Supporting Producers
A Story Of Fairness
Our ingredients – and therefore our producers – are the lifeblood of L'OCCITANE. Were it not for their hard work, dedication and skills, we wouldn't be able to create such unique, authentic products. Dialogue, respect and transparency lie at the heart of our relationships with our producers. Some of our partnerships have lasted for over 30 years!
Did You Know?
28 traceable supply chains
over half of which are organic
98 producers
and over 10,000 pickers
40 contracts
of which 24 cover several years
Our Mission as a Brand
OUR AIM:
TO HAVE A FAIR TRADE RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OUR PRODUCERS BY 2025.
TWO WAYS TO DO THIS:
- Working hand in hand with growers to ensure all our relationships are built on fairness
- Producing responsibly and sustainably together.
What Is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is all about stable prices and incomes, decent working conditions, empowering farmers and workers, and ensuring they get a fair share of the profits from their produce. It means supporting producers, helping to improve the quality of their lives, building a sustainable future for them and their families, and caring about people and the planet.
Our Principles
- Fair payment (fair prices, fair wages)
- Fair trading practices (pre-payments, long-term contracts)
- Transparency, accountability and respect (collective decision making, communication at all levels of the supply chain)
- Good working conditions (hours, safety, etc.)
- Respect for the environment (sustainability, energy efficiency)
- Raising consumer awareness
Our Actions, Our Convictions
At L'OCCITANE, there is no question of exploiting our producers! We pay the fairest price possible and sign long-term, non-exclusive contracts – so they can count on a stable income, but are also free to trade with other partners. We provide down payments when needed. We support family farmers who are passionate – about what they do and want to hand down their skills and land to the next generation. We know our producers personally and work with them on the ground all year long.
Strengthening Relationships Through Multi-Year Contracts
We currently work with a dozen producers and distillers in Corsica to grow, harvest and distil the precious immortelle flowers. Immortelle grows wild in Corsica, but it would be risky (and unsustainable!) to harvest and use the wild plant. So, in 2004, we launched our immortelle plantation programme. 50 hectares were planted! We work with several producers in Corsica. They grow immortelle organically, and their contracts with L'OCCITANE cover several years.
Bringing Almond Trees Back to Provence
Our main almond producer, Jean-Pierre Jaubert, has a multi-year contract with L'OCCITANE. With our support, he has planted over 15,000 almond trees in the Valensole region of Provence. We don't just purchase whole almond nuts; we also use broken almonds, which would otherwise be thrown away. L'OCCITANE is a founding member of France Amande – a French organisation dedicated to replanting almond trees on a large scale in Provence.
Inspirational Producers of Verbena
From their first meeting on the lush tropical island of Réunion, to owning a farm amid the rolling hills of Provence, Philippe and Magalie Mary have lived a storied life together. Their shared passion for sustainable farming and Provençal herbs led the couple to cultivate their crop: verbena. This is the tale of how they discovered the lemon-fragranced plant and became producers for L'Occitane, providing organic floral water for our refreshing verbena scent collection.
Respecting Biodiversity
Naturally, a brand that loves nature cares about conservation and sustainability. At L'OCCITANE, we use traceable, sustainably sourced ingredients, making sure that plants are cultivated and harvested without harming the environment or biodiversity. We've even developed supply chains that protect local plant species!
Sustainable Sourcing
The L’OCCITANE brand sees nature as its model and draws inspiration from the natural properties of plants to drive innovation. We are dedicated to developing long-term partnerships with our producers and prioritise short, local integrated channels when sourcing our key ingredients.