In Bali, Chad, or Nepal, some women cannot work, send their children to school, or even meet their needs… Out of concern for values and convictions, certain brands distributed in France, such as The Body Shop, Fields of Yarrow or Salwa Petersen, get them out of precariousness by offering them a stable position within their companies. By making them “little hands” or even managers of their companies, these brands directly participate in improving the quality of life of hundreds of women around the world.
Cosmetics brands, actors of fair trade
Just by purchasing a tea tree oil or a mask, you may have already contributed to improving the living conditions of women around the world. This is possible thanks to the implementation of fair trade programs by certain brands.
This is the case at The Body Shop, which has its shea butter made by hand by Ghanaian women and its recycled paper gift bags by women in Nepal. “We have always been a committed, activist company. It’s our purpose to fight for a fairer and more beautiful world,” says Lee Mann, global trade and fair trade manager for the brand.
In a similar vision, Salwa Petersen, creator of the eponymous hair product brand, decided to sell products based on chébé, whose seeds are cleaned and prepared by often illiterate Chadian women. On her scale, the entrepreneur creates jobs and supports the local economy. “I donate 1% of my sales to the protection of national parks in Chad,” she confides to 20 minutes.
From disadvantaged women to “business women”
Thanks to fair trade programs, these women not only have the opportunity to have a real career but also to progress into positions of responsibility, such as management or leadership. They become “real business women”, exclaims Lee Mann, before adding: “It’s a real economic opportunity for them, a real plus for their self-esteem and a step in the direction of equality between the sexes”.
These opportunities prevent many of them from ending up on the street. “In Indonesia, when you divorce, you are thrown out of your home. For two years, my team and I decided to offer real work to these women to avoid such a fate which sometimes leads them to become prostitutes,” explains to 20 minutes Souhela Ferrah, founder of the Fields of Yarrow skincare brand. Targeted tasks are assigned to them: filling and disinfection of bottles, picking, product quality control, inventory management.
And to follow through with their actions, the companies concerned also make sure to pay above the average salary, which can be 200 euros per month in Bali for example. “I pay women in Chad five times the local salary, or European salaries,” emphasizes Salwa Petersen. Likewise, Lee Mann ensures “fair compensation” to all its employees.
More than help, an exchange relationship
Beyond the support given to these women from different communities, there is a real bond and relationships that are created. “They are so happy to see that our beauty products are being talked about in the French press, it’s a source of pride for them,” explains Souhela Ferrah. The enchantment is no less on Lee Mann’s side: “Today, some of the young girls who benefited from the “Send your daughters to school” program have become doctors, teachers or journalists. It’s a real pride for The Body Shop to have been able to contribute to this.” The latter says he is “lucky” to work every day and learn from all these “enriching” experiences.
For Christmas, Advent calendars and handmade boxes, containing shower gels, home-made shea butter and shampoos, will be sold in all French The Body Shop stores. Enough to honor the history and testimonies of all these women.