Getting ingredients and treating local people fairly

Everyone must know who Anita Roddick is. She is a social activist who, then, a founder of The Body Shop, a second largest cosmetic company. It has about 2400 stores in 61 countries. Of course, it’s not easy to provide raw materials to cater all the need of product distribution.

Most of the products from The Body Shop are made out of natural ingredients. Body Shop has been using, for example, Aloe Vera, coconut oil, banana, and shea nut (I really love the last one). Then, I think where do they get the raw materials from? Click on this and you will find that many raw materials are from places around the world. Next, in terms of public relations perspective, The Body Shop forms community partnerships (which I believe it is another words for CSR) with local community in efforts to get the finest raw materials. That’s why, Body shop can get Guatemalan Aloe Vera and Polynesian coconut oil, other ingredients.

The Body Shop tries to position its brand to focus on social issues in which Anita Roddick has been trying to reinforce. And in this context, it appears on the values of the organisation and one of them is to support community trade. The company tries to promote fair trading for marginalised communities (especially in Third World countries) by guarantying a fair price for the top quality of natural ingredients. So, the firm partners with local farmers and activates their participation (skills) in producing their own resources.

I think this is a good strategy. The company is not solely focussing on exploiting natural resources in order to produce the finest cosmetic products to continue selling, but it facilitates and encourages local communities (especially the expert local farmers) to explore their own natural resources by its community trade campaign. The company tries to build a sustainable quality exchange, not only by treating local farmers with respect and dignity but also giving them with a fair long-term wage. The benefit will then improve the lives of community. Although, there is a controversy saying that this program is human exploitation, but I would say, it is better than just exploiting natural resources from one place without allowing local people to get something from their own land and treating them fairly. It’s like stealing people’s wealth. So in this case, The Body Shop has attempted to source responsibly. Don’t you think?

Black or white: should companies bother this issue?

Well, my title does sound a little bit like the song of Michael Jackson.

"But, if you're thinkin' about my baby it don't matter if you're black or white"
(Black or White)

I have been "immune" when people (i mean in Indonesia) say i'm black although the fact is, i am not black. I'm brown. But, it doesn't matter for me anymore. Just like the song, it shouldn't matter you're black or white. Besides, i got bored with that mockery. But it does matter when you live in Indonesia as people consider white skin as a key opportunity enhancer: a social indicator of status, power, wealth, and most emphatically, beauty. The message is obvious. Dark skin is inferior and somehow dirty, ugly, or even unhealthy. That is why i love staying in Australia as people here are dying to have darker skin.

Cosmetic industries who see this opportunity are happy to sell their products in Indonesian markets. Therefore, the women have been bombarded with advertisements and products of various whitening skin products, such as, soap, lotions, moisturizers, powders, facial masks, scrubs and more. All of them promise that Indonesian ladies can be white in one month, some even offering white skin in a week (Indonesia Ladies and Skin Whitening Products).

When i went back home a couple months ago, i got offended with one of the cosmetic company that had just launched its new tagline. In English, it means "Your face rocks my world" reinforced by television ads and starred by two young-talented male singers. Why males? Because Indonesian women want to have their skin lighter to attract their opposite sex. This video can show you that being white is the most precious asset of women in retaining their love of their life.

I found this ads is somewhat irritating due to the fact that the normal skin of Indonesians is yellow or brown to dark brown, because Indonesia is a tropical country. Also, I'd say this ad campaign can generate dangerous habits of Indonesian women. They can do anything to have lighter skin. Even, they might not think about the chemicals contained in the beauty products that can risk their skin health. Let's say, Hydroquinone and Mercury. Do you think the company should educate consumers to be aware of the dangerous of this chemicals as part of their CSR programme?

On the other hand, Dove with its "Campaign for Real Beauty" attempts to deliver a message that you are beautiful regardless your skin colour, hair colour, and other physical performance aspects. This is excellent because this campaign can make women build their self-esteem so they won't feel inferior, rather than spending a big amount of money on whitening skin products. Besides, people are born with their unique characteristics.

I know that Pond's have to boost profits in order to generate revenue. But is it a good way to reinforce that being white is the best portrayal in a country whose its women mostly have darker skin? Should the company think about this issue or ignore it? Or maybe should the company sell its products with user education or product knowledge campaign?