Mecca Empowers 3,000 Team Members to Lead Change That’s Beyond Skin Deep

We partnered with MECCA to embed a meaningful, scalable, and intersectional approach to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across their organisation. Through strategic advisory, co-created learning experiences, and ongoing thought leadership, we supported MECCA to build internal capability, shift culture, and position themselves as a workplace genuinely committed to equity and inclusion.

The Challenge

Being Australia’s most loved beauty destination comes with its own unique challenges. With a spotlight on them from customers, communities, and the beauty industry, MECCA’s visibility brought opportunity but also responsibility. MECCA was navigating a complex landscape with a diverse workforce spread across bustling retail stores, a busy distribution centre and a fast-paced head office environment. Each group had different needs and ways of working. Off-the-shelf training options on the market weren’t suitable, what they needed was education that truly engaged their teams. 

They needed a trusted partner who understood their brand, cared for their people as much as they do and could deliver meaningful and lasting change. Together, we built a holistic partnership blending strategic advice, co-created learning led by lived experience and ongoing conversations to embed inclusion not just as a program, but as part of MECCA’s everyday culture and values. 

The Solution

We took the time to understand how MECCA worked and looked for ways to embed learning into what was already happening across the business. Instead of adding more to people’s plates, we integrated inclusion into internal events, team rhythms and everyday moments. That meant learning could be consistent, relevant and part of business as usual. 

The education itself was designed to change hearts and minds. Co-created with MECCA’s team, the online learning modules were experience-led and gamified, so people could engage with the content in a way that felt real and meaningful. We built on our Gender Equality Foundations course and developed three new industry leading courses (Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Foundations, Inclusive Language and Conscious Inclusion) tailored to MECCA’s culture and goals.

Alongside the learning, we acted as a trusted advisor to the business, someone they could call when they needed a sounding board or a steer. From navigating tricky moments to making strategic decisions, we were there when it mattered. It wasn’t just about a deliverable. It was about being a consistent, thoughtful partner throughout their DEI journey. 

The Impact

The result was more than a learning program; it was a shift in how inclusion showed up at MECCA. By embedding DEI into existing rhythms and real moments, the work felt like a natural extension of MECCA’s culture, not an add-on. 

The education reached thousands of team members with overwhelmingly positive feedback. In its first 2 years: 

• DEI education had been rolled out to over 3000+ team members across retail, head office and distribution centre 
• Over 90% of learners rated their understanding of gender equality as good or very good 
• 82% reported feeling confident talking about gender equality  

The education reached thousands of team members across stores, distribution centres and head office, with overwhelmingly positive feedback: 

“Loved this course! Feel very privileged to be working for a company who places such genuine value for us to be a part of the positive change and education – would love more training in actually having these conversations with people who both align and who may not align with the impacts of Gender Equality both in a workplace and everyday life.”  

“While I do appreciate any and all strides Mecca takes to educate the team and drive change in the human rights space, I must say the content this time around resonates particularly well with me (and other team members from what I’ve heard). This is largely due to the course being outsourced to an organisation whose entire mission is the cause they’re educating us about.”  

“What an amazing course covered almost everything to do with gender, diversity and inclusivity.” 

The courses are now being adopted by other organisations across sectors wider than just retail, including government departments, philanthropic foundations and education bodies – extending the impact well beyond MECCA.

Interested in online learning for your workplace? Find out more here.