Body Shop touts ethical accomplishments, vows to do more
The Body Shop has always been known for being on the cutting edge of sustainability trends, and now the company is unveiling a new global CSR strategy on its 40th anniversary.
The beauty retailer's new corporate sustainability strategy aims to position the company as a leader in ethical business and define the next stage of development of the business.
"The Body Shop courageously pioneered new ways of thinking, acting and speaking out as a company," says Jeremy Schwartz, chairman and CEO, The Body Shop. "Our ground-breaking campaigns were ahead of their time and changed laws on animal testing, domestic violence and human trafficking. We were the first in beauty to use community trade and we still have the strongest program in the industry. We are small, but we lead. Today for all of us, the greatest challenges lie ahead and The Body Shop's 40th anniversary is the perfect time to reassert our aim for leadership in ethical business. For us, being truly sustainable means shaping our business to work in line with the planet's natural systems so they can replenish and restore themselves. With our Commitment we're challenging ourselves to go further than we've ever gone before to make a real, sustainable and positive difference. We have set ourselves a significant goal to be the world's most ethical and truly sustainable global business."
Three pillars support the Body Shop's Commitment: people, products and planet. In addition, the Body Shop has 14 specific, measurable targets by 2020 that make the business accountable for delivery:
Double our Community Trade program from 19 to 40 ingredients and help enrich communities that produce them.
Help 40,000 economically vulnerable people access work around the world.
Engage 8 million people in our Enrich Not Exploit™ Commitment mission, creating our biggest campaign ever.
Invest 250,000 hours of our skills and know-how to enrich the biodiversity of our local communities.
Ensure 100% of our natural ingredients are traceable and sustainably sourced, protecting 10,000 hectares of forest and other habitat.
Reduce year on year the environmental footprint of all our product categories.
Publish our use of ingredients of natural origin, ingredients from green chemistry, and the biodegradability and water footprint of our products.
Develop an innovation pipeline that delivers pioneering cosmetic ingredients from biodiversity hotspots and which helps to enrich these areas.
Build Bio-Bridges, protecting and regenerating 75 million square metres of habitat helping communities to live more sustainably.
Reduce the environmental footprint of our stores every time we refurbish or redesign them.
Develop and deliver three new sustainable packaging innovations.
Ensure that 70% of our total product packaging does not contain fossil fuels.
Power 100% of our stores with renewable or carbon balanced energy.
Reduce by 10% the energy use of all our stores every year.
"The Body Shop can be both a force for good and a successful, profitable business," says Jeremy Schwartz. "Forty years ago Anita Roddick set out a challenge for The Body Shop to tackle the big issues of her time. We're now tackling the big issues of today. We want our Enrich Not Exploit™ Commitment to inspire a new generation of customers, supporters and especially millennials who truly care about how a company operates. Re-establishing The Body Shop as a leader will come from delivering our ambitious aim to be the world's most ethical and truly sustainable global business."
The Body Shop has more than 3,000 stores in more than 60 countries.