As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve across North America, ISBN members and industry partners are focusing activity on keeping salons open, according to ISBN Government Relations Chair Rhoda Olsen, vice chair of Great Clips.
“On behalf of the entire professional beauty industry, Great Clips, Inc. and ISBN are collaborating to monitor state-by-state activity and working hard to assure that salons will not be required to close again,” Olsen says. “We believe we are making an impact. We also stay closely connected to the State Cosmetology Board Executive Directors to gain their input and guidance.”
What can your organization and network do to help? Stay informed and keep taking action and sharing key documents, articles and messages with leaders at the state, province, county and city level as appropriate. Specifically, click through, leverage and share:
- The general industry White Paper on “Hair Salons: A Licensed Industry Prepared to Stay Open.” (See the campaign update below.)
- CDC report from July 14 that finds that “among 139 clients exposed to two symptomatic hair stylists with confirmed COVID-19 while both the stylists and the clients wore face masks, no symptomatic secondary cases were reported.”
- Your (or your California-based team members’ or friends’) personal story as it relates to the pandemic, via the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) California Take Action initiative in support of all salons reopening in all of California.
“Many of our ISBN members have salons in California or industry peers in California,” Olsen says. “ISBN is continuing to reach out in many different ways. We have done advocacy campaigns to Governor Newsom and legislators and we have always partnered with other industry associations. This PBA campaign makes it easy for California residents to send a personal message to their state assembly member, state senator, the governor and the director of the California Department of Health in one click, and is a great opportunity. Please share widely with any one you know who resides in California.”
MORE CALIFORNIA ACTION
The industry White Paper campaign on how and why salons should be allowed to stay open or reopen is still active. The campaign initially went to all ISBN members and Great Clips franchisees, with over 1,200 messages sent and more still in the works. The State Board Executive Director reports that California State Board members and the governor have received the White Paper and it is making an impact, based on comments.
Next steps? Follow up the effective “Stay Open” White Paper with an advocacy campaign featuring the CDC report confirming the safety of salons that follow mask protocols for stylists and guests.
U.S. CROSS-COUNTRY APPEAL
ISBN and Great Clips sent all state governors both the Stay Open White Paper and the CDC report on the effectiveness of universal face covering policy in the salon to likely mitigating spread of the coronavirus. Next steps could include a straight send to all senators/representatives and/or implementation of an advocacy campaigns.
CANADA OUTREACH
ISBN and Great Clips has sent the Canada version of the Stay Open White Paper along with the CDC report to government leaders in Ontario and Quebec. Next steps could include a straight send to all provinces and/or structured advocacy campaigns.
“Ultimately, the more responses, the louder our collective voice,” says Olsen. “Make a difference and take action today!”
