PCPC 2010 Sneak Peek

The annual Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) meeting—slated for February 23 to 25 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club—will feature the release of Council-commissioned studies on: sustainability practices, the impact of the beauty industry on our nation’s economy and the developments of social media.

Guest speakers at the meeting will include Google’s vice president of American operations Dennis Woodside, pollster and author John Zogby, Esty Environmental Partners’ Amy Longsworth and New Media Strategies’ Jennifer Utz.

Additionally, Mary Kay’s David Holl, OPI’s George Schaeffer, P&G’s Ed Shirley and LVMH’s Pamela Baxter will participate in an industry leader roundtable, and Elizabeth Arden’s Scott Beattie will moderate a panel of financial experts discussing how emerging companies can access capital investment.

A condensed schedule this year will consist of media/marketing and R&D/policy issue panels in addition to sessions focusing on social media, international growth markets and emerging legislative, regulatory and international issues—including the reform of the Federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

A reception and opening night dinner sponsored by Black Entertainment Television (BET) will kick off the three-day event and provide networking opportunities.

Opening remarks will be delivered by annual committee chair Art Spiro, board chairman Dan Brestle and president and CEO, Lezlee Westine.

Cosmetic World sat down with Ms. Westine for an exclusive conversation in anticipation of this year’s meeting about what she most hopes to accomplish as the Coucil’s newly-instated leader.

Cosmetic World: If there was one key focus for the Council in 2010, what would it be?
Lezlee Westine: Product safety has always been, and will remain, our number one priority. To continue that mission, we will focus on three top strategic priorities this year: increased visibility and engagement with key audiences and opinion leaders, developing collaborative partnerships, and building on the successful foundation and past work of the Council.

To accomplish this, we are stepping up our efforts on Capitol Hill and in the states, and with key regulatory bodies—most importantly the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the agency that regulates our industry. We are also identifying collaborative opportunities with an array of governmental and non-governmental organizations to find ways to work together. 

We continue our work in the international arena working hard to achieve global harmonization of regulations that would improve our business operations, reduce costs and ensure consumers have access to safe products worldwide.

Finally, we continue to strengthen the important programs that reinforce our industry’s commitment to product and ingredient safety.  We continue our support of the Cosmetic Ingredient Review program, the cornerstone of our commitment, and are helping companies to comply with our Consumer Commitment Code.

CW: What’s new about the annual meeting this year?
L.W.: In response to companies’ feedback, we’re shifting gears to ensure an intense focus on educating our members. We will provide learning tracks that are tailored to deliver the valuable information and resources our members want and need to be successful in their businesses. We have also condensed our schedule this year to better accommodate attendees’ busy schedules.  

CW:As the organization’s newly-appointed president, what strengths will you bring to the job?
L.W.: Before joining the Council, I served as president and CEO of TechNet, a bipartisan political network of CEOs and senior executives from the nation’s leading technology firms. I worked to build strategic, long-term partnerships between technology leaders and policymakers.  This bipartisan, political experience provided me with important skills— and it is those skills that I will use to help lead the Council’s efforts with the new Administration and with Members of Congress.  

CW:In its first year in office, has the Obama Administration affected the cosmetics industry in any notable way?
L.W.: Dedicated to consumer safety regulation and more transparency, the Obama Administration promised to be tough on regulating various industries.  We continue to reach out to FDA and its leadership to find ways to meet our industry’s challenges. Those include securing a business and regulatory environment that allows our companies to continue to develop safe, effective products that our consumers trust and enjoy and to continue our efforts to secure additional funding for FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors.