GO APE!

We love gorillas. The Body Shop Foundation has donated £10,000 to The Gorilla Organization to support the work it does in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The grant has gone into providing local people with fuel-efficient stoves. These need 75% less firewood to run, so less wood is taken from the Congo forest, and are a great alternative to open fires. It all helps to preserve the gorillas’ habitat. The Gorilla Organization does lots of other great work in Cameroon, Rwanda, Uganda and Gabon, in conservation, education and development.

Find out more here.

REEF ACTION IN BALI

More news from The Body Shop Foundation. It has given a grant of £5,000 to the Nusa Dua Reef Foundation in Bali. This non-profit organisation conducts reef research, conservation and education in one of the world’s most diverse marine ecosystems, home to reefs and mangroves, turtles and dolphins.

Climate change, coastal development and tourism are the biggest threats to the reef. This grant will go towards dive training for local fishermen, so they can monitor the reef and maintain coral restoration.

Find out more about The Body Shop Foundation

Words to live by #2

“If you think you’re too small to have an impact try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.” Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop

Words to live by #1

“If you do things well, do them better. Be daring, be first, be different, be just.” Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop

Beauty with heart in action: Organic Coconut Oil

Adi Tafuna’I the chairwoman of our Community Fair Trade organic coconut oil supplier, was honored as the recipent of the Economic Empowerment Award at the annual Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards in Washington DC.

Vital Voices was set up in 1997 by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and its mission is to identify, invest in, and bring visibility to extraordinary women around the world. Adi partnered with The Body Shop to help bring Samoan products to the world and create livelihoods in local communities.

Today, health and beauty items sold in nearly 50 countries are made with coconut oil produced by hundreds of Samoan families.

20 Countries Commit to Protect Children from Sex Trafficking

The Body Shop and ECPAT’s Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People campaign officially closed on Thursday 29 March with the launch of a final report, ‘Creating change through partnership’.

This report details how your incredible support for this groundbreaking and historic campaign has created the biggest campaign in the history of The Body Shop. Campaign successes include:

The law has changed in 20 countries to help protect and support children and young people
Over 7 million people around the world signed petitions calling on governments to protect those at risk of or affected by sex trafficking
65 countries supported the campaign
Petitions were presented to governments in 40 countries
Several governments, the EU and the United Nations, received one of the biggest petitions in their respective histories
Over £2.5 million (US $3million) has been raised for the ECPAT network and NGO partners around the world.

The Body Shop and ECPAT International will continue to work together and urge governments which have received the campaign petitions to do everything in their power to take action in order to protect children and young people from sex trafficking.

Thanks for being a part of our groundbreaking campaign and for helping children and young people all over the world find the support and protection they desperately need from this horrible crime.

If you would like to learn more about the sex trafficking of children and young people please visit www.ecpat.net.

Meet Lily Cole

Lily Cole is our new brand advocate. We’re delighted to have her on board, and caught up with her to ask a few questions.

Why did you decide to become an advocate for The Body Shop?
I have long been an advocate of the potential of using business and consumer power to cause positive change. It feels amazing to be supporting a brand who are pioneers in that way of working.

What inspired you to become an activist?
Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” I used to have that quote on my bedroom door growing up! I’m not saying I’m a good man, but I think as soon as you are aware of injustices you have a responsibility to try and address them… although I still see myself as a developing activist!

Do you feel that views of beauty are changing?
I feel like people are questioning superficial values and looking for real value instead. True beauty comes from within, and I feel that more and more people are beginning to realise that.

Watch the video for more Lily!

Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop call for a ban on cosmetics testing on animals

Cruelty Free International, the world’s first global non-profit organisation dedicated to ending product testing on animals for cosmetic purposes, is launching its first global pledge campaign at The Body Shop on 15 May!

Across the world, The Body Shop customers will have the opportunity to sign a pledge in-store to support Cruelty Free International’s push for a global ban on animal testing for cosmetic products and ingredients.

Explaining why Cruelty Free International has partnered with The Body Shop, Michelle Thew, Chief Executive of Cruelty Free International said,

“The Body Shop has been internationally renowned for its Against Animal Testing stance right from the very start. They have led the way with their efforts to drive animal testing out of the cosmetics industry, and Cruelty Free International is delighted that this commitment is again at the forefront of The Body Shop’s campaigns.”

To find out more about animal testing and Cruelty Free International visit www.crueltyfreeinternational.org

INSIDE OUR NEW BOUTIQUES

Here at The Body Shop we’re currently giving all our stores a makeover. And at Oxford Circus in London, Washington Square in Portland and Kalverstraat in Amsterdam, they’re already finished and looking fabulous.

Each one has a central beauty zone where you can try, play and experiment with our products. There are dedicated make-up and skincare experts on hand to work their magic. And there’s more info on our campaigns and a local area bulletin board. Our new sustainable design will help us reduce our energy use, and all the wood in the store is responsibly sourced.

The boutiques are a place where beauty, activism and community meet. So keep a lookout in your area. We can’t wait to show you around.

JOIN THE NEW BEAUTY MOVEMENT

“We believe true beauty comes from the heart. For us, beauty is much more than a pretty face. It’s about feeling good and doing good, too.

We make our products with love and care. We source some of the finest raw ingredients from the four corners of the globe. We harness the skills of artisan farmers and add our expertise to create effective products that are wonderful to use.

We trade fairly so communities benefit as well as you. We never test on animals, and all our products are 100% vegetarian. We campaign with passion on issues close to our heart, because activism is in our blood.

We always keep people, animals and the planet in mind. So when you shop with us, you are choosing BEAUTY WITH HEART.”

Join our global community of beauty lovers with an activist spirit and you will:

LOOK GOOD
Thanks to products that always have nature at heart, are rich in quality ingredients, and deliver true beauty innovation and effectiveness.

FEEL GOOD
With products that have incredible textures, seduce the senses, and come from an ethical brand that cares about people, the planet and animals.

DO GOOD
By engaging with a brand that takes concrete action to help others – through its Community Fair Trade programme, its campaigns, its commitment to animal welfare, and its passion for protecting the planet.