With so many personal care products available, it can be hard to choose which ones to use. It can be even harder if you are looking for natural products that are not tested on animals. Burt's Bees is a company that makes personal care products, like shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and makeup, from natural ingredients. But it doesn't stop at using natural products; the company donates time and money to various social organizations and works to make a positive change in their communities.
History
In 1984, Roxanne Quimby and Burt Shavitz started making beeswax candles, and the high quality of their candles led to a huge following. By 1989, word of their candles had reached New York, and stores started placing orders. Burt and Roxanne expanded the production of candles, and by 1991, they were also making natural soaps, perfumes, and lip balms. The business continued to expand and grow, and they moved to North Carolina to build their business, which now focused only on personal care products. Burt's Bees products continued to grow in popularity and in 2007, sales were over $250 million and products were sold in places like Target, Whole Foods and Rite-Aid.
Function
Burt's Bees has an extensive line of personal care products. This includes lip glosses and balms, bath products and body lotions, hair care products, skin care products for babies, sunscreen, shaving products, and perfumes and colognes. There are different kinds of lines among the products, like acne formulations, products to be used during pregnancy to reduce stretch marks, antiaging creams and products made with Bay rum.
Culture and Values
Burt's Bees does not just seek to be a successful natural product company. It places an emphasis on giving back to the community and constantly works to make its company culture one of giving back and social change. The company adheres to the philosophy of what it calls "The Greater Good." This means acting in the best interest of individuals, their families and the environment. It emphasizes trying to make all its products 100 percent natural, and it estimates that about half of what it makes is 100 percent natural. The company believes in corporate transparency, meaning it believes consumers should know exactly what is in their products, and what goes into making them, as well as any risks of using their products. The company is committed to not testing any of its ingredients or products on animals, and it believes in fair trade practices.
Community
Building on the idea of The Greater Good, Burt's Bees gives at least 10 percent of earnings to the various partner organizations. These organizations include The Conservation Alliance, Habitat for Humanity, The Nature Conservancy, The National Arbor Day Foundation, the North Carolina Sustainable Business Council and The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, among others.
The company has also initiated educational sessions for both employees and the larger community on the environment, waste reduction, and general environmental and health issues. The company strives to make a positive impact on communities, and gets involved with helping to build houses, and planning environmental events.
Controversies
While Burt's Bees used to be sold in small health food stores and organic food stores like Whole Foods, now they are sold in larger stores like Target. The reason for this change? In late 2007, the company was sold to Clorox, a company which sells chemicals like bleach. Many people felt like Burt's Bees had "sold out," and wondered if the company would be able to maintain its natural roots. Clorox is not putting its brand name on the Burt's Bees products, but it has introduced a new line of environmentally-friendly, 99 percent natural cleaning products, called Green Works, according to the "New York Times." Burt's Bees pledged to monitor Clorox to make sure it is advancing with its green initiatives, and urged its fans not to judge Clorox, but to see where the company is going in the future.
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