Anita Roddick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anita Roddick
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| Born |
Anita Lucia Perilli
23 October 1942 Littlehampton, West Sussex, UK
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| Died | 10 September 2007 (aged 64) Chichester, West Sussex, UK
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| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Businesswoman, founder of The Body Shop, charity work |
| Title | Dame |
| Spouse(s) | Gordon Roddick (m. 1970–2007, her death) |
| Children | Justine, Sam |
Dame Anita Lucia Roddick (23 October 1942 – 10 September 2007) was a British businesswoman. She was also a human rights activist and an environmental campaigner. She is best known for starting The Body Shop. This company makes and sells natural beauty products.
The Body Shop was one of the first companies to ban ingredients tested on animals. It also helped promote fair trade with developing countries. Fair trade means paying fair prices to producers in poorer countries.
Anita Roddick was very involved in helping the environment and social causes. She worked with groups like Greenpeace and The Big Issue. In 1990, she started Children on the Edge. This charity helps children in need in places like Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. She believed that businesses should lead by example. She thought they could be a strong force for good in society.
In the late 1990s, she spoke up for the Angola Three. These were African-American prisoners held in solitary confinement for many years. She helped raise global awareness and money to support their legal appeals.
Contents
The Body Shop: A New Kind of Business
Starting The Body Shop
Anita Roddick opened her first Body Shop in 1976. She wanted to earn money for herself and her two daughters. Her husband was away in South America at the time. She aimed to sell good skincare products in containers that could be refilled. She also offered small sample sizes. She wanted to be honest about her products, not just use fancy advertising.
She opened her second shop just six months later. When her husband came back, he joined the business.
Growing and Changing
By 1991, The Body Shop had 700 stores. Anita Roddick received an award for her work in development.
In 1997, The Body Shop launched a very successful campaign. They created a doll named Ruby. Ruby was a size 16 doll, which was different from typical fashion dolls. This campaign showed that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
By 2004, The Body Shop had 1,980 stores around the world. It served over 77 million customers. It was voted one of the most trusted brands in the United Kingdom.
In 2006, a large company called L'Oréal bought The Body Shop for £652 million.
Charity Work: Making a Difference
Anita Roddick was famous for her campaigns on environmental issues. She was also part of an advisory group for a think tank called Demos.
Children on the Edge
In 1990, Roddick founded Children on the Edge (COTE). She started this after visiting Romanian orphanages. She saw the poor conditions and wanted to help. COTE worked to move children out of crowded orphanages. The charity's goal is to help children affected by conflicts, natural disasters, disabilities, and HIV/AIDS.
Helping the Angola Three
In the late 1990s, Roddick got involved in the case of the Angola Three. These were three African-American men. They had been held in solitary confinement for over two decades. This was at Louisiana State Penitentiary. She helped bring international attention to their situation. She also raised money to support their appeals against unfair convictions.
Giving Away Her Fortune
In 2005, it was reported that Roddick planned to give away her entire fortune to charity. Her fortune was estimated at £51 million. This was before she sold her business to L'Oréal.
Roddick also wrote a book called Take It Personally. In it, she encouraged equality. She also spoke out against the exploitation of workers and children in poorer countries.
After her death in 2007, her husband, Gordon Roddick, started 38 Degrees. He said he wanted to create something that would make Anita proud by causing "a lot of trouble" for good causes.
Supporting Education
Roddick was a close friend of Littlehampton Community School. In 2003, she donated a lot of money to the school. This helped it become a special school for business and enterprise. A new building built with her donation was named The Roddick Enterprise Centre. The school also holds "Roddick Days." These events help students give back to their community. They also learn about global issues.
Illness and Awareness
In 2004, Anita Roddick found out she had liver cirrhosis. This was caused by a long-term condition called hepatitis C. She did not share her illness publicly until 2007. Roddick said, "I have hepatitis C. It's a bit of a bummer, but you groan and move on."
She then became a strong supporter of The Hepatitis C Trust. She worked to raise awareness about the disease. In August 2007, shortly before she passed away, Roddick appeared on a TV show. She talked about hepatitis C with the host.
Roddick explained that her hepatitis C was found by accident. It was during a blood test for a life insurance policy. She believed she got it from a large blood transfusion in 1971. This was after her younger daughter was born. At that time, blood donors in the UK were not screened for hepatitis C.
She shared that her main symptoms were itching and trouble concentrating. She also mentioned that a medical treatment did not work for her. Roddick stayed active and fit. She had regular hospital check-ups in Southampton and Cambridge.
Death and Legacy: A Lasting Impact
Anita Roddick passed away on 10 September 2007. She died from a severe brain haemorrhage. She had been admitted to St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, the night before.
As she had promised, she left all her money to charities. She did not leave it to her family or friends. When details of her estate were made public, it was confirmed she had donated her entire £51 million fortune. Her legacy continues to inspire people to use business for good.
Awards and Honours
- 1984 – Veuve Clicquot Businesses Woman of the Year
- 1988 – Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
- 1988 – Honorary Doctorate from the University of Sussex
- 1991 – Center for World Development Education's World Vision Award, USA
- 1993 – Banksia Foundation's Australia Environmental Award
- 1993 – Mexican Environmental Achiever Award
- 1993 – National Audubon Society Medal, USA
- 1994 – Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics, USA
- 1994 – University of Michigan's Annual Business Leadership Award, USA
- 1995 - University of Victoria, Honorary Doctorate, Canada
- 1995 – Women's Business Development Center's First Annual Woman Power Award, USA
- 1996 – Women's Center's Leadership Award, USA
- 1996 – The Gleitsman Foundation's Award of Achievement, USA
- 1997 – United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Honouree, Eyes on the Environment
- 1999 – Honorary Degree (Doctor of Laws) from the University of Bath
- 1999 – British Environment & Media Award
- 1999 – Chief Wiper-Away of Ogoni Tears, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, Nigeria
- 2001 – International Peace Prayer Day Organisation's Woman of Peace
- 2003 – Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)
- 2004 – Honorary Doctorate of Public Service, The Sage Colleges
- 2005 – Shell liveWIRE survey of inspirational role models, third place after 1) Richard Branson 2) Friends/family 3) Anita Roddick 4) James Dyson 5) Sahar Hashemi
- 2006 – Spirit of the Rainforest Award, Rainforest Action Network
See also
In Spanish: Anita Roddick para niños
