Lancôme and Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet are working together to help bring an end to illiteracy among young women in the UK.
Winslet has been an ambassador for the L'Oréal-owned brand for over ten years and, ahead of World Literacy Day on 8 September, conveyed her support for their "shared vision of empowerment".
"Reading and writing, for most of us, is as natural as breathing.
"But for one out of every seven women in the UK it is not.
"Lancôme and The National Literacy Trust want to help disadvantaged women to be able to communicate effectively, and help them to secure their first jobs.
"This is one of the reasons why I appreciate the relationship I have with Lancôme as together, we share a deep-rooted desire to support women in being able to fulfil their hopes and dreams, and their individuality."
Lancôme's new partnership with The National Literacy Trust – an independent charity dedicated to raising UK literacy levels – will last for a minimum of three years and give support to young women in disadvantaged communities.
The Words for Work: Women in Leadership partnership will launch in three schools in London, Manchester and Nottingham in the first year.
Teaching staff at these schools will select 25 women aged 16-20, who they think will benefit most from taking part in the full programme.
In March this year, Lancôme announced plans to invest €2m in literacy programmes over the next five years.
The pledge marked Lancôme's first global philanthropic initiative, Write Her Future.
Today, 76 million young women around the world are affected by illiteracy.
Only 44% of young women from the poorest UK communities left school last year with good GCSEs in English and maths.
