The Body Shop Switches To Sustainable Palm Oil

July 13, 2007

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The Body Shop says it has become the first cosmetics and toiletries retailer to introduce sustainable palm oil into the global beauty industry. The company is working with Daabon, a certified organic producer in Colombia, which works with local cooperatives.

The move represents a major practical step by a global retailer and equates to 14.5 million bars of soap sold per annum in more than 2,200 stores across 57 countries across the world, with these soaps sold in more than 300 stores across the U.S.

“The switch to sustainable palm oil is a landmark step forward for The Body Shop and a potentially groundbreaking development for the whole cosmetics industry,” said Peter Saunders, chief executive officer of The Body Shop. “Many people who use soap everyday will be unaware that they are contributing to a major environmental catastrophe: the destruction of ancient rainforests and the extinction of endangered species. Our ambition is for the majority of the world’s palm oil production to be sustainable within the next two to three years but this will not be achieved by The Body Shop in isolation – our decision must inspire other businesses to join us and tackle the problem head on.”

As you might expect, The Body Shop is now calling on other manufacturers and retailers to follow their lead.

You can see the company’s recent Values Report here.

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