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Green Marketing on The Body Shop International PLC What is the mission of the company? From the beginning (1976), this company developed their products based on natural ingredients which were quite different from other company’s chemical-based cosmetic products. The idea was creating and incorporating the natural ingredients that she had learned about in her world travels. It is interesting that the founder chose the cheapest packaging option which was urine sample bottles to save money to save money.
She also offered refills if customers returned them. Like this history, the starting as having eco-friendly value in its products was unintentional, but from this background, their mission always has been “making earth-friendly personal care products” and “eco-friend brand” as well. The Body Shop strives to protect our beautiful planet and the people who depend on it, not because it’s fashionable, but based on the belief that it’s the only way to do business.
Initially the founder, Dame Anita Roddick pioneered the simple idea that “businesses have the power to do good,” leading to the birth of the original, ethical cosmetics company. This philosophy continues to drive everything they do and they refer this as “Nature’s Way to Beautiful. ” What is their rationale for supporting the environment? They are showing environmental/social activism. The company combines activism with marketing, encouraging women to focus on self-esteem and social and environmental causes.
To support this activism, they are executing three activities based on their five core values, which are the followings: ??? AAT(Against Animal Test) policy : The Body Shop is against animal testing on cosmetic products and ingredients. They do not test their products or ingredients on animals as they consider testing products or ingredients on animals to be morally and scientifically indefensible. Instead they support the use and development of alternative technologies. They also fund organizations for supporting this activity. Community Trade Program: They have made commitment to social change, supporting long-term, sustainable trading relationships with communities in need. One of the standards for selecting Community Trade Group is that they has to meet The Body Shop standards for environmental and animal protection. ??? Farm Aid : Farm Aid supports the efforts of family farmers who are leading the way in developing environmentally friendly farming methods which will ensure a healthy food supply for future generations. Carbon Neutral instead Carbon dioxide : They committed to becoming Carbon Neutral by 2010, ensuring that carbon dioxide emissions from the company’s core retail business worldwide are reduced. ??? sourcing sustainable materials : They became the first cosmetics company to source sustainably harvested palm oil and introduce the ingredient into the beauty industry, working in partnership with a certified organic producer in Colombia, in 2007. How do they link their products (product materials, design, packaging, services) to green values? Product Materials : To use natural and organic ingredients, The Body Shop have constantly sought wonderful “natural” ingredients from all the corners of the globe claiming their motto of enhancing “natural” beauty. ??? Design : Natural ingredients are printed in pretty natural colors. The bottles are transparent that we can see the ingredients through the light bottles. Their website strongly reflects their green value and brand identity. ??? Packaging : Introduced 100% PCR bottle (Post Consumer Recycle) recently with a target to convert to 100% within the next 12 months. Services : They collect the packages for recycling usage. What additional information or services support this marketing approach? ??? The Body Shop Foundation : The set the foundation deliberately seeking out innovative projects working for social and environmental change, Currently the Foundation is funding organizations working on education in Zambia, environmental conservation in Romania, as well as domestic violence initiatives across Europe and child trafficking in Asia. How important is the brand image supported by environmental values?
One of their success reasons, I assume, is their distinguished brand image incorporating all ” natural” things from the ingredients to their way of business. Their efforts to make better environment are connected to their ethic activities of doing business and other beneficial activities to people and society. Cherishing environmental values eventually supports the Body Shop brand image, and this positive effect might promote the consumers’ purchase of The Body Shop’s products making them feel good with their purchase.
It is surprising that their brand image and the way of doing business is in in the same way for cherishing environmental value. How do they successfully push the environmental values across different cultures? We can identify their success looking at their celebrating 20 years of Community Trade working with 25,000 people across the globe in 2007. While The Body Shop admits their special efforts to grow eco-friendly natural products providing the farmers of the Community Trade with fair income and creating various funds for them, they also encourage the farmers to protect the environment.