Guerlain expands Women for Bees program to China

Guerlain continues its support for female entrepreneurship and biodiversity conservation, expanding its Women for Bees program to China.

Five years after the launch of the program in partnership with UNESCO, the initiative has taken root in the Xishuangbanna Biosphere Reserve in China’s Yunnan province, training a new cohort of women beekeepers.  

Forty-five women and ten men are taking part in an intensive nine-month training program that combines modern hive management techniques, acquisition of beekeeping knowledge and development of entrepreneurial skills. Through this program, Guerlain not only enables them to access specialized resources and deepen their expertise, but also to embark on a path to greater financial autonomy in a region where beekeeping has long been the domain of men. 

The initiative addresses a critical need since local bees – in particular the Apis cerana – are vital pollinators for both agriculture and wild plants. To address the decline in bee populations, Women for Bees strives to pass on practices that respect the environment while raising awareness among local communities of the importance of preserving ecosystems. 

In training these future women entrepreneurs, Guerlain is also promoting the quality and benefits of honey production, enabling the beekeepers to better take advantage of local markets, particularly at tourist destinations, where there is significant competition.  

“As we expand the Women for Bees program in China, we are not only empowering women but at the same time reinforcing the delicate balance of local ecosystems. By equipping them with the skills to manage hives and care for the bees, these women become essential pillars in the preservation and growth of the natural world that surrounds them” says Guerlain Global Sustainability Director Claire Coletti.  

Since its launch in 2020, Women for Bees has embodied Guerlain’s commitment to responsible beauty, promoting the twin objectives of women’s empowerment and biodiversity conservation in UNESCO designated biosphere reserves.