Here's a nice interview with the Lush founder on her:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/09/12/cnanita112.xml

"I was at one end talking to a chap about his hair loss and I could hear her at the other end recommending the benefits of a vasectomy to his wife."

While the Body Shop has done a lot to promote positive, healthy images for women, let's not turn a blind eye to the damage they've done as well.

The Body Shop has also exploited indigenous South American cultures (specifically the Kayapo of Brazil, to promote their Brazilian Nut Oil), using their images without their consent for profit and not sharing that profit, granting rights to produce such tiny quantities of nut oil that it did not bring in a sustainable income (and only earning 1% of profits from the oil), encouraging the change to a cash-based economy without providing enough cash to support it.

below is a url for a short paper on the Body Shop's ethics, but just google "Body Shop" and "Kayapo" for more information.

http://www.students.yorku.ca/~martyv/bodyshop.htm

While its always refreshing to see attention paid to pro-women policies & values, especially in the corporate sphere, I think its worth noting how well Anita Roddick has used (exploited?) feminist motifs to her advantage as a Western Capitalist, ultimately promoting a value system that is pretty un-feminist when considered in a more transnational, global context.

For thorough unpacking of this, I highly suggest reading Caren Kaplan's "A World without Boundaries." It can be found in the journal "Social Text," Autumn 95 issue. Its a great, transcultural feminist critique of Roddick, The Body Shop, and capitalism.

Thanks folks, didn't know about this side of The Body Shop--good to know.

Thanks for that interview with Mark Constantine of Lush, Jane Minty. Lush is probably the only kind of business ever that I can fully get behind. I sort of see them as taking some of The Body Shop's goals and principles and spinning them into the most ethical business that can exist in a capitalist economy. I really really love Lush.

I liked how they started out, kind of crunchy and small...and then last year they sold the biz to L'Oreal? I remember that! Those assholes test on little critters and whatnot. I don't have much of an opinion on that, but I thought for all of the preaching about being good to the earth & whatnot, they'd not go such a hypocritical, capitalist route.
It is sad what commerce drives people to sometimes.

yeah, I couldn't figure out what drove Roddick to sell out to L'oreal of all companies! One of the worst offenders re: animal testing!

I wrote a letter to their corporate offices and they responded with this song and dance of "it is our hope that the Body Shop can teach L'oreal a different way to approach business."

Wha???

Like Jessica, I worked at TBS for several years while I was in school, and fell in love with the products and the ethics. However, I was unaware about exactly what profit the Zambian and Namibian people were receiving from the fair trade agreements.

But it shouldn't be overlooked that they continue to support domestic violence programs and plenty of other worthwhile endeavors that assist women and children in crisis.

A note about the sad, unintended irony of web advertisements: the wonderful Body Shop poster is followed by "Lose 9 Lbs. Every 11 Days, Learn the 10 Idiot Proof Rules of Dieting and Fat Loss." I guess we should take this as a reminder that the girls behind Feministing really need $ome help...

I am afraid I must add to the chorus of negativity concerning The Body Shop. Chemicals called parabens have recently been criticized because they alter hormone levels, and consequently may cause breast cancer. I've noticed TBS uses parabens in many of their products.

Any company that's on the Nestle spectrum can bite me.