Under new owner, Body Shop extends biobridges scheme

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jul 4, 2017

Fresh from news of its purchase by Brazil’s Natura, The Body Shop has announced the expansion of its major initiative to help protect endangered rainforest wildlife.

It has announced a new funding platform for The World Bio-Bridges Mission and will aim to raise £2 million in funding for a scheme to create 10 new ‘biobridges’ between wildlife hotspots by 2020.

These will link up isolated rainforest areas and help connect endangered animals and plants with the aim of boosting their breeding opportunities and giving the animals a chance to live a healthier life.

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The beauty company’s commitment to under-threat natural habitats has been operating in partnership with the World Land Trust since last year and aims to protect and regenerate habitats all over the world that are at risk due to unsustainable harvesting, poaching or other exploitation.

It has already worked on three biobridges in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia with a percentage of the money spent by consumers on its products going towards helping to restore and protect land in these countries.

The plan for 10 new biobridges, or land corridors, that has just been announced aims to boost species as diverse as orangutans, tigers, water monitor lizards, tapirs, sun bears, muntjac deer and monkeys.

The company also wants to include local communities in the project and improve their ability to live sustainably by giving them more economic opportunities that respect the environment rather than them begin involved in activities such as logging and poaching.

Part of this approach can be seen in the firm’s project to identify potential ingredients from the different areas, to create a ‘virtuous circle’ whereby local communities can have a more sustainable lifestyle in producing these ingredients for commercial use. That aim is part of the firm’s overall Enrich Not Exploit umbrella commitment that the the biobridges scheme is part of.
Conservation groups will also be able to apply for money from the company’s fundraising efforts.