African women benefiting from Shea butter
The demand for shea butter has risen so much in recent years that African producers have started calling for fair prices for their labour…[A] global producer of edible oils, told The New York Times that “shea [butter] is an important source of revenue to millions of women and their families across Africa. Empowering these women economically is crucial to the industry’s sustainability.”…With high demand come ethical issues…[T]he number of shea fair trade cooperatives and associations seeking a fair deal for African women has increased…L’Occitane en Provence, a French multinational cosmetics firm famous worldwide for its luxury products based on natural ingredients, prides itself on its use of fair trade shea butter in [its] products…[F]or the company’s activities in Burkina Faso, its business model was recognized by UNDP in 2013 as one of the 12 most innovative and inclusive in Africa…[Also refers to Body Shop (part of L'Oréal), Loders Croklaan, L’Oréal]