Empowering Women
A Story Of Emancipation
We believe in supporting women on their journey toward greater independence. In Burkina Faso, our work with women who produce Shea Butter helps provide access to microcredits, literacy programs, and education for their children—creating long-term impact and a stronger future for their communities. The story of L’Occitane and the women Shea Butter producers of West Africa began in the 1980s. Since then, we’ve built a joint development partnership and a close, supportive relationship. At first, there were about a dozen women involved, and since 2009, our Shea Butter supply chain has been 100% Fair Trade, certified according to the Fair for Life standard (www.fairforlife.org).
What we’ve achieved as of 2025
- 62,000 women have been supported in their socio-economic development.
DID YOU KNOW?
In West Africa, 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 West Africa are the pillars of society and play a key role in the country's economic and social development.
OUR MISSION AS A BRAND
OUR AIM:
Thanks to the programmes implemented by the L'Occitane Foundation, we have supported 62,000 women in their socioeconomic development in Burkina Faso, West Africa, *2025.
TWO WAYS TO DO THIS:
- Trade fairly together
- Reinforce women’s leadership together
OUR COMMITMENT
By supporting and empowering West African 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 West Africa. Since its creation in 2006, more than 26,000 women have received support in developing and strengthening their activities in West Africa.
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 West Africa 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.
Making Women Shine…
The L’OCCITANE Foundation wishes to give West African an extra boost so they can let their talent shine through. The program for Women’s Leadership in West Africa is here for them to make their professional dreams come true. All funds gathered by the sales of the Solidarity Balm will be devoted to their ambitions by focusing on three key goals:
Writing a Better Future
L'Occitane has helped more than 10.000 women to learn how to read and write since 2008. It also supports the education of 450 girls for four years at secondary school.
Boosting Ambitions
L'Occitane has allowed 8000 women to benefit from micro-credit since 2009.
Revealing Leadership
L'Occitane launched in 2016 the “L'Occitane pour Elles” program to boost entrepreneurs women’s actions and scale up their business.
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.
More About Shea Butter
Our Shea Butter Ingredient
Shea trees dot the landscape in West Africa. To protect their skin from the harsh conditions, women have used shea butter for generations. Here, it is known as the gold of West Africa.
Our Shea Butter Range
Naturally rich in vitamins A, E and F, Shea Butter is an ideal beauty ingredient with exceptional properties that help to moisturise, nourish and give extra protection to the skin every day.