Body Shop
Harvard Business School
9-392-032
Rev. July 13, 1995
Business people have got to be the instigators of change. They have the money and the power to make a difference. A company that makes a profit from society has a responsibility to return something to that society. Anita Roddick, founder and managing director of The Body Shop
“Let’s face it, I can’t take a moisture cream too seriously,” Anita Roddick was fond of saying, “What really interests me is the revolutionary way in which trade can be used as an instrument for change for the better.” This heretical statement by the head of the fastest-growing company in the cosmetics industry reflected her habit of going against the tide of the industry’s established practices.
The Body Shop did not advertise, avoided traditional distribution channels, spent as little as possible on packaging, and used product labels to describe ingredients rather than to make miraculous claims. Its products were based on all-natural ingredients, and were sold in refillable, recyclable containers. But the most unconventional of all, was The Body Shop’s strong social message. As Roddick explained: “There hasn’t been an ethical or philosophical code of behavior for any business body ever, and I think it’s going to have to change.”
Do
No
From a single storefront in 1976, The Body Shop had grown to 586 shops by 1991, trading in 38 countries and 18 languages. Worldwide retail sales from company stores and licensees were estimated at $391 million. Along the way, The Body Shop was voted U.K. Company of the Year in 1985, and U.K. Retailer of the Year in 1989. In addition, Roddick had been the Veuve Cliquot Businesswoman of the Year in 1985, and Communicator of the Year in 1987. In 1988, she was awarded the prestigious Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth (who herself was rumored to use The Body Shop’s Peppermint Foot Lotion).
The world of business has taught me nothing. . . I honestly believe I would not have
9-392-032
Rev. July 13, 1995
Business people have got to be the instigators of change. They have the money and the power to make a difference. A company that makes a profit from society has a responsibility to return something to that society. Anita Roddick, founder and managing director of The Body Shop
“Let’s face it, I can’t take a moisture cream too seriously,” Anita Roddick was fond of saying, “What really interests me is the revolutionary way in which trade can be used as an instrument for change for the better.” This heretical statement by the head of the fastest-growing company in the cosmetics industry reflected her habit of going against the tide of the industry’s established practices.
The Body Shop did not advertise, avoided traditional distribution channels, spent as little as possible on packaging, and used product labels to describe ingredients rather than to make miraculous claims. Its products were based on all-natural ingredients, and were sold in refillable, recyclable containers. But the most unconventional of all, was The Body Shop’s strong social message. As Roddick explained: “There hasn’t been an ethical or philosophical code of behavior for any business body ever, and I think it’s going to have to change.”
Do
No
From a single storefront in 1976, The Body Shop had grown to 586 shops by 1991, trading in 38 countries and 18 languages. Worldwide retail sales from company stores and licensees were estimated at $391 million. Along the way, The Body Shop was voted U.K. Company of the Year in 1985, and U.K. Retailer of the Year in 1989. In addition, Roddick had been the Veuve Cliquot Businesswoman of the Year in 1985, and Communicator of the Year in 1987. In 1988, she was awarded the prestigious Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth (who herself was rumored to use The Body Shop’s Peppermint Foot Lotion).
The world of business has taught me nothing. . . I honestly believe I would not have