2/11/2025

P&G Celebrates Women in STEM: A Legacy and Future of Innovation

Two young women wear lab goggles and white lab coats. They stand over a black table and hold a white cloth over a beaker filled with liquid. Paper plates holding colored liquids sit on the counter.

P&G Celebrates Women in STEM: A Legacy and Future of Innovation

For over 185 years, P&G has been innovating to create products that improve the lives of consumers around the world. From Tide Pods to OLAY Super Serum, P&G brands are built on a foundation of cutting-edge science and a deep understanding of the consumers we serve — over half of whom are women and girls.

We know that innovation thrives with a wide range of perspectives. Women influence over 80% of household purchasing decisions, and by understanding and reflecting their experiences, we've been able to create superior products that meet their needs at every life stage.

This is achieved in part by a workforce that reflects the uniqueness of everyone we serve. At P&G, women are behind some of our brands’ most innovative breakthroughs. They're the chemists developing new formulas, the engineers designing more accessible packaging and the researchers uncovering unmet consumer needs.

On International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re recognizing the invaluable contributions of the talented women who power P&G innovation and looking to the future, supporting the next generation as they explore opportunities in STEM.

We recently hosted an immersive two-day event at our Research & Development centers for a group of young women from Girl Up, The Links and the Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative, giving them a behind-the-scenes look at the science that goes into making their favorite products and the inclusive teams that bring them to life. These future innovators toured our labs, explored the contributions of women throughout P&G’s history, and learned firsthand from the scientists behind some of our most beloved brands, including Tide, Downy, OLAY and Venus.

A woman with short dark hair in a coat. She holds her hands together and stands outdoors with a blurred urban background and a triangular sign behind her.

Exploring Our Legacy of Innovation

The first day was spent exploring P&G’s rich history at our Heritage Center, where our Archivists guided the students through over 185 years of innovation. Our future STEM leaders explored displays highlighting the contributions of women innovators throughout the years, including Else Schulze, the first female PhD scientist hired at P&G in 1926 — setting the stage for the discoveries to come.

A group of young women in lab goggles and white lab coats post together in a group. They are in a laboratory.

Discovering the Science Behind Our Brands

The second day was a whirlwind of scientific exploration. Students started their day at P&G’s Fabric Care labs, delving into the science behind beloved laundry products from Tide and Downy. Kim Romine and Jennifer Ahoni, two of P&G’s Fabric Care scientists, shared their expertise and career journeys, inspiring the students with their passion for science and the technical rigor behind products such as Tide Pods.

Interactive demonstrations brought our technologies to life, and a guided tour provided a firsthand look at the experimentation and testing that go into superior laundry solutions that deliver the highest standard of clean and keep clothes smelling fresh.

A group of young women in lab goggles and white lab coats smiles together. They stand inside in a laboratory setting.

Next, the group participated in an immersive deep dive into the science of skin care with Dr. Rolanda Wilkerson, Senior Director and Scientist at P&G Beauty. Dr. Ro is one of the scientists behind some of P&G’s breakthrough skin care innovations, including OLAY’s Super Serum. Her expertise in organic chemistry and passion for inclusive product design have also shaped other P&G brands such as Pantene, driving unique solutions that meet a wide range of consumer hair and skin care needs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OLAY’S SUPER SERUM

The students explored the innovative technologies behind OLAY’s Cleansing Melts and Super Serum, getting hands-on with live demos and digital visualizations of their skin. Afterward, a tour of the Consumer Learning Center provided insights into how P&G uses consumer feedback to shape product development.

A young woman in a white lab coat leans into a machine to take her photo. In the background, a woman in lab goggles and a black shirt operates a computer screen.

The final session of the event focused on the science of shaving with Betsy Compo, a Senior Scientist for Venus. A presentation and USB microscope demo brought the intricacies of hair removal to life, showcasing the science behind Venus’ smooth, comfortable shave. Betsy's work within Research & Development focuses on constantly innovating to deliver a superior razor design that helps women feel confident in their own skin.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Our support of women in science goes beyond our labs. Through impactful partnerships with organizations such as Girl Up and brand-driven programs like OLAY's Face the STEM Gap, we're creating opportunities, providing mentorship and cultivating a passion for science in young women and girls around the world.

Our recent event was a spark, igniting a passion for science, learning and leadership in the next generation. When we enable everyone — including young women and girls — to explore their interest in STEM, we unlock a world of possibilities that will help us serve all our consumers for years to come.

Learn more and join us in celebrating the power of #WomenInScience.

2/6/2024

How Women and Girls Inspire Superior Innovation by Our Brands

Did you know that science is behind the making of your favorite P&G brand products? Nothing excites our award-winning scientists more than creating superior products that solve the real problems that consumers face everyday. As the maker of brands loved by women and girls around the world — like Always, Olay, Pantene and Venus — we understand the importance of inclusive teams in developing the innovations and products that meaningfully impact all the consumers we see and serve.

Women currently make up 34% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and while women have made career advances in these fields, there is room for growth. We celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11 and honor the contributions of women to P&G’s innovation — as well as to the sciences globally — as we aspire to full inclusion of girls and women in science.

Inspiring Inclusion throughout Our Herstory

For more than 185 years, P&G has served consumers with our innovative branded products to meet their needs. In doing so, we have aspired to create an inclusive culture for generations. In 1890, we opened our first analytical lab in Ivorydale, Ohio, with one of the first women in a technical role — and haven’t looked back.

Two white men in white shirts and dark pants and one white woman in a white shirt and a dark skirt stand inside an industrial laboratory. In the black and white photo, they are surrounded by lab flasks and other materials.

P&G hired its first female Ph.D. scientist in 1926, Else Schulze, who would later head her own department and hire 37 women with science degrees. She set the path for a diverse and highly skilled STEM workforce including engineers, scientists and IT experts to provide consumers with products they need and love.

A white woman with short hair wears a coat with fur trim on its collar and wrist areas. In the black and white photo, she stands outside in front of a building.

The Women Behind P&G’s Superior Innovation

Today, many women innovators at P&G continue to build on the legacy of trailblazers like Else, working on diverse, inclusive teams who are delighting consumers with products so good that they are loved and trusted by millions of households around the world.

Our ability to uniquely see and uniquely serve every consumer — over half of whom are women and girls — is strengthened by a workforce and a culture that respects and reflects all the consumers we serve.

A Black woman with brown skin is wearing a lavender sweater and looks straight ahead. Two purple jars of Olay Regenerist are shown with text of product information. Text for Olay’s Faces of STEM initiative identifies Rolanda J. Wilkerson, Ph.D. — *In September 2022, Dr. Rolanda Wilkerson and several P&G colleagues were featured in an OLAY Vogue Magazine spread for the Faces of STEM initiative.*

Dr. Rolanda Wilkerson, Senior Director, Fellow of P&G Beauty Care, recently shared her career journey and P&G Beauty breakthroughs in OLAY’s Super Serum with a group of future innovators from Girl Up. She explained the breakthrough moment when the team uncovered activated niacinamide — a low-pH activated ingredient that unlocks the “supercharged” power of niacinamide. Activated niacinamide provides faster results and longer-lasting benefits for the skin, including boosting surface cell turnover, evening skin tone and tackling visible discoloration.

Two pinkish iridescent bottles of OLAY Super Serum lay flat against a lavender background. One bottle is open and shows the pink, lavender serum. Text identifies “The Power of 5 Luxury Benefits in 1.”

Learn more about OLAY Super Serum and meet more of the “super” women behind OLAY’s Super Serum technology.

In our haircare business, women innovators are helping revolutionize the way consumers experience healthy hair with the new Pantene Miracle collection. Dr. Jeni Thomas, Global Science Communications Director, P&G Hair, is part of the team behind Pantene’s Miracle Rescue Deep Repair Conditioner, which includes the superior innovation of melting Pro-V pearls to help bring damaged hair back to life. Backed by science and infused with skincare-inspired ingredients, this new Pantene hair repair product offers an extraordinary solution for damaged hair, resulting in strong and healthy strands.

A gold bottle of product identified as Pantene Miracle Rescue Deep Repair Conditioner. Product name and details are displayed in black text.

Learn how Pantene’s Miracle collection is bringing luxury hair care to more people.

Through the years, our commitment to gender equality, inclusive leadership and innovation has shaped our workplace culture, inspired our people, grown our business and impacted our communities.

Inspiring the Innovators of the Future

As we celebrate the women in STEM of our past, and those of today, we also look forward to the scientific leaders of the future. Together with our gender equality partners, we are making connections for women of all generations to lead, innovate and create impact.

We collaborate with action takers and impact makers like Girl Up to support education opportunities and develop more leaders who not only strengthen P&G, but also the communities in which we live and work.

A Native American girl with shoulder length black hair, wears a black jacket, striped multi-color top, and brightly colored earrings. She sits at a table in front of a laptop with many stickers on it, as she looks across the table.

Girl Up is bridging the gender gap in the STEM fields by inspiring girl leaders to use STEM skills to create solutions to issues in their communities for social good. The program includes a STEM Bootcamp and financial grants to implement community projects.

A multicultural group of women and girls pose together. They're wearing lab goggles as they stand together and smile in a laboratory. To their left is a table with a large back screen. Lab coats hang on a lime green wall behind them to their right.

Four girls who have a passion for STEM from Girl Up’s Cincinnati region recently spent a STEM Immersion Day at P&G headquarters and our Research & Development Center in Mason, Ohio – our largest in the world. They toured labs, heard from archivists and scientists about the career journeys of P&G’s women innovators, and learned about exciting technology breakthroughs from several of our phenomenal women scientists working on our Beauty and Home Care brands. From our time with these innovators of tomorrow, it was clear that by creating more opportunities for young leaders today, we can unlock more solutions to help us serve all consumers in a more equal future.

Learn about more P&G women scientists, their passion for STEM and how we’re supporting women and girls in science.

P&G Celebrates Women in STEM: A Legacy and Future of Innovation