It's been two years since Anita Roddick's passing. It was a big shock to The Body Shop, she was more than our moral compass, she was our inspiration.
Anita shaped this company into the ethical (and some might say radical) activist retailer we all know and love today.
To commemorate, we help "Anita Week" last week and everyone was encouraged to step up the amount of time and energy we spend volunteering in our community. (We call this Community Projects).
This year we also started an International Anita Roddick Award. We wanted to find and celebrate staff around the world who live out the company values and make a real difference to others or the planet. People who follow in Anita's footsteps. In the Asia - Pacific region, I was lucky to help judge applications.
The winner would team up with other regions' Anita Award recipients and have an all expenses paid volunteer experience at the Born Free Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi, Africa.
Australia was very well represented in the final round of judging. Here are our finalists:
- Rebecca Gilbert - At Home (Vic)
- Ella Boyen - At Home (Vic)
- Kellie Dean - At Home (Vic)
- Sabrina Oliver - Westlakes (SA)
- Mandy Glassey - Epping (Vic)
- Katie Phillips - Doncaster (Vic)
- Rachel Muraca - RSC (Vic)
- Saskia Keogen - Hay Street (WA)
A very memorable part of Elizabeth's application was how, despite coming from a poor family she still strives to live a selfless life. She said:
"I honestly never did this to be in the competition or to make it for the award but I always felt that it's my sheer responsibility to help make the world a better and safer place."
Some highlights of Elizabeth's volunteer work include sheltering injured or abandoned domestic animals in her home, helping at the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre, promoting messages to stop violence against women (and 'girl-childs'), working in an orphanage and organising youth seminars to curb youth violence and 'self destructing' habits eg by taking drugs and alcohol.
The runner up was our own Rebecca Gilbert from The Body Shop At Home, she wins $1,000 to donate to he charity of choice, East African Mission Orphanage she has volunteered at in Kenya. (Read more about Rebecca here)
The 2nd runner up was tied between Mandy Glassey and Ella Boyen both received $500 for their charity of choice. Mandy is the Manager of our Epping Store. She has the biggest heart in the world and has been working tirelessly for impoverished children of East Timor since her first trip there with The Body Shop volunteering for Children on The Edge.
Ella Boyen, from The Body Shop At Home is a passionate environment activist she has been trained by Al Gore's Climate Project and has been busy spreading the word about climate change. Her donation is going to Wildlife Victoria and the Australian Conservation Foundation.
All applicants are great role models for the company and should be proud that they are living out her legacy of being a company that 100% believes in profits with principles. Learn more about Anita's vision by watching this video.
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