The Body Shop creates ‘powerful global change’ through partnership with renowned street artist

The Body Shop Foundation worked closely with Ben Eine to redesign its Hemp Hand Protector product, with unique packaging which featured the artist’s typography spelling out the positive message of “change” across the front of the product.

For every tube of this limited-edition Hemp Hand Protector or Almond Hand & Nail Cream that was sold, £1.50 was donated to The Body Shop Foundation. More than 200,000 hand creams were sold around the world since the partnership was established in February, with the £325,000 going to beneficiary groups working on a range of issues including e-waste and plastic-to-fuel technology solutions.

The Body Shop Foundation chief executive Lisa Jackson said: “We are delighted to be part of the exciting collaboration between Eine and The Body Shop; it’s a simple but powerful message that is at the heart of our work. Every customer that has purchased this hand cream has helped us create positive, powerful global change by supporting innovative, community-based groups working to make a real difference”.

‘Truly awesome’

Following a quarter of a million global votes cast by The Body Shop customers, funds were split accordingly across 17 global groups.

A main beneficiary was social enterprise Plastics for Change, which was awarded £33,000 to revitalise recycling infrastructure and create jobs for some of the most marginalised members of society in developing countries. A similar figure was provided to Clean Oceans International, a charity which has invented a method of converting plastic pollution harvested from the ocean into diesel and gasoline through vaporization and cooling using Plastic to Fuel (PTF) technology.

Speaking about the collaborative achievement, artist Eine said: “When The Body Shop first approached me about this project and said that together we could raise £300,000 for important causes, I didn’t hesitate to get involved.

“The fact that we surpassed the target and sold more hand creams with my CHANGE artwork on it and have been able to donate £28K more is truly awesome. It proves that people still care about making positive change and are taking action into their own hands.”

Green makeover

This innovative partnership forms a small part of The Body Shop’s aim to be the world’s “most ethical and truly sustainable business”.

In May, The Body Shop launched its Bio-Bridges programme, which aims to regenerate and reconnect 75 million square metres of damaged forests, as part of the beauty products retailer’s ambitious new CSR strategy.

Speaking to edie for a recent episode of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast, The Body Shop’s director of corporate responsibility and campaigns Chris Davis likened the Bio-Bridges project to a “dating service for endangered species” – a metaphor that could prove fruitful for the retailer when it comes to driving consumer engagement with its renewed CSR programme.

edie also recently reported that The Body Shop packaging could soon be made from greenhouse gases that would otherwise pollute the atmosphere, thanks to an innovative research partnership between the retailer and cleantech firm Newlight Technologies.

George Ogleby