LIVING OUR VALUES
Values repOrt 2009
OUR COmmUNITY TRADE PROgRAmmE
“Our customers love to hear about our
Community Trade ingredients in our products.
I often wonder what the criteria is for choosing
these communities. How do we decide which
supplier and country to start trading with?”
Chloe Cheng, Marketing Manager, Taiwan
One of our proudest achievements at the body shop is our Community trade programme. born of anita’s observations of
hardship in and amongst the producers at the bottom of supply chains, Community trade marries ingredient sourcing with
development to produce a unique and unrivalled system.
wHAT IS COmmUNITY TRADE?
Community trade is a targeted purchasing programme pioneered by the body shop. anita roddick began this inspirational
initiative over 20 years ago and the first Community trade purchase order was placed in 1987. through careful management,
the body shop uses its demand for ingredients, gifts and accessory items, to give marginalised producers access to a market
otherwise out of reach. by frequent engagement with a variety of stakeholders, in particular the producers themselves,
the body shop strives to do this in a fair way. Community trade is regarded an example of fair trade and was arguably the
first instance of fair trade in our industry. it has much in common with other fair trade programmes and conventions, but is
targeted specifically at our own demand patterns.
OUR DEfINITION Of A fair TRADINg RELATIONSHIP:
INCOmE fair pay for work in fair conditions, where decisions are made through local engagement.
COmmUNITY an enduring interest in the development of the community.
PREDICTABILITY a long term, predictable supply relationship.
recognition as a Community trade supplier by the body shop is not made lightly. it comes with expectations of progress. as a
starting point, the following broad definitions are used to assess a prospective community’s potential to become a Community
trade supplier:
mARgINALISATION Community trade communities must be defined by their position in culture, politics, gender, geography
or society.
ORgANISATION Community trade suppliers must be socially motivated, and must be organised in a democratic form.
BENEfITS the benefits of trade for the individual and the community must be clearly understood and must be
clearly demonstrable. the impact on women and children is of particular interest.
COmmERCIAL Community trade should present a market intervention mechanism, not a route to the creation of false,
vIABILITY unsustainable markets.
ENvIRONmENTAL Community trade activity must comply with the body shop policies on environmental protection and
AwARENESS sustainability.
OvER 25,000 PEOPLE BENEfIT fROm THE COmmUNITY TRADE PROgRAmmE.
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