Bath & Body Works' Sustainable Sourcing: Supporting Madagascan Vanilla Farmers
As a key element of Bath & Body Works' ESG initiatives, we are committed to making meaningful, long-term impacts through sustainable sourcing. In 2023, we partnered with Antea Group, a global sustainability expert, to develop a tool that enhances our understanding of the social and environmental effects of the materials used in both merchandise and non-merchandise procurement. This tool was designed to support our ESG goals by improving the sustainability profile of priority ingredients and fostering resilient communities.
Following this initial assessment, we launched pilot programs to advance our sustainability commitments, beginning with Madagascan vanilla.
Madagascar, the primary global supplier of the Vanilla Planifolia species, is a crucial source of natural vanilla for Bath & Body Works. While the region boasts rich biodiversity, challenges such as droughts and economic instability threaten the livelihoods of vanilla farmers.
To support these farmers, we have partnered with the Givaudan Foundation to enhance their quality of life. Over the next three years, we will provide 3,000 energy-efficient cookstoves to farming households in Madagascar’s Sava region, where the majority of our natural vanilla is sourced.
Past initiatives of this kind have demonstrated benefits such as:
Following this initial assessment, we launched pilot programs to advance our sustainability commitments, beginning with Madagascan vanilla.
Madagascar, the primary global supplier of the Vanilla Planifolia species, is a crucial source of natural vanilla for Bath & Body Works. While the region boasts rich biodiversity, challenges such as droughts and economic instability threaten the livelihoods of vanilla farmers.
To support these farmers, we have partnered with the Givaudan Foundation to enhance their quality of life. Over the next three years, we will provide 3,000 energy-efficient cookstoves to farming households in Madagascar’s Sava region, where the majority of our natural vanilla is sourced.
Past initiatives of this kind have demonstrated benefits such as:
- Lower demand for firewood, reducing deforestation.
- Less time spent collecting wood for cooking.
- Decreased household exposure to smoke.
- Job creation through local stove resale opportunities.
We are dedicated to supporting vanilla farmers, ensuring the sustainability of this essential ingredient for generations to come. Our Madagascan vanilla initiative serves as a foundation for further learning and growth, reinforcing our commitment to people, communities, and the planet.
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