OUR ACTIVISM
OUR HISTORY OF FIGHTING FOR A FAIRER, MORE BEAUTIFUL WORLD.
Campaigning for social change has been a part of The Body Shop since the beginning. Activism is in our DNA, since we first teamed up with Greenpeace back in 1986. Today, we’re a trusted global brand with decades of successful activism behind us, and we’re in a unique position to stand up for real change and influence policy, attitude and behaviours. Discover more about our history of activism campaigns here.
OUR HERITAGE
![1st Body Shop Store 1st Body Shop Store](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1976
THE BODY SHOP STORE OPENS
The very first The Body Shop store opens on 26th March 1976 in Brighton, on the south coast of England. By 1978 the first overseas franchise is a kiosk in Brussels and by 1982 new shops are opening at a rate of two a month.
![The Body Shop Greenpeace Save The Whale logo The Body Shop Greenpeace Save The Whale logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1986
SAVE THE WHALE
Save the Whales with Greenpeace is the first major campaign that Anita and The Body Shop launch.
![Anita Roddick in a croud of women Anita Roddick in a croud of women](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1987
COMMUNITY FAIR TRADE
The first Community Fair Trade product for The Body Shop is a footsie roller, produced by Teddy Exports, a supplier in southern India. Thanks to trade with The Body Shop, the Teddy School opens in 1994, bringing an opportunity to educate the local children.
![Anit Roddick making products Anit Roddick making products](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1988
ANITA RODDICK, OBE
Anita Roddick is awarded an OBE.
![Anita Roddick with Stop The Burning banners Anita Roddick with Stop The Burning banners](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1989
STOP THE BURNING
Our first environmental campaign calls for a stop to the burning of Brazilian rainforests. A million petition signatures are presented to the president of Brazil.
![The Body Shop Foundation logo The Body Shop Foundation logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1990
THE BODY SHOP FOUNDATION IS CREATED
The Body Shop Foundation, a charity which funds human rights, animal and environmental protection groups, is established.
![The Body Shop 1992 Mango Body Butter The Body Shop 1992 Mango Body Butter](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1992
MANGO BODY BUTTER
The launch of the first Body Butter, starting with Mango. Since then it has become one of the most famous products of The Body Shop. It has been imitated since, but ours is the original and still winning awards around the world.
![Plight of the Ogini People banner Plight of the Ogini People banner](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1993
PLIGHT OF THE OGINI PEOPLE
We launched a campaign to raise awareness of the plight of the Ogoni People. The tribe is persecuted for protesting against the dumping of petroleum waste in their homeland in the Niger Delta. In 1995, their leader, the author and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, was executed by the Nigerian military rulers. The campaign continued until 1998.
![The Body Shop At Home logo The Body Shop At Home logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1994
THE BODY SHOP AT HOME™
The Body Shop At Home™ is launched.
![1996 Against Animal Testing 1996 Against Animal Testing](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1996
AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING
The Against Animal Testing campaign gathers four million signatures - the largest ever petition at the time - and delivers it to the European Commission. In November 1998, our campaign leads to a UK-wide ban on animal testing on cosmetic products & ingredients.
![The Body Shop logo The Body Shop logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1997
HUMANE COSMETICS STANDARD
The Body Shop is the first international cosmetics company to be recognised under the Humane Cosmetics Standard supported by leading international animal protection groups.
![1997 Self Esteem banner 1997 Self Esteem banner](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1997
SELF-ESTEEM
We create a doll called Ruby to challenge beauty stereotypes. She fronted our campaign for female self-esteem and sparked a worldwide debate about body image.
![The Body Shop Logo The Body Shop Logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
1998
MAKE YOUR MARK (HUMAN RIGHTS)
The Dalai Lama helps us launch Make Your Mark. The campaign, in partnership with Amnesty International, marks the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Three million people signed the petition.
![Wind turbines Wind turbines](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2002
CHOOSE POSITIVE ENERGY
The Body Shop runs a global campaign with Greenpeace International to promote renewable energy. Peter Saunders becomes CEO.
![2003 Stop Violence in the Home banner 2003 Stop Violence in the Home banner](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2003
STOP VIOLENCE IN THE HOME
Stop Violence in the Home campaign launched to raise money in support of victims of domestic violence. Anita Roddick is appointed Dame of the British Empire.
![Get Lippy Prevent HIV banner Get Lippy Prevent HIV banner](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2008
GET LIPPY (FIGHTING HIV/AIDS)
We launched a campaign with MTV International to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS. Our message reached millions of people and our campaign products raised over £2 million for our charity partner, the Staying Alive Foundation. The funds helped to educate young people on how to stay safe, and support those living with HIV and AIDS.
![Stop Sex Trafficking banner Stop Sex Trafficking banner](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2009
STOP SEX TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN & PEOPLE
The Body Shop and ECPAT International launch The Stop Trafficking of Children & Young People campaign. It inspires change on an unprecedented scale, gathering over 7 million signatures from customers globally and leading to 24 countries across the world committing to adopting new legislation. The petition is presented to the UN in 2012 and it becomes the largest campaign ever for The Body Shop.
![The Body Shop Logo The Body Shop Logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2009
OUR FIRST VALUES REPORT
We publish our first Values report, responding to areas that our customers told us are important to them. The report detailed what we achieved between January 2007 and December 2008 as well as some of the challenges we face.
![2009 RSPCA Good Business Awards logo 2009 RSPCA Good Business Awards logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2009
RSPCA 'LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD'
The Body Shop receives the RSPCA ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’.
![Hands in Shea nuts Hands in Shea nuts](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2011
THE GLOBAL SHEA ALLIANCE
The Body Shop helps to establish The Global Shea Alliance to improve shea production and drive greater benefits to the women involved in handcrafting shea products.
![2012 Against Animal Testing relaunch logo 2012 Against Animal Testing relaunch logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2012
AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING RE-LAUNCH
We re-launch our ‘Against Animal Testing’ campaign in partnership with Cruelty Free International.
![2013 Happy Bunny banner 2013 Happy Bunny banner](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2013
EU BAN ON SALES OF ANIMAL TESTED PRODUCTS AND INGREDIENTS
After 20 years of relentless campaigning, we celebrate a ban preventing the import and sale of animal tested products and ingredients in the European Union. The Body Shop is named International Responsible Business of 2013 from the prestigious Business in The Community Organisation. Jeremy Schwartz becomes CEO.
![2014 Business in the Community Award logo 2014 Business in the Community Award logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2014
BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY AWARD
The Body Shop wins Business in the Community International Responsible Business of the year, for the second year running.
![Women working with product Women working with product](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2015
GLOBAL SHEA ALLIANCE AWARD
We receive a Global Shea Alliance Award in recognition of our efforts to build a sustainable Shea industry.
![2016 World Bio-bridges Mission logo 2016 World Bio-bridges Mission logo](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2016
WORLD BIO-BRIDGES MISSION
We launched our bio-bridges programme with World Land Trust in 2016. Bio-bridges help regenerate forests and reconnect endangered species, helping them to meet, mate and thrives as well as enabling the local communities to live more sustainably. We built our first bio-bridge in Vietnam, followed by Rwanda, Ecuador and India.
![2017 Forever Against Animal Testing banner 2017 Forever Against Animal Testing banner](assets/images/product/placeholder.png)
2017
FOREVER AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING
In June 2017, we launched Forever Against Animal Testing with Cruelty Free International. One of our biggest campaigns to date, we set out to end animal testing in cosmetics - everywhere and forever. After a year’s campaigning, we collected over 8 million signatures and took our petition to the United Nations in October 2018 to lobby for a worldwide ban.