Baby Dove Continues Commitment to Close the Maternal Care Gap with #DearDoula and Doubles Investment in Black Birth Equity Fund.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Baby Dove announces how the brand's ongoing commitment to advancing superior care for Black mothers is evolving. By expanding the Black Birth Equity Fund, launching a new informative series called #DearDoula, and reinforcing existing strategic partnerships, Baby Dove further accelerates the effort to close the significant gap in care and health outcomes for Black mothers and their babies.

"As a brand that encourages all parents to care with confidence, we are committed to making care for Black moms accessible and equitable," says Neha Minj, Brand Director and Head of Operations & Engagement for Baby Dove. "Doulas can offer advocacy and support to Black birthing individuals who have not received the care they deserve. We are proud to extend our efforts and emphasize the important role they play in closing the maternal care gap, particularly with the support of our partners."

#DearDoula

In partnership with Chanel Porchia-Albert, Founder of Ancient Song Doula Services & Co-Creator of JustBirth Space, #DearDoula expands the access to doula-provided advice and recommendations directly to moms. The ongoing content series will live across social media platforms and share answers to Black parents' most common questions about pregnancy, labor & delivery, postpartum care and baby care directly from one of the country's most trusted doula experts.

"I am so excited to partner with Baby Dove to provide lifechanging positive guidance to Black women and birthing people," said Chanel. "The #DearDoula series will connect me with more moms, offer helpful information and educate them on the possibilities of doula care." 

Black Birth Equity Fund

Baby Dove is doubling the investment into the Black Birth Equity Fund, for a total of $500,000. First created in August 2021, the Black Birth Equity Fund provides Black expecting mothers with immediate financial access to doula services. The Fund has offered grants to 200 moms and counting and can now reach twice as many by the end of 2022. Applications for direct, one-time grants up to $1,300 are available at BabyDove.com.

Black Maternal Health Conference 2022

This year, Baby Dove is the exclusive presenting sponsor of the Black Maternal Health Conference, the largest gathering of thought leaders, healthcare providers and doulas working to improve maternal health. Hosted by Baby Dove partner and leading advocacy group Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), the conference was created to address the most pressing conversations on the maternal care gap. As presenting sponsor, Baby Dove will host a breakout session titled "On the Front Lines," focusing on the benefits of doula care. The session will feature key speakers like Chanel, Angela D. Aina, Co-Founding Executive Director at BMMA, brand representatives and past recipients of the Black Birth Equity Fund. The conference is taking place in person and virtually in Washington, D.C. on September 17^th and 18^th. More information and virtual registration is available at https://blackmamasmatter.org/bmhc22/.

Expanded Availability of Baby Dove Melanin-Rich Skin and Curl Nourishment Collection

In addition to advancing care for Black moms, Baby Dove is on a mission to advance care for babies with melanin-rich skin and curly hair. Last year, Baby Dove launched the Baby Dove Melanin-Rich Skin and Curl Nourishment Collection, and we are proud to announce that the full range is now available nationwide at mass retailers for the first time. To learn more about the product line, the brand's commitment or to apply for a grant visit BabyDove.com.

About Dove

Dove started its life in 1957 in the US, with the launch of the Beauty Bar, with its patented blend of mild cleansers and ¼ moisturizing cream. Dove's heritage is based on moisturization, and it is proof not promises that enabled Dove to grow from a Beauty Bar into one of the world's most beloved beauty brands.

Women have always been our inspiration and since the beginning, we have been wholly committed to providing superior care to all women and to championing real beauty in our advertising. Dove believes that beauty is for everyone. That beauty should be a source of confidence and not anxiety. Dove's mission is to inspire women everywhere to develop a positive relationship with the way they look and realize their personal potential for beauty.

For 60 years, Dove has been committed to broadening the narrow definition of beauty in the work they do through a series of actions, including:

• Supporting diverse imagery in media and advertising via The 'Dove Real Beauty Pledge:
• Portray women with honesty, diversity and respect. We feature women of different ages, sizes, ethnicities, hair color, type and style.
• Portray women as they are in real life, with zero digital distortion and all images approved by the women they feature.
• Help young people build body confidence and self-esteem through the Dove Self-Esteem Project, the biggest provider of self-esteem education in the world.
• Ending race-based hair discrimination via The CROWN Act:
• The CROWN Act is a law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, which is the denial of employment and educational opportunities because of hair texture or protective hairstyles including braids, locs, twists or bantu knots.
• Dove co-founded the CROWN Coalition partnership in 2019 with the National Urban League, Color Of Change, and Western Center on Law & Poverty to advance The CROWN Act.
• Dove is committed to progressing The CROWN Act until hair discrimination is abolished in all 50 states and at the federal level. To date, 18 states and 43 municipalities have enacted the CROWN Act or similar legislation into law.

About Baby Dove

Baby Dove entered the baby care market in 2017 – with the aim to bring something very different in terms of superior care to baby skin. Baby Dove was created from the long, trusted heritage of Dove, with the goal to bring the 60-year superior care credentials to the most delicate skin: baby skin. Baby Dove® is available nationwide in food, drug and mass outlet stores.

About Black Mamas Matter Alliance

The Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) is a national network of Black women-led organizations and multi-disciplinary professionals who work to ensure that all Black Mamas have the rights, respect, and resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy. BMMA honors the work and historical contributions of black women's leadership within their communities and values the need to amplify this work on a national scale. For this reason, BMMA does not have chapters. The alliance is composed of existing organizations and individuals whose work is deeply rooted in reproductive justice, birth justice, and the human rights framework.

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods & Refreshment products, with sales in over 190 countries and products used by 3.4 billion people every day. We have 148,000 employees and generated sales of €52.4 billion in 2021. Over half of our footprint is in developing and emerging markets. We have around 400 brands found in homes all over the world – including iconic brands like Dove, Knorr, Hellmann's, Magnum, Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Degree, Seventh Generation, St. Ives, Suave, TRESemmé, and Vaseline. 

Our vision is to be the global leader in sustainable business and to demonstrate how our purpose-led, future-fit business model drives superior performance. We have a long tradition of being a progressive, responsible business. It goes back to the days of our founder William Lever, who launched the world's first purposeful brand, Sunlight Soap, more than 100 years ago, and it's at the heart of how we run our company today. 

The Unilever Compass, our sustainable business strategy, is set out to help us deliver superior performance and drive sustainable and responsible growth, while: 

- improving the health of the planet;  
- improving people's health, confidence and wellbeing; and  
- contributing to a fairer and more socially inclusive world. 

While there is still more to do, in the past year we're proud to have achieved sector leadership in S&P's Dow Jones Sustainability Index, 'Triple A' status in CDP's Climate, Water and Forest benchmarks, and to be named as the top ranked company in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility Sustainability Leaders survey for the eleventh consecutive year. 

For more information on Unilever U.S. and its brands visit: www.unileverusa.com 

For more information on Unilever Canada and its brands visit: www.unilever.ca  

Contact:
Lisa Fernandez
[email protected]

SOURCE Baby Dove