The Body Shop

The Body Shop has made a few ingredient commitments to lower its environmental impact, including by avoiding parabens, phthalates, uncertified palm oil or palm oil-derived ingredients, and some microplastics. While it has made commitments, it still uses many ingredients that pose a significant threat to the climate, including parabens, microplastics, harmful suncare ingredients, and other petrochemical-based ingredients. Its products incorporate bio-based and/or biodegradable ingredients. It carries products that have certifications from The Vegan Society and Leaping Bunny, .

The Body Shop hasn't made any efforts to concentrate its products or minimize its containers, which increases shipping emissions and packaging volumes. It has made efforts to reduce virgin plastic in its product containers and shipping materials, but still appears to rely heavily on it. It uses some eco-friendly materials in its product containers, including ones that are recycled and/or recyclable.

The Body Shop doesn't share information on its energy strategy or on any water conservation strategies. We hope for more accountability from large brands. The Body Shop has a global production span, which is standard for the industry.

The Body Shop utilizes alternative models for some products to avert waste, including promoting reuse and offering in-store refills at its UK stores. It retired its recycling takeback program and doesn't offer any takeback programs for its product containers. It offers bulk sizes for some products, which may help reduce packaging waste.

The Body Shop offers seasonal products or frequent releases, which can encourage overconsumption and production of excess inventory.

Commons is still evaluating this brand's marketing emails.

The Body Shop has a prominent sustainability page with details on its climate strategy, but some of information on this page is incomplete or misleading. It used to publish a detailed annual report with a clear, impact-driven strategy and progress reporting, but its last annual report was published in 2022 before it was sold to Aurelius Group. The Body Shop shares a complete list of ingredients used in its products, overall and on a per product basis.

The Body Shop previously measured and reported its company-level emissions through its former parent company, Natura & Co, but it hasn't continued the practice under its new ownership with Aurelius Group. The last reporting period was 2022. In its 2022 update, its estimated emissions footprint was 354,914 tons CO2e.

Commons couldn't find current emissions reduction targets for this brand. Commons couldn't find evidence that this brand offsets any emissions.

The Body Shop doesn't publish information about its supply chain partners. It traces some of its supply chain, focusing on six high-risk natural resources, including palm. It publicly shares a supplier code of conduct, which prohibits forced labor, prohibits child labor, ensures the right to collective bargaining, and includes environmental clauses. Its code of conduct doesn't disallow unauthorized subcontracting, require paying a living wage, or establish clear grievance mechanisms. The Body Shop has a stated policy of regularly auditing its supply chain partners, which can mitigate human and environmental risks. It created a 'Community Fair Trade' sourcing strategy that is verified by ECOCERT.

Commons wasn't able to find evidence of any trade association memberships or any relevant policy for this brand or Aurelius Group, which owns The Body Shop. The Body Shop isn't a member of any key advocacy organizations that are blocking climate policy. It isn't a member of advocacy organizations advancing climate policy. It doesn't employ any state lobbyists. The Body Shop didn't donate more than $100k to climate-obstructive candidates or PACs from 2018-2024.