B Corp stands for “Benefit Corporation” and the certification proves that a company has strong commitments and results in terms of social and ecological standards. It is issued by the non-profit organisation B Lab. It is important to note that it is not products which are certified, but a company’s actions and overall approach. The focus is on social added value and ecological sustainability, not maximising profits at any price. In other words, it is about the environment, biodiversity, species protection, human rights, climate protection, employees and customers. B Lab calls it “business as a force for good.” The global B Corp movement originated in the US and aims to make our planet a better place.

Weleda contributes to a world in which people and biodiversity thrive. The UEBT label for “SOURCING WITH RESPECT” certifies that biodiversity is being protected during the cultivation, harvesting and further processing of the natural ingredients we use. It also shows our commitment to paying everyone in our supply chain fair wages and treating them with respect.

By meeting the UEBT’s internationally recognised standard, a company assures customers that, when sourcing raw materials, biodiversity is conserved and sourced sustainably, and that all partners along the supply chain are treated equitably and paid fairly. This is something that we are very passionate about.

“We are so proud that Weleda has achieved ethical sourcing system certification by UEBT and will be one of the first brands to place the UEBT trust mark on its products. By meeting our internationally recognised standard, a company assures customers that, when sourcing raw materials, biodiversity is conserved and used sustainably, and that all partners along the chain are treated equitably and paid fairly,” Rik Kutsch Lojenga UEBT Executive Director

The UEBT is a non-profit organisation that provides a globally recognised standard for sustainable sourcing and the use of raw materials. Weleda has been a member since 2011 and the core values such as conservation, the sustainable use of biodiversity and the fair compensation of all partners in the supply chain, correspond strongly with our own long-held principles.

When you buy a Weleda product, you will not only enjoy beautiful products but also be part of a process that has created sustainable livelihoods for developing communities around the world.

We grow our own plant ingredients where possible and work with farming co-operatives globally to create long-term sustainable partnerships. That means we help create the co-operatives, bring in local experts in organic farming methods, partner with a local distiller processor and set a fair price – usually for many years.

A percentage of the profits goes directly into education, kindergartens and funding local students at university, often in organic agriculture.

This makes for a robust, fair partnership, which is sustainable over many years. Weleda currently has over fifty of these projects worldwide. Find out more about our fair trade partnerships.

"We have received many awards in recent years for our efforts to achieve sustainability in our supply chains”, explains Annette Piperidis, Manager of Sustainable Sourcing at Weleda.

“Sustainability is not a goal for us, but rather a process in which we constantly strive to optimise. For this reason, it was important to us to take our efforts to the next level and to tackle further challenges.”
 

Shopping with Confidence

The certification will help consumers tell that they are buying products from a company that treats people and the planet with respect.

Our Standards

Our quality standards aren’t just high, they consistently set new benchmarks for the beauty care industry.

One thing that goes into every product we make is integrity. When we say “all natural,” we mean “all natural.” Find out more about our standards and certifications.

With precious ingredients from organic farming. This label guarantees that Weleda uses high-quality ingredients that are certified organic.

Weleda has never tested any of its individual ingredients nor finished beauty products on animals. We don’t carry any bunny symbols on our packs because we are a global brand with international packaging, and we have the NATRUE seal on every single one of our cosmetics. NATRUE is against animal testing; their criteria stipulates: “Products must comply first and foremost with the basic requirements of Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, particularly with regard to their composition, safety, efficacy and labelling requirements. Furthermore, animal testing is fundamentally against NATRUE’s underlying values and ethics. It is for this reason that the NATRUE criteria extends the animal testing ban on finished cosmetic products as regulated by Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 to countries outside the EU.” Today thankfully it is against the law in Europe for any beauty cosmetics to be tested on animals so it goes without saying that, as a European beauty brand, our range is cruelty-free. But maybe it doesn’t go without saying, as we hear some of you asking, what about mainland China where current regulation requires even imported European cosmetics to be tested on animals before they can be sold in China?

Well, we do not sell our range in mainland China because of this, and there is no plan to do so until China changes its requirement regarding animal testing. Hopefully consumer pressure in China will bring about change before too long.

The term ‘cosmetics’ in China is considered to be skincare, makeup, perfume, hair care, sun care, nail care, deodorants and whitening products. Strangely enough toothpastes and bars of soap are exempt, and as such they are not required to be tested on animals. So Weleda toothpaste and soaps may be found in China. But rest assured they are still cruelty-free. Cosmetics bought in China via an overseas e-commerce website also avoid the animal testing requirement, so increasingly the Chinese are buying from online stores in Hong Kong and further afield in order to get hold of European green beauty brands.

Today organic foods can be identified at a glance. Packaged foods which meet the EU’s strict requirements for organic cultivation are identified by the EU organic farming logo. This ensures uniform standards for organic farming within the EU.

Our Weleda organic foods meet these strict specifications. All ingredients come from organic / bio-dynamic cultivation or from organic wild harvesting. That’s why our Birch Juice and the Nursing Tea give you a special feeling of pleasure.

• Weleda White Mallow Baby Care products are Certified by the National Eczema Association. This not for profit organisation’s mission is to improve the health and quality of life for individuals with eczema through research, support and education.
• The Seal of Acceptance™ helps individuals recognize products that are suitable for care of eczema or sensitive skin

• Acceptance of a product means that the product has been evaluated to determine that it does not contain ingredients or contents that are known to be unsuitable for use by persons with eczema or sensitive skin conditions.
• The presence of the NEA Seal of Acceptance™ logo will empower consumers to make informed purchase decisions to help manage eczema and sensitive skin.

The products listed below either don’t contain raw materials derived from wheat, oat or other cereals which can contain gluten, or they are classified as harmless for patients with celiac disease according to EC Guideline 2005/26/EC.

This icon is only attached to certain categories because they are either foodstuffs (Elixirs, Juices, Tea) or cosmetics categories which can potentially be ingested during the course of their intended use (Oral Care, Lip Care, Baby Care) but are still suitable for people intolerant to gluten.

• Elixirs: Birch Juice
• Tea: Nursing Tea
• Oral Care: Calendula Toothpaste, Children's Tooth Gel, Plant Gel Toothpaste, Ratanhia Mouthwash, Ratanhia Toothpaste, Salt Toothpaste
• Lip Care: Everon® Lip Balm
• Baby Care:  Calendula Baby Oil, Calendula Baby Oil Fragrance free, Calendula Body Cream, Calendula Body Lotion, Calendula Cream Bath, Calendula Face Cream, Calendula Nappy Change Cream, Calendula Shampoo and Body Wash, Calendula Weather Protection Cream, White Mallow Body Lotion, White Mallow Face Cream, White Mallow Nappy Change Cream

Because these products are produced in the same production chains as the products that do contain gluten, and because our suppliers of raw materials (like vegetable oils) may process these raw materials in the same production chains as raw materials containing gluten, we cannot guarantee that the products are totally free from gluten. But it is improbable that the gluten content will exceed 20 mg/kg, which is the prescribed limit for labeling a foodstuff with the term “gluten-free” (acc. EC regulation 41/2009).

What is homoeopathic medicine?

Homoeopathic medicine, discovered by the physician and pharmacist Dr Samuel Hahnemann, has been used for more than 200 years and is based on the principle of ‘like cures like’ – the symptom picture of an ingredient is matched to the physical, mental and emotional symptoms presented during an illness or disorder. The properties of homoeopathic ingredients are developed by ‘potentising’, a process whereby a very small quantity of a substance undergoes a series of dilution and specialized production steps.

What is a homoeopathic potency?

A homoeopathic potency is the expression of the potency strength and dilution factor of a homoeopathic ingredient, for example ‘6x’ or ‘30c’.
The properties of homoeopathic ingredients are developed by a production method called ‘potentising’, where a substance undergoes a series of dilution and succussion steps. (Succussion: Specialised shaking process or trituration process)
Typical dilution factors used include decimal, 1 in 10, expressed as nX, or centesimal, 1 in 100, expressed as nC. 
As an example, a series of six decimal potentising steps could result in a ‘6x’ homoeopathic potency strength and a final substance concentration of 0.0001%.

Started in the US in 2001, TerraCycle helps to eliminate waste by recycling the nonrecyclable. Terracycle can collect, and recycle, almost any form of waste – from coffee pods to chip bags, Terracycle makes new products out of waste. 

We have partnered with TerraCycle to take back any packaging not accepted in your local recycling and turn it into new products such as park benches and playground equipment.  For more details on our program visit www.weleda.com.au/terracycle 

Products that are marked as vegan don’t contain any raw materials derived from animals.

All Weleda cosmetic products and foods are suitable for vegetarians abstaining from meat and fish.

However, a contact of these products and their raw materials to material of animal origin during the manufacturing process cannot be ruled out entirely.

Products that are not marked as vegan contain raw materials derived from animals like bees wax, and its derivatives, lanolin, goat milk and/or lactose in natural cosmetic products or honey in elixirs.

Weleda products do not contain microplastics and other water-polluting substances often found in beauty products.

While visible microbeads from wash-off products such as scrubs and toothpastes are widely recognised as a culprit of pollution in our oceans, other microscopic plastic particles are used in leave-on products such as makeup or moisturisers for colours or texture improvers. Once washed down the drain they enter our waterways where they don‘t degrade

At a glance, this logo makes it clear for consumers that a product is guaranteed 100% free of microplastic ingredients.

Substances or materials are described as "biodegradable" if they can be broken down into smaller components by natural processes, e.g. bacteria or their enzymes, which then flow back into the earth´s natural life cycle. Before we make a statement about the biodegradability of a product, we have representative formulations tested by an independent institute in accordance with the guidelines of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development). Our Weleda definition: A product labelled as “biodegradable” meets the requirements of ready biodegradability according to OECD.

Depending on the product composition, there are various test procedures for ready biodegradability, named OECD 301 (A-F) / 310. Based on this, we describe, for example, a shower product as “biodegradable” if at least 60% of the product has been degraded after 28 days.

Unfortunately, based on these criteria, it is not possible to conclude from “biodegradable” that the use of a product in outdoor nature is recommended. The OECD defines certain test conditions under which the biodegradability of substances and raw materials is tested. For example, these tests are carried out with sewage sludge (and the bacteria it contains) from a sewage treatment plant at certain temperatures. In natural waters, however, there are other, changing conditions that can influence degradation. Out of respect for nature, we therefore recommend not to use our products in the outdoor nature, even if they are labelled "biodegradable".