Avon is one of the world's leading direct sellers of beauty products, with over $8 billion in annual revenues and over 6 million representatives worldwide. The company began as the California Perfume Company, whose founder, David McConnell, discovered that bringing his perfumes directly to his customers - mostly women - was much more effective than traditional selling methods. In 1939, Avon was renamed after the river that runs through the English Midlands.
Avon sells its products through multi-level marketing. The company produces cosmetics, skincare, perfumes, jewelry, clothing, and toys. Avon products are currently sold in over 140 countries. Although the majority of Avon products are designed and intended for women, Avon also offers products for men as well as children. Those product lines, such as aftershaves, shampoos, and products intended for use by adolescents, continue to expand. Corporate Citizenship has been a part of Avon since the company's inception. One of Avon Founder David H. McConnell's guiding principles was: "To meet fully the obligations of corporate citizenship by contributing to the well-being of society and the environment in which it functions." Central to Avon's corporate citizenship is the mission to improve the lives of women globally. Since the Avon Foundation was created, more than $500 million worldwide has been donated to address breast cancer, domestic violence and emergency relief for women and families. Avon is the largest single corporate supporter in breast cancer awareness and research.
