joinFITE celebrates international women’s day around the globe!

joinFITE turned International Women’s Day into a celebration that lasted the entire month of March! This year’s IWD theme: Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.

joinFITE at the United Nations

Thursday, March 8, 2012 marked the 101st International Women’s Day. Dermalogica Founder Jane Wurwand, in partnership with the Business Civic Leadership Center, had the opportunity to share her story and her mission to empower women globally when she appeared on a panel at the United Nations to discuss Financial Inclusion for Women.

The panel discussion highlighted the innovative ways Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, international organizations and NGOs are enhancing financial inclusion of women around the world.

Panelists included Pam Flaherty, CEO of Citi Foundation, Nadereh Chamlou, Senior Advisor for World Bank, and Thomas Stelzer, Assistant Secretary-General UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

canada raises more than $17,000 to empower women entrepreneurs!

joinFITE was the beneficiary of a silent auction at the Women in Capital Markets luncheon in Canada on March 6, 2012. This sold out event hosted 500 high profile guests from Toronto’s financial community and corporations. $17,000 in funds were raised for joinFITE, helping to fund loans for 680 women!

think globally, act locally

Dermalogica skin treatment centers, salons and spas united with local women’s groups to celebrate Women’s History Month and women’s empowerment! Guests enjoyed a bit of skin care education, mixed and mingled, and were invited to think globally by directing a loan to a joinFITE woman entrepreneur.

“Just think what we can accomplish if we all pull together and help each other,” said Ingvor Wurmbrand. Owner of Feline Day Spa in New York, and event host. “The world would be a different place for all of us – women, children and men.”

For more details, visit joinFITE.org/events.

australia british chamber of commerce features joinFITE

Taking inspiration from the IWD theme “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures,” the Australian British Chamber of Commerce hosted a breakfast and invited panelists to discuss the challenges they faced as entrepreneurs, or as women in a corporate business, and how they overcame those issues. A key point to the discussion was the importance of women supporting each other to inspire change: not just for them, but for their female and male counterparts.

During a silent auction, $2,000 was raised for joinFITE loans and counted towards the Australian Dermalogica Education Team! The team was delighted to help empower 80 women entrepreneurs through this successful auction.

IWD and joinFITE honored in Switzerland

Dermalogica distributor Helga was invited to the Sisters Republics Action Plan for Women’s Leadership in Bern. This conference was held by Donald S. Beyer, the U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and his wife, Megan Beyer. Speakers included

• Corina Casanova, H.E. Federal Chancellor of Switzerland.
• Melanne Verveer, US Ambassador-At-Large for Global Woman’s Issues.
• Irene Natividad, Chair of Cooperate Women Directors International, a project of the Global Summit of Women.
• Isabelle Welton, CEO IBM Switzerland.
• Ambassador Betty E. King, US Representative to UN Geneva.
• Melody C. Barnes, Former Domestic Policy Advisor to President Obama.