Recognizing World AIDS Day

Over 1,400 M∙A∙C makeup artists and employees in 30 countries and 120 North American cities will put down their makeup brushes on December 1. That’s when they’ll volunteer in a company-wide initiative taking place at various HIV/AIDS charities around the world to commemorate World AIDS Day. The initiative is organized to complement M∙A∙C’s longstanding commitment to the global fight against HIV/AIDS and to strengthen artists’ relationships with the brand’s philanthropic foundation, the M∙A∙C AIDS Fund, and its many grantees.

All over the globe, M∙A∙C employees are giving back in a variety of ways. In India, artists will pair up with the women of Y.R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YRG CARE) to help them prepare and sell food from carts in the streets of Chennai. In Munich, Germany, artists will support the Münchner AIDS-Hilfe e.V. by selling teddy bears to pedestrians in order to collect money for HIV-infected people. M∙A∙C volunteers in Chile will partner with the Santa Clara Foundation and spend the evening with kids playing, cooking a meal, and helping to repair houses.

Other participating M∙A∙C affiliates are in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, TR-Bali, UK and Venezuela.

One hundred percent of the sales price of M∙A∙C’s VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass goes directly to the M∙A∙C AIDS Fund, benefiting grantees in more than 67 countries. To date, the company has donated more than $190 million to fight HIV/AIDS. The M∙A∙C AIDS Fund is truly the heart and soul of our company—there is commitment to the cause at every level. Our deep commitment to the fund creates a great camaraderie and bond among our employees, which in turn contributes to the fact that M·A·C has a higher retention rate than other brands. It is wonderful to see the employees unite time and again on such an important day and lend their time to support the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

Nancy Mahon is senior vice president of M∙A∙C Cosmetics and executive director of M∙A∙C AIDS Fund