Avon, a prominent beauty company, faces criticism for its connections to Russia

Beauty company Avon is facing criticism for maintaining its presence in Russia despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The company, which has its headquarters in the UK, has been operating in Russia for 30 years and continues to recruit new sales agents in the country. Avon has stated that its operations in Russia provide critical support for women whose livelihoods depend on their business. The company is known for its door-to-door sales representatives, but it has also recently shifted its focus to physical stores and social media sales. Despite announcing a suspension of exports to other markets during the conflict in Ukraine, it has been found that Avon is still operating in Russia and offering rewards and incentives to new sales agents. Critics argue that the company should be ashamed for funding Putin's war machine and call for a ban on Avon operating in Ukraine. Avon's parent company, Natura & Co, has expressed concern for the situation in Ukraine on its website, leading some to accuse Avon of "moral-washing." Avon's plant in the Moscow region, which produces cosmetics and perfumes, now exclusively serves the Russian market. The company had previously suggested relocating production from Russia to Poland for Eastern European markets. Avon has been heavily impacted by the war in Ukraine and a decrease in the number of sales representatives as it transitions to a new business model, according to Natura & Co's annual report. In recent news, Avon announced plans to open physical stores in the UK for the first time.