DALLAS-- April 25, 2022 -- This Earth Day marks the 52nd anniversary of the first Earth Day celebrated in 1970. Mary Kay Inc. joins in celebrating the environment and all of the partnerships around the world working to invest in our planet and achieve the United Nations (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A key component of tackling climate change and achieving the SDGs is dependent on ocean action. The ocean covers 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, is the planet's largest biosphere, and is home to up to 80 percent of all life in the world. It generates 50 percent of the oxygen we need, absorbs 25 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions and captures 90 percent of the additional heat generated from those emissions.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has embarked on a journey to protect our oceans, with support from Mary Kay, which holds water at the heart of its sustainability strategy: “This Earth Day, our oceans need us all,” said Jeffrey Parrish, Global Managing Director for Nature Protection at The Nature Conservancy. “With support from our corporate partners, TNC is working every day across the globe to conserve the reefs, coasts and fisheries that make life on this Planet, and our own lives, thrive. Together, we are making every day Earth Day.”

Through the collective partnership, Mary Kay supports projects resulting in sustainable impact preserving and protecting our oceans:

· Global ocean protection to improve ocean health for nature and people;
· Protecting climate-resilient coral reefs, “super reefs,” in the Coral Triangle;
· Restoring Asia Pacific Shellfish Reefs in Australia, Hong Kong, and China;
· Supporting Women Leaders in The Pacific in Papua New Guinea (Mangroves, Women, and Markets) and the Solomon Islands (Community Health and Resilience);
· Coastal Conservation and Restoration in the Gulf Coast (Protecting the Gulf Coast Coastal Wetlands); and
· Improving Fisheries in Mexico (Improving Fisheries and Empowering Communities).

The Nature Conservancy will launch a new global partnership to identify and protect coral reefs that are positioned to survive climate change - “Super Reefs” at the 2022 UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal. The UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, will seek to address the threats to health, ecology, economy and governance of the ocean and propel much needed science-based innovative solutions aimed at starting a new chapter of global ocean action.

“On Earth Day, and every day, Mary Kay celebrates the work we have done to invest in our planet and protect our oceans—a resource which sustains the livelihoods of about 3 billion people worldwide. It is critical to our earth, future, and communities. Mary Kay is proud of our partnerships to help create sustainable and lasting impact in communities around the world. It is indeed a partnership for the planet,” said Deborah Gibbins, Mary Kay’s Chief Operating Officer.

“We know there is still more work to be done and we know we can, and will, do more. Taking care of our earth is important to Mary Kay and Earth Day gives us an opportunity to reaffirm our commitments to sustainable action,” added Gibbins.

To read more about Mary Kay’s commitment to sustainability, visit marykayglobal.com/sustainability and download Mary Kay’s global sustainability strategy, Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.