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?

In Burkina Faso

shea butter is known as "women’s gold".

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.

Since the 1980s, L'OCCITANE has been promoting sustainable partnerships with women producers of shea butter. To further extend this commitment, the L'OCCITANE Foundation empowers women in Burkina Faso. Since its creation in 2006, more than 26,000 women have received support in developing and strengthening their activities in Burkina Faso.

Our Mission as a Brand

OUR AIM

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

TWO WAYS TO DO THIS

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!

Promoting Women's Leadership

FOUR KEY AREAS OF ACTION

In Burkina Faso, our Foundation works on ways to open up opportunities for women and offer them a brighter future. By focusing on literacy, microcredits, education for girls and entrepreneurship, we can help to break the cycle of illiteracy and give women entrepreneurs a much-needed financial boost.

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. And through our "L'OCCITANE pour Elles" competition, we've helped four determined winners to pursue their business dreams.

The Hibiscus Sabariffa to Celebrate Women

Shea Hibiscus Solidarity Balm

100% of the profits* from the sale of this hibiscus fragranced balm will finance NGOs project to promote women's leadership in Burkina Faso, with the support of the L'OCCITANE Foundation.

NEW
100% PROFITS DONATED TO PROMOTE WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP & ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE

Shea Hibiscus Solidarity Hand Cream

30ml

$21.00

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