Millie Kendall and Helena Grzesk awarded honours for services to the beauty and spa sectors

Millie Kendall and Helena Grzesk, respectively CEO and COO of the British Beauty Council, have been recognised in Queen Elizabeth II's New Year Honours List 2022.

Kendall has become an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) and Grzesk an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). This is a second honour for Kendall who was made an MBE in 2007.

The awards have been given for services to the spa and beauty industries.

Kendall, a 30-year industry veteran, was a co-founder of BeautyMART and Ruby & Millie and has been a driving force behind the British Beauty Council since it was founded in 2017/18.

She has been instrumental in gaining UK government recognition for the sector, including substantial levels of pandemic grant support.

Grzesk has a background in spa operations and served as GM of the UK Spa Association (UKSA) for over two years, guiding the organisation through the turmoil of the pandemic, while engaging in a lengthy lobbying battle with the UK government to reopen the industry.

She then took up the new role as COO at the British Beauty Council, working alongside Kendall – with both being instrumental in lobbying for recognition and support.

She has co-authored a report that explored the effects of personal care services on mental health and wellbeing, which was used to further the case for the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to support touch and massage as therapies for mental health.

"This award signifies a change in how our sector is viewed and an appreciation of not just my work, but of the monumental efforts of The British Beauty Council and its partners in affecting that change," said Kendall.

"My passion for the beauty industry has never faltered," she continued: "It makes such an impact on our everyday lives."

Grzesk said: "This award is a demonstration of the positive steps forward we have taken in being recognised as a global leader in innovation and education. We're truly proud of the work we've achieved to date and we're driven to continue to effect change."

Further information on the British Beauty Council can be found in its 2021 Annual Report, which is available to download here.

Details about the UK Spa Association can be found on its website here.

BACKGROUND BRIEFING

Key achievements for The British Beauty Council in 2021 include:

Winning an extra £500m (€595, US$676) of UK Government-backed pandemic support.

Securing an earlier reopening of the industry post-lockdown and an £18,000 (€21,400, US$24,300) 'restart grant' – a £12,000 (€14,200, US$16,000) increase on the previously proposed grant, which amounted to an additional £350m (€416, US$473m) in total.

Pushing for greater inclusivity and diversity within the industry, including being instrumental in changing the hairdressing curriculum to make afro and textured hair cutting and styling part of National Occupational Standards.

Supporting the launch of a trans-awareness course, certified by Habia (for details, click here).

Launching the Sustainable Beauty Coalition to accelerate the sustainability efforts in the beauty industry and working with government representatives to support the Race to Net Zero campaign.

Representing the industry at COP26 in Glasgow – the British Beauty Council was the only industry body within the beauty sector to attend the summit.

Enhancing education with the launch of a 'Career Insights' podcast series featuring well-known individuals from the beauty industry to inspire students and aspiring beauty professionals on career opportunities in the sector.

Working with the UK government on initiatives to support and champion women in the sector – in March 2021, Kendall was part of a roundtable discussion with prime minister, Boris Johnson, on behalf of the British beauty industry.