Description:
The Burt’s Bees® business model is known as The Greater Good™. It’s based on Natural Well-Being, Environmental Sustainability and Social Responsibility – the triple bottom line through the lens of our unique values and 25 year history.

Executive Summary:

Our Greater Good model holds the premise that we can only achieve sound financial health and generate profitability through a balanced commitment to natural well-being and sustainability.

The Natural Standard
We feel it’s our responsibility to educate consumers, be transparent, and help protect consumer well-being. That’s why we collaborated with The Natural Products Association to help create a consumer standard and seal for skincare.

Sustainability
The roadmap – 2020 Sustainability Goals
- Zero Waste
- 100% Employee Engagement
- 100% Natural Products
- 100% PCR/Biodegradable Packaging
- 100% Renewable Energy/Zero Carbon
- LEED Certified Buildings

How we are getting there:
The ECOBEES - Once a grassroots team of 14 employees determined to green our office, today they are 40 strong creating projects that inspire and educate our teams to think and act in more sustainable ways
- Bee-cycle
- Dumpster day
- Monthly Re- drives

Habitat for Humanity & Kaboom - Over 3000 employee volunteer hours have built 2 homes and a playground in NC's first green affordable housing community

Planet Earth Celebration - We are a presenting sponsor and co-creator of the Annual Planet Earth Celebration in Raleigh, NC. This local Earth Day event is designed to bring together local organizations and individuals dedicated to creating a sustainable community. Employees help plan and staff the event, with the leadership of the ECOBEES

Live The Greater Good - Integrated and non-optional part of our culture to engage employees in outreach efforts for 8-30 hours per year, focusing on developing leadership, teamwork and community

Culture for Good
- Bonus Incentive Tied to Sustainability - Employees bonuses are tied to the triple bottom line, meaning that sustainability metrics are monitored alongside profit to determine the health of the business
- Eco-Benefits - Incentives for purchasing a hybrid vehicle or using alternative fuels or carpool/mass transit/biking to work
- Renewable Energy Credit Match: Employees can offset the energy used in their homes with the help of matching contributions from Burt’s Bees
- Wellness Benefits - Employee gym memberships are subsidized and yoga classes are offered
- The Greater Good Awards - Each year the company recognizes individuals who embody The Greater Good™ Business Model. Each award recipient receives a cash prize and donation to the charity of their choice

Ongoing Corporate Initiatives
- The Greater Good Foundation: A 501(c) 3 organization funded by 10% of the company’s overall retail sales
- Honeybee Health Awareness & Research Campaign: Our work to fund research and spread awareness about Colony Collapse Disorder has brought our message to Congress and the public. In partnership with the Pollinator Partnership, we funded research for the Honeybee Health Improvement Project
- CSR Reporting - We created our first corporate social responsibility report in 2008 and will provide updates every other year
- Sustainable Packaging - We use packaging with the highest levels of Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials and design it to be recyclable, reusable, compostable or degradable

What specific results have been achieved?

Here are some of the results we are proud of:
- We have continued to offset all of the electricity for our NC operations through NC Green Power and Renewable Choice Energy.
- Car mileage for our national customer development teams remains offset through TerraPass.
- In fiscal year 2009, we reduced our total electricity use by more than 21% while growing our business by about 4%
- In fiscal year 2009m we used 1.67 million gallons of water which was 20% less than the prior twelve months
- Implementing innovative technologies in our IT Department to cool our data center and save enough energy to power more than 7 three‐bedroom homes.
- ligning on and committing to aggressive long and short‐term goals we believe we can achieve.
- We have a much more sustainability savvy workforce and hear plenty of stories of people bringing green efforts from work into their homes
- A local Earth Day festival that brings the sustainable business and lifestyle community together to engage more people and celebrate
- In-kind Donations totaling over $.5 Million dollars have gone to numerous organizations between 2008 and 2009

In what ways are the efforts of this organization/individual unique and innovative?

At Burt’s Bees, there is a deeply held belief that each employee must be engaged in a vibrant culture with clear values – only then can we truly aspire to The Greater Good. To demonstrate this, employee incentives are tied not only to standard business performance metrics, but to sustainability metrics. Additionally, employees are enrolled in a non-optional volunteer program to advance understanding in health and wellness, leadership, and sustainability as well as support community organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Teach for America.

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How has the broader community been impacted?

- Nearly 20 NC organizations have been supported through The Greater Good Foundation
- A local Earth Day festival now exists to bring the sustainable business and lifestyle community together to engage more people and celebrate
- In-kind Donations totaling over $.5 Million dollars have gone to numerous organizations between 2008 and 2009
- Two new houses, a playground, and an organic garden now exist in Habitat’s Hope Crossing (the first affordable green community in NC) and a third house is on the way.