EMPOWERING WOMEN

A STORY OF EMANCIPATION

The story of L'OCCITANE and the women shea butter producers of Burkina Faso began in the 1980s. Since then, we've built up a joint development partnership and a close, supportive relationship. There were about a dozen women at first. Now there are over 10,000! And since 2009, our shea butter supply chain has been 100% Fair Trade (Fair Trade certified according to the Fair for Life standard available at www.fairforlife.org).

Did you know?

Shea butter is called "women’s gold" in Burkina Faso.

By tradition, it is only women who harvest the shea nuts and make shea butter.

Women in Burkina Faso are the pillars of society and play a key role in the country's economic and social development.

OUR COMMITMENT

BURKINA FASO IS ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD. By supporting and empowering Burkinabe women, we can help lift them out of poverty.

OUR MISSION AS A BRAND

L’OCCITANE has exceeded its goal of empowering 33,000 women in Burkina Faso and has set a new objective of 60,000 for 2025.

In 2018, L’OCCITANE, in collaboration with its Foundation, committed to support over 33,000 women in Burkina Faso in their socioeconomic development by the end of 2020. This goal has been achieved and greatly exceeded. To date, more than 42,600 women have been supported in Burkina Faso.

OUR AIM:
To support over 60,000 women in their socio-economic development by 2025 in Burkina Faso

1. Trade fairly together
2. Reinforce women’s leadership together

THE RESIST PROGRAMME

SUPPORTING WOMEN IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS

In 2018, L'OCCITANE launched the RESIST programme (Resilience, Ecology, Strengthening, Independence, Structuration, Training). Through it, we help the women of Burkina Faso to:
• protect their shea trees and have access to organic areas to collect the shea nuts,
• consolidate their shea butter supply chain,
• diversify their incomes by finding new customers for their shea butter,
• develop new activities, such as producing bissap.
The aim? To help them become more financially autonomous.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS

MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO WOMEN'S LIVES

By earning their own income and developing their activities, the women shea butter producers in Burkina Faso are able to improve their social status. They can contribute more to household expenses and help to pay for their children's education. The whole family benefits!

L'OCCITANE SUPPORTS WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP

In 2017 we are thinking big, partnering with UN Women. Ever since its creation in 2006, the L'OCCITANE Foundation has been committed to projects that promote women’s leadership in Burkina Faso and throughout the world. Photo credit: Photo by RCN Rwanda, Justice & Democratie FGE Grantee Partner

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

ENCOURAGING WOMEN TO UNLEASH THEIR POTENTIAL

We need more women entrepreneurs! That's why the L'OCCITANE Foundation has joined forces with the NGO "Entrepreneurs du Monde" to help women develop economic initiatives and generate additional incomes. Through our "L'OCCITANE pour Elles" competition, we've helped four determined winners to pursue their business dreams.

Women's Empowerment Donation

This spring, in honour of International Women’s Day, we ran a fundraiser for a women’s empowerment charity of your choice. Over February and March, £2/€2 per Hand Cream Trio sold is being donated to a charity recommended by you. We are thrilled to announce that we have raised £5,000 and €2,000 and the winners of the votes were @womens_aid in the UK and @womens.aid in Ireland.

Covid-19 has shone a further light on the crisis of domestic violence in homes. These donations will go towards increasing support through Freephone Helpline, Live Chat Helpline, campaigning for change and vital training courses. Thank you to everyone who purchase the Hand Cream Trios and to everyone who voted for their favourite #empoweringwomen charity!

“We are thrilled to receive such a generous support from L’Occitane and their customers to help with our vital work with women and families experiencing domestic abuse. Covid-19 has shone a further light on the crisis of domestic violence in homes across Ireland. As we all retreated to our homes for safety, it became increasingly clear that home is not a safe place for everyone. Trapped with abusers and denied outlets that may have offered them support and respite in the face of abuse before, women came up with ingenious ways to get in touch with us. Women called us from their car, from the garden shed, from the bathroom with the shower running. Our frontline services have been stretched to the limit and this donation will mean that we are able to increase cover on the 24hr National Freephone Helpline 1800341900 and maximise our availability to callers seeking support day or night. Thank you to everyone who is supporting this fantastic fundraising campaign” - Sarah Benson, CEO of Women’s Aid Ireland.

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