body talk
Anita Roddick…

“If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room” – Anita Roddick

We at Ocean Consulting are always on the look out for new information and inspiration and we want to share this with you by passing on any real gems that we feel would be of real value and benefit to your business…

Here we will explore Anita Roddick’s strong ethical views and how she has used these to excel her business in a unique and sometimes controversial way…

When Anita Roddick opened her first shop back in 1976, the walls were so damp and mouldy she found the only colour paint to hide the marks was dark green. She produced her first products in her garage, sold them in urine sample bottles and offered a 15% discount for customers bringing the bottles back and re-using them.  Today, 30 years on The Body Shop consists of over 2,000 stores in 51 different countries with an estimated market value of over £640 million.

But how did Anita Roddick grow it from a single shop selling a range of just 15 products into a powerful financial and political organisation?

Taking on the Mafia
From the outset, Anita has never claimed foresight to the way in which The Body Shop brand developed “…at the forefront of my mind at that time there was only one thought – survival”.  A dispute between two funeral directors nearly ended Anita’s start-up business venture. The nature of their new neighbour’s business was not what bothered them, it was the name. They felt a green shop front adorned with the words ‘Body Shop’ would put off their ‘customers’. The story featured in the local paper…

But Anita took this negative publicity and wielded it to her advantage... “My smart move was to call (the paper) and tell them I was being threatened by Mafia undertakers who wanted to close me down”.  Naturally the press loved it.  The small headline made The Body Shop a local overnight celebrity, and won the first and perhaps most significant battle in getting the business off the ground.

Business ideals
Anita Roddick is famed for her strong ethical views, and has stood firm from day one to her own business ideals…

1. To dedicate our business to the pursuit of social and environmental change
2. To creatively balance the financial and human needs of our stakeholders: employees, customers, franchisees, suppliers and shareholders
3. To courageously ensure that our business is ecologically sustainable, meeting the needs of the present without compromising the future
4. To meaningfully contribute to local, national and international communities in which we trade, by adopting a code of conduct which ensures care, honesty, fairness and respect

War Paints
Perhaps the most recognised trait of the Body Shop brand is its absolute opposition to animal testing. The belief that it is immoral, unethical and totally unnecessary has stood as one of the core values of the Body Shop right from day one, and it has publicly denounced many cosmetic companies still known to be selling products likely tested on animals. Anita and The Body Shop have been involved in many national and international campaigns against animal testing, and achieved many significant advances in their cause including:

1994: The Body Shop run’s a worldwide campaign demanding enforcement of existing laws protecting endangered species. In over 30 countries 3,000,000 signatures are collected for the cause.

1996: The Body Shop presents the European Union with a petition signed by over 4,000,000 supporters against animal testing… the largest in history. It asked the EU to honour their commitment to stop the sale of products tested on animals.

The Body Shop was also the global sponsor for the World March for Animals in the United States in this year.

1998: The UK banned tests on cosmetic ingredients and products.

2002: Anita and The Body Shop welcome the news that the EU is to ban animal testing across its member states.

2006: The Year of Controversy?
Perhaps the most unexpected and criticised move made by Anita and The Body Shop was the agreed takeover offer by the French cosmetics group L’Oreal.  Although the monetary offer was understandably tempting (a reported £652 million, more than the Body Shops actual market value) it was the ethical standpoint that many could not understand.  L’Oreal has the worst ethical rating from the UK magazine Ethical Consumer, largely due to its animal testing policies. But many still support the Body Shop, including PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) who hope the Body Shop’s policies will spread to the entire company.

The Accidental Entrepreneur
Ultimately it was Anita’s desire, determination and ethical standpoint that have made her success.  Although clearly a powerful and successful businesswoman she openly admits ‘business’ has been a means to and end and works towards a bigger picture more important than making money… “Being ethical in business is not about giving stuff away, it’s about your relationship with your employees, it’s about the aesthetics of the workplace and it’s about communication. There is no reason why the workplace can’t be a genuine creative place, why there can’t be flexitime, why there can’t be transparency and even good manners”

In essence Anita wanted the Body Shop to be honest and ethical, a unique method of approach… “a two-for-one sale no other cosmetic company could ever hope to match: buy a bottle of “natural” lotion and get social justice for free”

Ocean Consulting is a highly professional, privately owned, recruitment consultancy, specialising in Permanent & Contract recruitment within the commercial sector. With over 14 years recruiting experience within the senior management team, we focus on placing all disciplines from Receptionist’s & administrator’s right up to senior manager / director level positions within the Thames Valley area & beyond and have an excellent reputation gaining a high majority of our business through word of mouth. Why? We are very passionate about making a difference…it’s that simple

If you would like to know more about Ocean visit our website at www.dipintheocean.co.uk or reply to this e-mail and take@dipintheocean.co.uk