Recently, The Paper conducted an exclusive interview with Fang Aiqin, Chairwoman of the Proya Foundation, shedding light on how this leading domestic beauty brand integrates business success with social responsibility. From funding the construction of a Hope Primary School in Gansu in 2007 to establishing a professional foundation in 2023, Proya Cosmetics has evolved from ad-hoc charitable giving to a systematic public welfare model. This dialogue highlights how Proya Cosmetics seamlessly blends commercial value with social impact, offering a compelling example of corporate philanthropy in China. Over the past 18 years, Proya Cosmetics has proven that beauty exists not only in its products but also in every act of warmth and compassion.
The Paper: In 2007, just four years after its founding, Proya Cosmetics began its philanthropic journey by funding the construction of a Hope Primary School in Gansu. For a young company still in its rapid growth phase, why did Proya Cosmetics choose to embark on public welfare efforts when resources were relatively limited?
Fang Aiqin: As the founder of Proya Cosmetics and initiator of the Proya Foundation, both Chairman Hou Juncheng and I come from rural areas of Leqing in Wenzhou. Our similar backgrounds gave us deep empathy for those facing hardship at the grassroots level. During a visit to Gansu in 2007, we saw the dilapidated classrooms in Anhe Village, drafty windows, cracked walls, and children studying in buildings at risk of collapse. That moment moved us deeply and led to the immediate decision to build a Hope Primary School. With support from the local government, the school was completed within the same year. That project marked the beginning of Proya Cosmetics's 18-year journey in public welfare. Our corporate spirit of "Integrity, Gratitude" is rooted in this original intention to give back to society.
The Paper: In 2023, Proya Cosmetics officially launched the Proya Foundation, marking a key transition from corporate philanthropy to a more professional and institutionalized approach. As more companies are choosing foundations as a vehicle for long-term charitable work, what were the main considerations behind Proya Cosmetics's decision to establish a foundation at this time?
Fang Aiqin: When we released our sustainability strategy in 2022, I realized it was time to build a more professional platform for public welfare. This was not only a crucial step toward our goal of fostering a "sustainable social ecosystem", but also a natural evolution of our 16 years of philanthropic efforts.
Since the first Hope Primary School we funded in 2007, our public welfare work has expanded into areas of education, disaster relief, women's empowerment, and more. I felt strongly that to manage these programs more effectively, attract professional talent, and integrate social resources, a foundation was the best path forward. With this foundation, we can now operate more systematically and join hands with like-minded partners to create greater social impact.
The Paper: "Beauty Forever, Wonder to Share" has always been Proya Cosmetics's core corporate mission. How is this value proposition reflected in the Proya Foundation's mission and vision?
Fang Aiqin: "Beauty Forever, Wonder to Share" is at the heart of everything Proya Cosmetics stands for. But to us, beauty goes beyond appearances. It embodies dignity and personal growth. The vision of our foundation is to "gather the power of love and make the world more beautiful". Guided by this, we focus on empowering women and youth, helping more people achieve a life of beauty inside and out. This belief is not only the starting point of our philanthropic journey, but also a long-term commitment
The Paper: In recent years, the Proya Foundation's philanthropic efforts have evolved from material donations, such as building Hope Primary Schools, towards a broader focus on educational development in remote areas, emergency relief, and more in-depth support for women and youth. This reflects a shift in the philanthropic model from "donation" to "empowerment." How do you interpret this transformation? What is the relationship between traditional material donations and professional empowerment in today's philanthropy? How does the foundation currently balance its resources between the two models?
Fang Aiqin: 18 years ago in Gansu, what children needed most were safe classrooms, so material donations were the most direct form of support. But as our philanthropic practice deepened, we realized that simple "blood transfusions" were not enough. Today, we focus more on "blood generation", empowerment-oriented support, especially for deeper needs like women's development and mental health. Material assistance and professional empowerment are not mutually exclusive. They are complementary. The former addresses urgent needs, while the latter delivers long-term change.
At the Proya Foundation, we follow a resource allocation model of "30% emergency relief + 70% long-term empowerment". While 30% of resources are reserved for emergency responses such as disaster relief, 70% are invested in long-term, professionally operated initiatives like the construction of schools in border regions and our "Love for Moms" program, thereby advancing our philanthropic approach from "blood transfusion" to "blood generation". This model not only preserves the emergency response function of traditional philanthropy, but also highlights the unique value of a corporate foundation in delivering professional empowerment.
The Paper: In March this year, the Proya Foundation officially launched the "Love for Moms - New Mom Mental Health Public Welfare Initiative". The initiative demonstrates greater focus and specialization in target demographics, needs responses, and program design, and aligns well with Proya Cosmetics's brand mission and business relevance. Do you believe the launch of "Love for Moms" marks a new phase of more professionalized operations for the Proya Foundation?
Fang Aiqin: The "Love for Moms" initiative represents a key milestone in the Proya Foundation's journey toward professionalized philanthropic operations. This initiative precisely addresses the growing social concern around mental health among new mothers. It brings together professional resources from medical experts to academic institutions, and introduces an innovative model of sustained empowerment, moving beyond the traditional one-time donation approach. This shift reflects a deeper evolution of our philanthropic strategy from broad donation to deep empowerment. This not only reflects the growing professionalism of Proya Foundation, but also demonstrates our deep understanding of social responsibility and long-term commitment to it.
The Paper: One notable feature of the Proya Foundation's collaborative network is the extensive participation of upstream and downstream supply chain partners, alongside professional NGOs and expert resources. As a vital part of the corporate ecosystem, why do you think suppliers are willing to engage deeply in philanthropic initiatives? How does the Proya Foundation mobilize these resources and promote joint efforts? In actual project execution, what specific roles do these partners play?
Fang Aiqin: Philanthropy requires collaborative efforts. Proya Foundation acts as a central hub, engaging upstream and downstream partners through strategic briefings, annual charity events, and on-site project visits to jointly fulfill our social responsibility. For our partners, participation in public welfare not only gives back to society but also enhances brand value and strengthens internal cohesion. They contribute in various ways through donations, professional expertise, and resource-sharing, creating a win-win outcome where business and social value go hand in hand.
The Paper: As a female advocate for public welfare, do you find that your identity gives you a deeper empathy and understanding of women's needs when designing and advancing women-focused initiatives? Has there been a specific moment or beneficiary story from your past philanthropic work that left a lasting impression on you?
Fang Aiqin: As a woman, I have a deep understanding of the unique challenges women face. This empathy drives us to pay closer attention to women's needs in our philanthropic projects, for example, prioritizing essential supplies for women during disaster relief efforts, or launching the "Love for Moms" mental health program for new mothers. These initiatives stem from a keen awareness of the often-overlooked yet deeply felt pain points in women's lives.
The Paper: Long before the establishment of the Proya Foundation, the company had already been engaging with women-centered issues since 2013, driving public awareness through various advocacy initiatives. From your long-term observation and hands-on experience, are there any specific women's issues that have especially moved you, issues that highlight the complexity and urgency of the female experience within broader societal contexts?
Fang Aiqin: In 2013, we took a major step forward by becoming the first beauty brand in China to partner with UN Women. The "Wide Sea and Sky" initiative launched at the time aimed to empower women on all fronts from employment equality and career development to physical and mental well-being. This was no coincidence. It reflected our deep awareness of the systemic challenges women face.
As our work progressed, our perspective also expanded. In 2021, we launched the campaign "Gender Is Not a Boundary", shifting our focus to broader societal biases. Through extensive research, we discovered that not only are women burdened by the pressure of "how they should be", but men too are confined by the expectations of "how they must be". This dual-sided gender pressure limits the potential of everyone.
One issue that has particularly struck a chord with me is the "motherhood penalty". As a mother myself, I've personally experienced the dual pressures working mothers face. Our research shows that 83% of professional women face career advancement barriers after childbirth, and 67% of childcare responsibilities still fall primarily on mothers. These numbers reflect very real struggles.
But we don't want to stop at simply pointing out the problems. We want to drive real change. For example, in this year's Mother's Day campaign, we not only raised awareness but also proposed concrete solutions: encouraging companies to adopt more family-friendly policies, promoting shared parenting responsibilities, and helping mothers balance career and family life.
These years of experience have shown us that dismantling gender bias requires persistent effort. Proya Cosmetics will continue to leverage the power of our brand through product innovation, content creation, and charitable action to help foster a more inclusive and equitable society.
The Paper: As a relatively young corporate foundation, where do you see key gaps that Proya Foundation still needs to address, especially in comparison with more established institutions in the sector? Looking ahead, what kind of philanthropic organization do you hope the Proya Foundation will become?
Fang Aiqin: As a newly established corporate foundation, we still have room for improvement in areas such as building a professional talent team and developing more robust impact assessment mechanisms. Looking to the future, Proya Foundation will focus on three key directions: exploring innovative philanthropy models, building a collaborative public welfare ecosystem, and amplifying the social influence of public welfare. We aspire to grow into a foundation that is both professional and compassionate - one that stays true to its original purpose while continually advancing positive change in society.
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