Eco-friendly luminary Anita Roddick entered the world in 1942, in the sleepy seaside resort of Littlehampton, England.
Born of Italian immigrant parents she grew up fast as something of an outsider.
With a strong moral sensibility she strode into teaching, and blossomed. However, the footloose Roddick could not sit still for long, and was soon globetrotting on a working trip.
Returning to England she married in 1970 and later had two children. She opened The Body Shop's first outlet six later, aged 34.
Photo by Simon Punter
Despite The Body Shop brand now being synonymous with ethical sourcing and a social conscience, the chain was founded simply to support her family in the absence of her husband, who was trekking across the Americas on horseback at the time. And pragmatism, coupled with the convenient timing of a ‘green’ revolution in Europe, proved fruitful ingredients in Roddick’s recipe for success.
The Body Shop, which sells skin and hair-care products, went public in 1984 and now boasts almost 2,000 stores, serving over 77 million customers across 12 different time zones.
But its fortunes suffered a downturn in the mid 1990s, when rival retailers started imitating its much-vaunted production techniques.
Recently, Roddick has courted controversy by selling the chain to cosmetics giant L’Oreal. To some this was a sellout on the part of one of the originators of the ethical shopping movement. In truth, L’Oreal will probably recognise that the company’s brand image lives or dies by its adherence to the ‘ethical’ principles Roddick’s empire was built on. And with Roddick retained as consultant to what will remain a standalone company, this should still be the case.
Roddick now finds time to also campaign for Greenpeace.
Along with monetary gain her career has brought awards as diverse as the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year and an honorary DBE. She’s also a trustee and board member for more charities and foundations than Bob Geldof and Bono combined.
Anita Roddick: proof perhaps that entrepreneurial success and integrity need not be mutually exclusive.
