Innovation + Responsibility

Before I even knew what Corporate Social Responsibility was - actually, before I even knew that it was - I knew about Anita Roddick and The Body Shop.  In high school, my sister and I - our political awareness just starting to bud - were fanatic about the brand and religious users of its banana conditioner (perfect for our thick, curly hair) and other beauty products.  Imagine no animal testing. Fair trade with indigenous people. A portion of profits donated to charity.  Natural ingredients. These things were unheard of in the late 80s and early 90s.  But they were part of Anita Roddick's vision and her vision together with her company's actions were the early proof points in the business case for CSR.  

Years ago, Roddick sold The Body Shop to L'Oreal and I remember thinking she was such a sellout - the exact kind of business she was seeking to redefine now owned her brilliant creation.  Over the years my thinking on this has changed as I have seen companies like Stonyfield Farms, Tom's of Maine and Aveda also sell to large multinationals and, as a result, the large multinational companies themselves have shifted their perspective a bit. The best example of this is Danone's purchase of  Stonyfield Farms - as a result, Danone has fully embraced sustainability, starting with adopting some long-held Stonyfield Farms practices, such as using foil-only lids on their yogurts. So it seems that once again, Anita Roddick was ahead of her time. Perhaps she realized the dual benefits of L'Oreal's ownership - having solid and reliable resources to invest in her business while influencing the way the larger organization operates.

 
Anita Roddick is, to many, the godmother of corporate social responsibility. I am grateful for her leadership, her outspokenness and her commitment to doing business in a way that honors and respects the planet and its inhabitants.
She paved the way for so many of us to make careers out of using the power of business to create positive social and environmental change. Her legacy will be felt for generations to come.