who have served. You have my utmost respect and gratitude. Today we honor you and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

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