Friday 5: Dove, Advocacy, Salons, Banks, Repairs

Giles Gibbons

Good Business - Sustainability | Strategy | Impact

April 21, 2023

Dove's #SelfEsteemProject

Dove is often lauded as a game changer. Its Campaign for Real Beauty, originally launched in 2004, has helped broaden the definition of beauty beyond stereotypical and unrealistic perceptions. And as one of the original pioneers of brand purpose, they have shown how powerful it can be – for their business, and for the world. 

This week, Dove released an arresting short film as part of its ongoing #SelfEsteemProject which documents the damaging effects of social media on adolescent girls’ mental health. The girls who are featured are just a few of the millions affected by unrealistic beauty images and hashtags promoting dangerous beauty fads across social media. 8 in 10 youth mental health specialists say social media is fueling the mental health crisis, and with 90% of girls surveyed stating that they follow at least one social media account that makes them feel less beautiful, it’s unsurprising that the self-esteem of youth is in a troubling state. 

The film is in service of one of Dove’s aims as part of its overall work in this space – making social media a safer space for young people, in partnership with Common Sense Media and the ParentsTogether Foundation. It has launched a petition to encourage people to join its campaign to progress the 2023 revision of the Kids Online Safety Act in the US. There is also a guide for parents to help their children engage with social media in a safe way. 

Of course there are complications and contradictions inherent in the campaign and the endeavour as a whole – promoting natural beauty, while marketing beauty products; speaking of the dangers of social media on social media; being owned by Unilever, which until 2020 had a skin lightening brand called ‘Fair and Lovely’ in its portfolio. 

But the brand has contributed to change throughout Unilever (which has raised its overall game in relation to the use of models and social media guidelines) and in the world of beauty brands and beyond.  

So while Dove may sometimes walks a fine line, this thought-provoking campaign shows how they have been able to continue to grow and evolve their goal of tackling serious challenges which fall within the remit of beauty, setting a great example to others of how purpose can direct a journey of impact that runs over decades. 

Advocating for advocacy

Over the past few years, the expectation that businesses will take a public position and advocate for positive social, environmental, and political change has dramatically increased. Companies and CEOs are often found taking strong stands on issues from climate change, to racial justice, to the role of business itself. 

While we’re all for businesses having a point of view, making it public, and following through on it, we’re also well aware of the fact that the world of corporate advocacy is far from straightforward. That’s why next month’s event on the ethics of corporate advocacy, hosted by the Institute of Business Ethics, has caught our attention.  

The event (it’s free to register) will provide guests with the opportunity to explore how to speak up on sustainability and social justice issues, consider their role in advocating for these issues and understand how to manage their reputation in the process. Speakers include representatives from Natura &Co and the Institute of Business Ethics.  

As a starting point, you may be interested in this recent blog from David Grayson, one of the event’s facilitators and a friend of Good Business, which contains some really helpful guidance on how to pick the issues you advocate for, and how to approach it (spoiler – do you have the credibility and track record to stand up and speak out on a particular issue?) He also highlights something that we have long focused on which is ensuring that your broader corporate activities, such as the lobbying you conduct particularly via trade associations does not conflict with your advocacy objectives. Those double standards won’t fly, and will undermine what you are trying to do, as well as your reputation.  

The more companies that speak out, the greater the scrutiny they face. We are seeing more instances of companies being called out for getting it wrong (despite their best intentions) and a rising backlash against what is sometimes painted as “woke capitalism”. Against this backdrop, it’s great to see expert-led forums such as these foster an environment that supports collaboration and sharing of ideas that will be essential to enabling businesses to harness their resources to realise the changes that they are advocating for. We’ll see you at the IBE webinar! 

A good hair day

We need to talk more about climate change. Research by our friends at Virgin Media O2 found that 89% of young people feel concerned about the crisis – but only a third regularly talk to their friends about it. This silence causes problems, from isolation and loneliness to inaction and apathy. But for those tearing their hair out over climate change, could hairdressers be the solution? 

One salon in Sydney thinks they could be. Through a tailored training programme, A Brush with Climate, it is upskilling its hairdressers to start conversations with clients about climate action. Over 400 hairdressers have attended workshops with climate scientists where they learn the basics of climate science and role play possible conversations. Hairdressers are invited to tell their own stories and draw on external cues like the weather to spark a discussion. Through the conversations, clients can share their hopes and fears, and consider how they can help address the climate crisis.  

It’s not the first time hairdressers have been upskilled to affect change on a social issue. A project in Guinea has trained hairdressers to share family planning advice with customers, building on the strong, long-term and trusted relationships hairdressers and clients build over multiple sessions. The physical intimacy of hairdressing, and the safe, positive environment of a hair salon provide good conditions for difficult conversations. Over thousands of discussions, hairdressers also gain experience of reading social cues and judging when to move on: crucial skills for topics that are not always cut and dried. 

It’s exciting to see climate behaviour change programmes borrowing from what works in other sectors. And following the launch of the Net Zero Salons Programme by our friends at Net Zero Now, haircare businesses can get ahead by thinking creatively about not just their own emissions, but their broader social impact. With more and more of us ready to take climate action, programmes like this are likely to provide a welcome highlight. 

Making your money matter

Chances are, your bank is in a hidden relationship with the fossil fuel industry. They might brag about investments in renewable energies and socially responsible businesses, but they conveniently leave out their ties to destructive fossil fuel ventures. 

Since the Paris Agreement, the world’s top-sixty banks have poured a staggering $5.5 trillion into the fossil fuel industry. These banks are steering us towards climate disaster, instead of driving positive change.  

Make My Money Matter's new film – “Hidden Relationship” – featuring Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie seeks to shed light on the dangerous connection between our banks and fossil fuel companies.  

Now, breaking up is never easy, including when it comes to the relationships between banks and fossil fuel companies. So pressure is needed to create change, and as individuals, we can take action, making our views around divestment from fossil fuels and investment in sustainable alternatives clear. Make My Money Matter has a handy tool that allows you to do just that and apply pressure on your bank. Simply select your bank, fill your details in, and it will draft a potent message for you to urge your bank to stop financing fossil fuel expansion.  

If your bank ignores your plea, consider switching to a bank that doesn’t invest in fossil fuels. Bank.Green offers a directory of the best banks in your area; helping pave your way to becoming a climate-conscious consumer.   

Ultimately, breaking up with fossil fuels and promoting sustainable investments is necessary for the health of our planet and collective future. Let’s make change, one bank account at a time.

Why have a textbook when you can have a toy car?

Let’s face it, with attention grabbing digital services like TikTok dominating the world, getting children to sit down and study is a problem faced by many households. Science specifically can be seen as boring or not cool when compared to the latest trends and challenges. That’s where Team Repair come in.  

Team Repair is a subscription-based toy service that sends kids a broken toy to fix every month. From remote control cars to mini game consoles, the service aims to educate kids on STEM and handiness in a fun and engaging way. By tinkering with the item, they not only get the satisfaction of fixing something, but they are also able to play with the finished product whilst learning along the way. This encourages them to repair broken items first before discarding them, tackling our generations use-once culture. The accompanying app facilitates learning by sneaking in explanations of various parts based on the UK’s curriculum, that way they learn science without even realising! 

Team repair doesn’t just preach about repairing rather than wasting but they practice it too. The gadgets used in the boxes are saved from landfill sites and once the child has built the toy and is done playing with it, it is sent back to the team who rebreak it for the next child to fix. By doing this they have become the first zero waste STEM subscription service as every gadget and box is continuously reused until the end of its life. 

Find out more and purchase a box at Team Repair