Rituals gains ethical supply chain recognition through B Corp certification

13 Jan 2022 --- Cosmetics and home spa brand Rituals has gained recognition for its ethical products and supply chains with certification from B Lab, a US-based non-profit organization recognizing ethical brands and organizations.

The company says it obtained B Corp status by implementing various changes and goals to its business strategy. For example, Rituals now claims that at least 70% of its products are made from more than 90% naturally-derived ingredients, aiming to make products 100% organic by 2023. 

The Netherlands-based bath and beauty company was recently awarded B Corporation status, joining the likes of The Body Shop International, Yoni and Patagonia.

Rituals also now offers refills for its items, saying it saves 70% on CO2, 65% on energy and 45% on water for some products. By 2025, Rituals aims to make all products either refillable or packaged with recycled materials. The company is also focusing on local manufacturing; 95% of their products are now produced in Europe. 

Rituals says it has fully embraced the B Lab ethos.Getting B Corp status requires a legal commitment to the well-being of stakeholders rather than just shareholders. B Corps must also implement rights for shareholders to “hold directors and officers accountable to consider these interests.” This legal right is to be awarded to shareholders only. 

B Corp certification is awarded at the sole discretion of B Labs’ Standards Advisory Council and B Lab’s board of directors. Currently, over 4,000 B Corporations exist in more than 77 countries. 

Since Rituals was caught up in a greenwashing row with the Soil Association (SA) five years ago, the company cites this new certification as evidence that it has learned from the past and is now committed to leveling up as a sustainable and ethical enterprise.

Recovering from past greenwashing accusations
In 2017, as a part of its Campaign for Clarity, the SA released a “damning” report that ranked Rituals as one of the worst greenwashing offenders, alongside a host of other prominent brands. The same year, SA released a report finding that 72% of consumers would lose trust in a brand making misleading organic claims. 

PersonalCareInsights has held a roundtable in the past which discussed the growing importance of sustainability and transparency in branding. For companies, it is becoming increasingly difficult to skirt responsibilities, and publicly made claims or commitments to sustainability aren’t enough; consumers and non-profits hotly monitor ingredients and activities.

As the company’s continued market stability suggests, the move toward transparency, honesty, ethical supply-chain relationships and sustainability has been ultimately beneficial to Rituals’ bottom line. 

Edited by Olivia Nelson