The Body Shop and the Cosmetics Industry - Dissertation Example

The Body shop is the second largest cosmetic franchise in the world and founded by the late Dame Anita Roddick. Headquartered in Little Hampton, THE Body Shop is known for its vegetable-based products ranging from Body Butter, Peppermint Foot Lotion, and Hemp (Corporate Report 2009). The Body Shop has emphasized its support for a wide range of issues around the globe. The company is noted for a range of product environmental innovation. For example, rather than using new bottling bottles from the shop, they press on using their own bottles.

(Report 2007).1.1 Problem Statements and Research QuestionsAlthough the concept of CSR has gained prominence during the last couple of decades, little research has addressed the concept within The Body Shop. This paper seeks to open another research area by focusing on The Body Shop and cosmetic industry. Thus, this paper addresses three important questions.1. Why is CSR an increasingly relevant factor within the cosmetics industry2. How is CSR implemented by The Body Shop to gain competitive advantage in the cosmetics industry However, this is limited to the body shop as focusing on the body shop has a number of advantages.

For example it pioneered CSR behaviours in the cosmetic industry. 3. How has The Body Shop's practice of CSR demonstrated a correlation with customer purchasing behaviour Has this been affected by the recent takeover of The Body Shop by L'Oreal1.2 Objectives and Purpose of StudyThis research focuses on the cosmetic industry. The purpose of the paper is to address and examine CSR activities in the cosmetic industry focusing on the body shop. The main purpose is to examine why CSR is an increasingly relevant factor within the cosmetic industry.

Another objective is to. These issues pose significant challenges for companies as far as their competitive position and long-term performance is concerned. Consequently, it is necessary for companies to design CSR policies that would enable customers and other major stakeholders to perceive them as genuine companies. Such an approach will go a long way to improving the competitive position and long-term performance of the company. Companies must also increase the information that they disclose in their corporate social responsibility reports as this increases the company’s chances of being perceived as a transparent company and thus its chances of performing well in the community.

This dissertation through theories and literature explores the concept of CSR and thereby takes a case study approach and analyses the application of CSR in the cosmetics industry and more specifically in ‘The Body Shop’. The Body Shop has made a name for itself in the cosmetics industry by trading the path of honesty and integrity in terms of its CSR policies. In conclusion, despite its noble approach towards CSR and better future environment over the years, it has many rooms for improvement.

Here, it is important to note here that, CSR activities have become the values of the body shop, through its belief and emphasis on natural ingredients and environmental activities, the body shop has distinguished itself from other beauty shops in the cosmetic industry. Its emphasis on socially responsible and corporate citizenship has created a competitive edge in the market.