Value Alignment: Burt’s Bees
Over the past 30 years Burt’s Bees has been committed in making the world a better and cleaner place by producing all-natural products that people can use; while doing their part for achieving a healthy environment. Starting out from a candle artistry from leftover beeswax and then expanding into the health and beauty industry using the same concepts that align their mission and visions. Burt’s Bees creatively produces products that is not only good for you, it is also environmentally friendly. Within this paper, Team B has selected to analyze the value alignment of Burt’s Bees and will go more in-depth in what Burt’s Bees is all about. Team B will analyze personal and workplace values and behaviors of the business. Team B will also address the plans of the actions that Burt’s Bees plan to conduct, which will indicate the level of alignment between who they are and what their social responsibilities are to themselves, to the community, and to the consumers.
Origins and Subsequent Evolution
Burt’s Bees origin goes back to a summer day in Maine in 1984 (Our History, 2014). Roxanne Quimby, a single mother and artist, was hitchhiking and a long-bearded gentleman named Burt, well known for his local organic honey, picked her up. From there a relationship developed and Roxanne began using Burt’s left over bee’s wax to make artistic candles. Eventually, she created a lip-balm using an old farmer’s almanac and the bee’s wax. Her new product was a huge success. From there the company grew into a multi-national organization with a plethora of organic products. Today the company is still the same earth-friendly company that it was in 1984. They used their love of nature and helping others to develop the current philosophy, which also works as their business model: The greater good! Good for you, good for us, good for all! Burt’s continues to thrive with this philosophy by maintaining high standards of organics products (Good for you, good for me, good for all), natural ingredients, and by sending zero waste to landfills (Operational Footprint, 2014).
Actions and Behaviors
Burt’s Bees possesses values that enable them to strive and achieve their mission. They practice what they preach. First, Burt’s Bees is strives to maintain environmentally friendly by offering the best resources nature has to offer. All of their products from lip balm to body wash and facial cleansers are entirely made up of natural ingredients. These all-natural products do not only meet the expectations of the company, but customers too. Burt’s Bees is not only concerned about the organization’s success, but the well-being of their employees, customers, families, and environment. For example, Burt’s Bees gives their employees time off to do something positive for the world. What their employees do outside of work reflect the environmentally friendly practices held within the company. Employees are also encouraged to participate in wellness activities such as yoga. Additionally, Burt’s Bees reaches out to the outside community by holding a Culture day annually. Some activities held in past events included planting urban gardens and building honey boxes. It is evident that Burt’s Bees leaders not only define and maintain these values, but also share it ensuring their employees understand and apply it to their daily work activities. The actions and behaviors of Burt’s Bees and its employees live up to the company’s values and is a big contribution to the company’s success.
Degree of Alignment
Burt’s Bees has a unique story built on a philosophy called “The Greater Good” (Burts Bees Corporation, 2014). This philosophy at its core has three main focuses, People, profit and planet (Burts Bees Corporation, 2014). The companies published mission and stated culture indicate a belief in family, community and doing things right whether they are popular or not. The actions of the company are fully in line with those stated beliefs. The company encourages philanthropic involvement of its employees. The protection of the environment is evident in all they do starting with their packaging, natural ingredients, community gardens and the lack of trash cans at their desks. They encourage wellness and promote family with corporate activities. The corporate actions of BURTS BEES are completely in line with its stated values and mission and are constantly improving their outreach activities. They have not simply stated their values in their vision; they are committed to improving on that mission.
Differences and Analysis
Burt’s Bees is a company that strives to make an ecological friendly impact in the consumer market. The mission from the start has been to create an all-natural ingredients line of products that will be desired by the consumer. Starting with just a simple lip balm (and some organic honey), Burt’s Bees has branched out to different lip applications (gloss, shimmer, shine), facial or body cleansers, eye cream, and even diaper ointment all while keeping the products 99% natural (or 100% when possible). And that last 1% is the most eco-friendly preservative they could find and they are trying to replace it with something completely natural (Our Standards, 2014).
As one of the first natural or “green” companies on the market, Burt’s Bees has been able to gain an advantage as more consumers become eco-conscious and companies reduce their carbon foot print. This has allowed Burt’s to expand their The Greater Good Foundation as well as other initiatives in their quest to live up to their mission of the greater good for you, for them, and for all. By living by the same standards they have set, Burt’s Bees has become a company that can be trusted and respected.
Not everyone may feel so happy about the standard Burt’s has set. Some consumers may be put off by the pretentiousness of a company that does not allow trash cans at their employee’s workstations and that is so “committed” to reducing their carbon foot print. Such words as “green” or “eco-conscious” may be seen as buzz words meant to convey an idea to a certain amount of the population and may not really mean anything to the average consumer. Never the less, if Burt’s Bees can continue to live up to their own standards, they will be able to answer any accusations about their “lip service” and prove that they really are in it for the betterment of all.
Conclusion
Burt’s Bees commitment to providing natural and earth-friendly products for 30 years, and going strong, has proved to be a rewarding challenge. Burt’s Bees went from creating candles for locals to a multimillion dollar industry, servicing internationally. Competitors have questioned their values, nonetheless, Burt’s Bees remains loyal to their values and principals of providing safe and natural products for their customers while striving to keep the Earth clean. Due to Burt’s Bees exceptional requirements for their products, competitors have been exasperated at the high level of standards that have inadvertently been set. Burt’s Bees will continue on living up to their values, filled with love and positivity, for the betterment of all.

References (2014). Our History [Webpage]. Retrieved Wednesday, February 26, 14, from http://www.burtsbees.com/Our-History/story-history,default,pg.html (2014). Operational Footprint [Webpage]. Retrieved Wednesday, February 26, 14, from http://www.burtsbees.com/Operational-Footprint/sustain-opfootprint,default,pg.html