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SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Cleanlogic, the inclusive and socially conscious beauty brand that has used functional braille across all its product packaging since 2001, recently hosted H-E-B’s leadership team at a multi-sensory “Dining in the Dark” educational dinner. Held on September 28, the event served to kick off another month-long campaign to shine a light on Blind Awareness Month throughout October.
Inspired by CEO and Founder Isaac Shapiro’s mother, who lost her sight as a child, Cleanlogic has been a disruptor CPG brand in the wellness category by providing accessible and inclusive braille product descriptors on 100% of their product packaging.
Cleanlogic says its corporate mission is to inspire everyone to achieve independence and success. In addition to manufacturing products with accessible features, Cleanlogic has created a workforce that employs people with disabilities. From the visually impaired to the neurodiverse, these team members are actively being trained to craft and sew manufactured products as well as to pack out the brand’s popular gift sets in their Audubon, Pa., manufacturing facility. This is a passion near and dear to Cleanlogic Co-Founder Mike Ghesser whose daughter is neurodiverse and provides inspiration in fostering employment opportunities for a workforce of people with disabilities.
Given that October is also National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the brand hosted a multi-faceted “Dining in the Dark” experience that featured the following diversity and inclusion chapters:
- A spotlight on Cleanlogic’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEI & A) efforts and the company’s roadmap in striving towards a vision of creating a U.S.-based factory that employs, trains, and empowers people with disabilities as at least 50% of its work force.
- A multi-course blindfolded dining experience for all attendees.
- Recognition of H-E-B with Cleanlogic’s first DEI & A Trailblazer award for a retail partner who has championed DEI initiatives and has hired over 400 individuals with disabilities since launching the department 4 years ago.
The goal of this unique trifecta partnership between a beauty brand (Cleanlogic), a retailer (H-E-B) and a nonprofit (San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind) is to recognize and support the more than 25 million people in the U.S. who are blind or visually impaired and acknowledge that a staggering 70% of this population is unemployed. This promotion will not only raise awareness of this important cause but help fund the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind’s Children’s Tech Education program.
“At H-E-B, we believe that each and every person counts,” said Bill Anderson, executive vice president of the retailer’s San Antonio Retail Division. “Our goal is to help people with disabilities overcome barriers and give them a chance to reach their fullest potential. H-E-B is proud to help empower the disability community through employment opportunities and through partnering with great nonprofit organizations that do meaningful work in the communities we serve.”
Cleanlogic will donate 5% of sales from the purchase of Cleanlogic products, which are available at more than 300 H-E-B stores across Texas, to the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind’s Children’s Tech Education Fund. The organization works to empower blind and visually impaired children with programs designed to provide them with the support and tools they need for future success.
“Cleanlogic is a strong advocate for those who are blind or low vision, and we appreciate them using their voice and their packaging to raise more awareness about accessibility for our community,” said Cindy Watson, CEO of the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind.
With these initiatives, Cleanlogic is determined to continue to drive awareness for Blindness Awareness Month, while helping blind and visually impaired individuals lead more independent lives.
