DIVERSITY TALKS: MEET JENNY YERENA SCHOENBERGER, WELLA COMPANY HISPANIC/LATINX HERITAGE AFFINITY GROUP LEADER

October 27, 2021 - In this series, we get to hear from the newly appointed Global Affinity leaders about their background, personal passion for DE&I, and more. About her new role as AG Leader, Jenny shares: "I’m excited to contribute to a more diverse and inclusive work environment where we can all have a voice and make a positive impact on our business."

I am a Latina woman from Venezuela and the mother of Liam and Emma. I moved to Europe after I finished my studies to continue my education and look for better opportunities since the situation in my country was very unstable. I have always had an interest in creating equal opportunities for all, and that began when I helped to found the first female soccer team at my University.

I have diverse professional experience within Supply, Sales, and Marketing in the fashion, cosmetic, and food industries and I’ve been part of the Wella (previously Coty) family for more than 2 years.

Academically, I have a B.A in Business Administration and a Master’s in Marketing & Sales. Recently, I’ve also participated in the Executive Management “Women Back to Business” program at the Executive School of the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, which addresses gender inequality, and partners with companies to promote diversity and inclusion.

Coming from Venezuela - which has one of the largest displacement crises in the world - has made me realize how important is to bring consciousness about the struggles of the region.

Moreover, throughout my international personal & professional experience, I’ve noticed how Latinx were a minority in the different work and leadership environments I was exposed to.

I have been in the situation where I was the only Latinx person in the workplace and noticed the challenge to break the barriers of stereotypes and unconscious bias towards a different culture.

I believe that enabling a platform to share our experiences and authenticity will bring awareness and open doors. I am also very motivated to empower and uplift each other in our community and I think the best way to do it is through the Wella Company Hispanic/Latinx Affinity Group.

I look forward to making a difference and connecting with other Latinxs/Hispanics within Wella Company. For me, it’s important to share my identity and culture through everything I do. I also look forward to seeing the impact that advancing DE&I has on our company performance in the long term, as studies have shown that diverse companies perform better.

We are all part of the change and we can all make a difference. Diversity and inclusion will not only have a positive impact on our business, products, and clients, but will also reflect positively in our personal lives and society. I will encourage all employees to be curious about it and engage with the DE&I movement in our company.

My favorite thing about Hispanic/Latinx culture is our openness and warmth. Two good examples of how well we express our passion are through our food and music.

Specifically, my favorite food is the “Ceviche de Camaron” from Ecuador (left) and “Arepas” (right) from Venezuela. Both pictures were taken by me!

A role model within the Latinx community who has inspired me to act in the past years is the founder of the “Goleadoras” foundation, Eglantina Zingg, a social and environmentally conscious entrepreneur.

Her foundation has empowered girls from the poorest communities in Latin America and the US through the magic of “Futbol”.Their work has transformed the lives of thousands of Latin girls through a shared language that can overcome different regions, sensibilities, and cultures.

(*Picture sourced from: https://www.goleadoras.org/ )

Wella Company is one of the world’s leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin and ghd. At Wella Company, we are innovators who seek to inspire consumers, beauty professionals and engage communities through our brands to look, feel, and be their true selves. We are committed to building the best beauty company in the industry where our 6,000 employees across more than 100 countries can bring their best selves to work.  Guided by our company values, and led by purpose to deliver positive impact on people, through our products and towards our planet and society, we deliver sustainable growth to all  stakeholders. For more information on Wella Company visit www.wellacompany.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.