The Body Shops Latest Initiative: Sustainable Palm Oil

Recently, The Body Shop announced a ground breaking development for the cosmetics industry and is urging other manufacturers and retailers to
follow their lead.

The Bodyshop Palm Oil: The Body Shop is now the first beauty retailer to introduce sustainable palm oil into the industry. This is a major development for not only The Body Shop, but for the entire cosmetic and toiletry industry.

Most people have no idea what extracting palm oil from trees is doing to the rains forests, specifically those in South East Asia. Endangered animal species such as orang-utans, Sumatran rhinoceros and Asian elephant and tigers, are heading towards extinction due to the loss of their natural habitat.

The Body Shop hopes to set the lead in its South American supply of palm oil through a deliberate and ethical choice to partner with Daabon, a certified organic producer in Colombia, which works extensively with local cooperatives.

Peter Saunders, CEO of The Body Shop stated, “Many people who use soap everyday will be unaware that they are contributing to a major environmental catastrophe: the destruction of ancient rain forests and the extinction of endangered species.”

Consumers do not realize how much Palm Oil they use on a daily basis. It is one of the world’s most popular vegetable oils. It is used in countless everyday items including cosmetics, household products and foods and is regularly consumed by over a billion people worldwide.

That the plight of the Sumatran Rhino, can inspire retailers to make drastic changes to their supply chain, is certainly encouraging. It’s just unfortunate that their main supply is not in Asia, but South America.

nevertheless, It’s certainly a commendable decision on the part of the Body shop and a move definitely in the right direction. Let’s hope the concept catches on in South East Asia, as a viable and desirable alternative to despoiling the forest homes of the Littlest Rhino.