In a social media post on March 13, the University of Sydney Union (USU) announced a new partnership with Maybelline and Reach Out Australia despite the makeup brand’s place on the ‘Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions’ (BDS) list.
The USU’s program with the makeup company is intended to “normalise conversations around mental health” with the brand platforming a five part resource made in collaboration with Reach Out, an online confidential youth mental health and wellbeing service.
BDS is a Palestinian-led, non-violent awareness movement founded in 2005 that promotes the defunding and boycotting of organisations, corporations, or products that fund or support Israel.
Maybelline, owned by L’oreal, has been flagged by BDS since 2008 having been cited several times as “a warm friend of Israel” with factory operations in occupied Palestine.
A comment from the USU president, Naz Sharifi, said “the USU partnered with Maybelline to provide giveaways for all students at Welcome Fest. The arrangement provided for a social media post and single email to USU Members. At this stage that is the extent of our working relationship with them for now.”
The makeup brand has made no public statement on its BDS status.
Sharifi directed Honi to the USU’s 2022 policy on Advertising, Promotion and Sampling where policy 1.2 states “no advertisement, promotion, sampling or sponsorship proposal may discriminate, demean or marginalize any group on the grounds of their gender, age, religion, sexual preference, cultural or racial grouping, physical or mental disability, or for any other reason.”
When asked what the USU’s policy is for BDS matters, Sharifi said “we do not have any additional policies bar the above” but told Honi that “the Board does discuss sponsorship matters on an ad hoc basis as required.”
As of yet, the USU board has not released any official statement on the ongoing crisis in Palestine.
