Lush gets active on climate change in Australia

In its first collaboration with the group, GetUp!, which works to tackle climate change and damage to the Great Barrier Reef, Lush will be handing out election cards that explain the environmental focus of each of the main political parties.

Lush has always traded on a strong ethical and environmental brand identity, and with consumers increasingly demanding a sustainable focus from beauty companies, it has become a leader in the field.

“Lush was founded by animal and environmental activists so we’ve always campaigned on these issues,”​  Peta Granger, director for Australia and New Zealand, reportedly told SmartCompany. The company has described this as “the last election”​ in which Australia can protect the reef.

Ethics meets business sense​

In recent years for consumer goods industries, it’s become clear that combining a sustainable supply chain operation with a vocally ethical brand identity is increasingly crucial to win favour with ever more engaged consumers.

Speaking to CosmeticsDesign earlier this year, Emma Reinhold, Trade Relations Manager at Soil Association, made this clear.

“Consumers are asking more questions about sustainability and are putting ethical matters into their purchasing criteria,”​ she said, noting that as well as being a hot ticket with consumers, beauty’s investment into sustainability will have knock on effects for production further down the line.

“By highlighting the importance of sustainability in manufacturing we are ultimately ensuring a better future for our industry and the planet,​” she explained.

Lush in front​

The UK-headquartered brand has long positioned itself as a leading personal care player in this area, and the partnership with GetUp! In Australia is just the latest in a string of efforts to combine its naturals-based product offering with its strong pro-environment efforts.

The company has teamed up with various wildlife and environmental organisations across its various markets over the years.

Earlier this year​, the company began taking this theme of beauty and wellbeing in the direction of fitness, entering into a cross branding partnership with HulaFit and Psycle in the UK to offer free-to-attend promossional fitness and beauty sessions.