How The Body Shop, a Beauty Brand That Cares for Its People as Much as Its Products Can Spark Real Change
(Source Credits: Plastics For Change)
It’s not every day that a brand turns 19. And it’s definitely not every day that a brand decides to celebrate by shining a light on people who rarely get any recognition, the ones who quietly keep our world cleaner and safer.
This month, The Body Shop India did just that. Instead of marking the occasion with just candles and confetti, they chose to invest in what really matters: people and the planet.
The people who walk for hours under the sun, collecting plastic waste. The ones who sort and recycle what most of us throw away without a second thought. These are the people who’ve been working on solutions long before plastic pollution became a global conversation.
That’s why their 19th anniversary feels so close to our hearts here at Plastics For Change. Through our Spark A Change 2024 campaign, we were proud to partner with The Body Shop India to mark this milestone in a way that will create lasting impact. Together, we handed over 19 electric tricycles to waste collectors, practical tools that will make daily life easier.
For most of us, a vehicle is just a way to get around. But for many waste collectors, these e-trikes mean something far bigger. They reduce the strain of carrying heavy loads, help reach more collection points, and save precious time.
Our work at Plastics For Change has always focused on creating fair and inclusive supply chains for recycled plastic, but at the heart of everything we do are the waste collectors who make this system work. Over the last five years, we’ve worked together with The Body Shop to:
Source recycled plastic through ethical, fair trade supply chains
Support waste collectors with safer working conditions and better tools
Raise awareness around the human side of sustainability
Keep dignity and transparency at the center of climate action
And this year’s milestone was another step in that journey — simple, thoughtful, and deeply impactful.
(Source Credits: Plastics For Change)
It’s easy to talk about sustainability in terms of goals and metrics and numbers. But what really moves the needle is when people decide to act with intention — when a brand decides that their legacy won’t just be measured by the number of stores they open, but by the lives they touch along the way. These 19 electric tricycles are now out there on the streets, helping 19 families build more secure futures, helping 19 individuals take a little pride in their work, and showing their communities that dignity doesn’t have to be earned in silence. It can be celebrated.
And while we’re here to share this moment, we also know this is just one part of a much longer story. There’s still so much to be done. There are more workers who need support, more plastic that needs to be collected fairly, more voices that need to be heard. But if there’s anything this partnership has shown us, it’s that change doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful. Sometimes, it starts with a simple decision — to show up, to care, and to walk alongside those who rarely get walked with.
To everyone at The Body Shop India — thank you. For choosing action over applause. For reminding us that beauty, when paired with purpose, can spark something truly transformative.
We’re honoured to be part of this journey with you.
Let’s keep going. There’s more to build, more lives to uplift, and more dignity to restore.
If you’re a brand, a changemaker, or someone who believes in doing good while doing business, we’d love to hear from you.
Reach out to us here and join us in building fairer supply chains and cleaner communities — one step at a time.