[Ftffacilitationteam] BODY SHOP

Mie Mayo 16 12:11:27 GMT+3 2007

Hi there! Hope you are all doing fine!

On the Body Shop issue, nothing to add, I fully agree with all comments
made already. And definitely, GCAP should be careful on its fundraising
strategy, so it doesn’t end up being in contradictions with its final
goals of fighting against poverty and inequalities. Fundraising for our
social movement actions is a political act too, mobilising resources is
political, and this is something we need to keep in mind.

Best wishes, Nerea

WIDE - Globalising Gender Equality and Social Justice
10, Rue de la Science  B-1000   Brussels  BELGIUM
Telf. +32 2 545 90 75   Fax. +32 2 512 73 42
Website:  <http://www.wide-network.org> www.wide-network.org
E-mail address:  <mailto:nerea en wide-network.org> nerea en wide-network.org 

-----Original Message-----
From: ftffacilitationteam-bounces en listas.chasque.net
[mailto:ftffacilitationteam-bounces en listas.chasque.net] On Behalf Of
RosaenCasa en aol.com
Sent: mercredi 16 mai 2007 0:54
To: gcap-women en lists.apcwomen.org;
ftffacilitationteam en listas.chasque.net
Subject: [Ftffacilitationteam] BODY SHOP

Dear colleagues,

Within the Mobilization Task Force, we have begun a discussion about a
potential partnership between GCAP and The Body Shop.  The invitation
has come from The Body Shop to a member of the MTF and now the issue is
going before the IFT in June (details at end of message).  We are
preparing a note from the FTF, but in the meanwhile I wanted to send
comments sent today by colleagues on the MTF.  Please note the comment
from our colleague in Europe who writes in opposition to the
collaboration:
          [  ...The Body Shop International is wholly owned by L'Oreal
which is well known for its
        policy on animal testing and its undermining and shallow
portrayal of
        women. This last point needs to be seriously considered when we
are
        supporting a campaign claiming Gender Equality. ]

Kudos to Julien!  Also are comments from the Trade Unions and Latin
America.  Any other comments are welcome. 

Best regards,

Rosa 

Sent: 15 May 2007 14:05
To: mobilizationmonth en whiteband.org
Subject: [GCAP mobilizationmonth] BODY SHOP
Importance: High

Dear all,

To be sure that we all have got a clear and complete understanding of
what
Body Shop is before becoming involved with another partnership I would
like you to read carefully the following note.

As emphasised at the end of the document circulated by Ben, The Body
Shop
International is wholly owned by L'Oreal which is well known for its
policy on animal testing and its undermining and shallow portrayal of
women. This last point needs to be seriously considered when we are
supporting a campaign claiming Gender Equality.

To deepen the investigation and I will congratulate once again the
document for being so transparent, L'Oreal is indeed linked with Nestlé,
which owns 28.8% of L'Oreal and whose CEO, Peter Brabeck (who considers
water as being a good of consumption and criticizes NGOs for their
"radical point of view" for considering water as a universal good), is
also Vice Chairman of L'Oreal.

Nestlé as you are all aware has attracted much criticism for its baby
milk
marketing policies in developing countries since the 70s; demanded
millions of dollars in compensation from Ethiopia (Oxfam, December
2002);
made use of forced labour in the production of their chocolate in West
Africa (Forbes, April 2004); sold thousands of tons of contaminated
animal
feed in Venezuela in 2005; opposed a Swiss ban on GMOs still in 2005,
etc,
etc...

Lastly in order to finish this email I would like us to never forget
that
GCAP is a Civil Society Campaign and should not work with
profit/business
companies which I consider would critically damage our credibility if we
are calling for change.

Talk to you soon.

Julien

Julien Vaissier
GCAP Europe Secretariat
10 Square Ambiorix, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
********************************************************
Dear all,

I fully support Julian's views and would like to add that before
engaging
with any company (especially multinationals like the body shop or
L'Oreal,)we, as workers' movement, demand that the behaviour of these
companies vis-à-vis their employees & trade unions be fully
investigated.

In the spirit of transparency and accountability I would suggest that
the
principle of initiating partnerships with private firms (bodyshop or any
other) must be discussed at the IFT level. Should the IFT accept the
principle, then guidelines will have to be democratically drawn to
clearly
define the kind of engagement we are ready to support.

Ben: I appreciate your enthusiasm and you make a great contribution to
GCAP
& its mobilization, but here there are very serious political
implications
involved for several constituencies.  I'm sure you'll understand.

Best

Claire Courteille
Economic and Social Policy Department
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
5, Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
*************************************************************
Dear all,

I fully agree with Claire and Julien. Besides all comments already  
done in Brazil we  have  millions of problems because of Body Shop  
agreements with the indigenous people, using their images and gaining  
profits without benefits to the indigenous people. It is a big  
trouble for us.

Iara
*****************************************************************

GCAP and Body Shop International---(excerpts only)

Proposal 

A 1-5 year strategic partnership between GCAP and Body Shop
International to include a line of products in Body Shop stores in 55
countries in the North and South, distribution of GCAP literature in
those countries and major fundraising potential.

Purpose

To strengthen the voice of civil society in the fight against poverty
and suffering
To strengthen the global awareness of GCAP and of national coalitions
To raise money for certain GCAP national coalitions and for the GCAP
globally

Partnership proposal

That GCAP and Body Shop International begin now (May 2007) to explore a
partnership likely to last from between one and five years. Due to the
lead time of both organisations, initial implementation will be achieved
by May 2008.

The proposal is that Body Shop International becomes a key strategic
partner for GCAP. This would enable GCAP to promote their global brand
and serve to enhance its ability to overcome poverty and suffering
around the world.

Initial discussions suggest a possibility for exploring the concept of
‘white’.
The white band is the current global connector for GCAP and white is the
recognised symbol of peace and justice. GCAP believes that poverty and
inequality are injustices which can and must be overcome.

Using the colour white and the symbol of the White Band, GCAP and the
Body Shop will work together to produce a product or range of products
to sell in Body Shop stores in 55 countries. A branding and coherent
image for the project will be developed by Body Shop International and
agreed in a small working group made up of representatives of Body Shop
International and GCAP. 
Point of Sale and other promotional spaces will also be utilised to
promote this collaboration and awareness of GCAP and the white band.

Time line

This is a huge international project so we would hope to launch in
around one year in time for the Day of the African Child, the Japan G8
and other significant global dates.
Therefore, GCAP must be ready to agree to this principle or otherwise by
the end of May 2007. 

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