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Business as Unusual
Anita Roddick is one of the world's most outspoken, controversial and successful businesswomen. "Business as Unusual" turns the tables on the way society looks at business and forges a move toward greater corporate responsibility and accountability. The book charts the progress of Anita Roddick and her company, The Body Shop, through the 1990s. She talks openly about the "greed culture" of the 90s, The Body Shop vs. Shell, Trade Not Aid (the pleasures and pitfalls of trading with indigenous communities), taking on the US, creating community both within and outside the workplace, how to campaign for human rights in the business environment and women in business. Ranging from personal issues - such as self-esteem - to wider political issues like the human rights abuses associated with globalization, Roddick offers her own vision for dealing with the demands of ethical business. Roddick believes we should never underestimate the power of the individual to create change.
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First published January 1, 2000
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About the author
Anita Roddick
36 books13 followersDame Anita Roddick, DBE was a British businesswoman, human rights activist and environmental campaigner, best known as the founder of The Body Shop, a cosmetics company producing and retailing natural beauty products that shaped ethical consumerism. The company was one of the first to prohibit the use of ingredients tested on animals and one of the first to promote fair trade with third world countries.
Roddick was involved in activism and campaigning for environmental and social issues, including involvement with Greenpeace and The Big Issue. In 1990, Roddick founded Children on the Edge, a charitable organisation which helps disadvantaged children in eastern Europe and Asia.
Roddick was involved in activism and campaigning for environmental and social issues, including involvement with Greenpeace and The Big Issue. In 1990, Roddick founded Children on the Edge, a charitable organisation which helps disadvantaged children in eastern Europe and Asia.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 4, 2019
This book is written from the heart, which is rare for businesses but Anita Roddick paved the way for all future marketers. She was the pioneer in activism based campaigns long before the likes of Nike with Collin Kapernick or HUL with Clean India initiative. The only difference between her and the corporates is that she did it from her heart and not with an intention to win a golden lion award at Cannes like other corporates.
This book chronicles her journey from the inception to the ups, downs and her side adventures with indigenous groups. She rose from a bed and breakfast owner to the CEO of a multi-million dollar company without any formal business training, the only training was that she followed her gut, her heart and her creativity to create the most ethical brand.
Most businesses are essentially male like a martinet, focus on numbers, organizational structures, ROI oriented but Anita was not like that. She embraced her feminine side with qualities like compassion, camaraderie and creativity she built the rarest creature of all a corporate entity with a heart and a soul.
Reading this book once will not do justice and will visit the book again soon.
This book chronicles her journey from the inception to the ups, downs and her side adventures with indigenous groups. She rose from a bed and breakfast owner to the CEO of a multi-million dollar company without any formal business training, the only training was that she followed her gut, her heart and her creativity to create the most ethical brand.
Most businesses are essentially male like a martinet, focus on numbers, organizational structures, ROI oriented but Anita was not like that. She embraced her feminine side with qualities like compassion, camaraderie and creativity she built the rarest creature of all a corporate entity with a heart and a soul.
Reading this book once will not do justice and will visit the book again soon.
April 18, 2022
Honest, thoughtful, mindful business book that could nearly have been written today. Anita Roddick is an inspiration and ahead of her time. A women we lost to soon, yet the world doesn’t understand half of the impact she had in shaping how we see retail and large corporations today.
A must read for all who enjoy retail, marketing, business and eco-friendly and environmental protection and impact.
A must read for all who enjoy retail, marketing, business and eco-friendly and environmental protection and impact.
June 23, 2021
Absolutely loved it! That it's not a work of fiction adds to it's (the book, the author, the company) depth & character.
October 7, 2025
Inspiring and moving. A band built with heart.
June 30, 2008
An entrepreneur, Anita Roddick tells us about her spirit in this book.
She has been chalenging a lot of typical social images.
According to her, real unique ideas are not accepted by anyone at the first time. Everyone opposes to it and tries to find a faults of that idea. However, as it goes on, some people start to follow or support it. The important thing is that not to stop creating unique idea out of other's opposition.
She was born in a family that was running a restaurant. Therefore, from the early stage of her life, she had a chance to work for the restaurant and she could get a sense of business.
As a woman, she tells us about challenges for stereotype of woman. Nowadays, the working style of woman is one of the biggest controvercial topic in every contry. Through her strategy to treat woman well, we can learn true creative idea.
For example, she settled a baby caring center in her company. In general, it contradicts cost-effect theory. However, because she thinks that ethics is ome of the most important stuff in running business, she doesnt be stingy for it and actually, she is succeeding.
This book tells us that not only people who are greedy for money can be successful in the business world.
She has been chalenging a lot of typical social images.
According to her, real unique ideas are not accepted by anyone at the first time. Everyone opposes to it and tries to find a faults of that idea. However, as it goes on, some people start to follow or support it. The important thing is that not to stop creating unique idea out of other's opposition.
She was born in a family that was running a restaurant. Therefore, from the early stage of her life, she had a chance to work for the restaurant and she could get a sense of business.
As a woman, she tells us about challenges for stereotype of woman. Nowadays, the working style of woman is one of the biggest controvercial topic in every contry. Through her strategy to treat woman well, we can learn true creative idea.
For example, she settled a baby caring center in her company. In general, it contradicts cost-effect theory. However, because she thinks that ethics is ome of the most important stuff in running business, she doesnt be stingy for it and actually, she is succeeding.
This book tells us that not only people who are greedy for money can be successful in the business world.
May 26, 2009
At a time when many companies are trying to be more socially responsible, my thoughts have been turning to Anita Roddick (sadly, no longer with us), who founded the first company of scale to really walk the walk. Not satisfied with mere social responsibility, The Body Shop actually stepped it up a notch by getting politically engaged--and encouraging its customers to, as well--often to harsh criticism and even threats. Roddick was uncompromising in her commitment, and the company culture she created was truly unique.
I expected this book to be a chronicle of The Body Shop's rise, and while Roddick certainly shares plenty of anecdotes, the telling is pretty disjointed. Reading this book was a bit like riding on a wooden rollercoaster. She could have benefited from a good editor.
In the end, Business As Unusual is really more of a raw glimpse into Roddick's psyche, which certainly informed nearly everthing she did at The Body Shop. Specific business examples are punctuated by plenty of soapbox moments, and her preachiness can get a bit distracting (and awfully redundant) at times. But if you want to get to know this extraordinary woman, it's worth a read.
I expected this book to be a chronicle of The Body Shop's rise, and while Roddick certainly shares plenty of anecdotes, the telling is pretty disjointed. Reading this book was a bit like riding on a wooden rollercoaster. She could have benefited from a good editor.
In the end, Business As Unusual is really more of a raw glimpse into Roddick's psyche, which certainly informed nearly everthing she did at The Body Shop. Specific business examples are punctuated by plenty of soapbox moments, and her preachiness can get a bit distracting (and awfully redundant) at times. But if you want to get to know this extraordinary woman, it's worth a read.
September 26, 2012
What an inspiring woman was Anita Roddick. The book took me a while to get into, because the first section is more like a lecture on why ethical business practices are important. However, I am already a convert, so the lecture was unnecessary.
The meat of the book was incredibly interesting. Anita tells the story of how The Body Shop came to be, the growth, the change, the mistakes they made, and the success. It just reaffirms that I will be a Body Shop customer for life. It also makes me want to be more of an activist in those things that inspire anger, outrage, sympathy, and passion in me. I'm not sure what those things might be, but I hope to find it, and to make a small change the way Anita started.
The end of the book felt aimed at people wanting to start their own business, which does not interest me at all. I took some ideas away from the book that I could apply to my own life and role within my company, but most of it wasn't really aimed at me.
Inspiring, heartbreaking because she is gone, and filled with good lessons for any business person. Definitely a must read.
The meat of the book was incredibly interesting. Anita tells the story of how The Body Shop came to be, the growth, the change, the mistakes they made, and the success. It just reaffirms that I will be a Body Shop customer for life. It also makes me want to be more of an activist in those things that inspire anger, outrage, sympathy, and passion in me. I'm not sure what those things might be, but I hope to find it, and to make a small change the way Anita started.
The end of the book felt aimed at people wanting to start their own business, which does not interest me at all. I took some ideas away from the book that I could apply to my own life and role within my company, but most of it wasn't really aimed at me.
Inspiring, heartbreaking because she is gone, and filled with good lessons for any business person. Definitely a must read.
January 4, 2011
One of Cambridge Sustainability's Top 50 Books for Sustainability, as voted for by our alumni network of over 3,000 senior leaders from around the world. To find out more, click here.
Business as Unusual is part autobiography, part business biogrpahy and part manifesto for how business can be an agent for positive change in the world. The book is presented in a highly visual style and is story-driven, with countless interesting anecdotes. Roddick's key message is that, by expanding the role and responsibility of the entrepreneur, as well as the definition of business ethics, the corporate world will be compelled to change. Linked to this is the power of public pressure, with waves of public consciousness steadily forcing coporations to re-evaluate their actions.
Business as Unusual is part autobiography, part business biogrpahy and part manifesto for how business can be an agent for positive change in the world. The book is presented in a highly visual style and is story-driven, with countless interesting anecdotes. Roddick's key message is that, by expanding the role and responsibility of the entrepreneur, as well as the definition of business ethics, the corporate world will be compelled to change. Linked to this is the power of public pressure, with waves of public consciousness steadily forcing coporations to re-evaluate their actions.
June 14, 2008
I met Anita back in 2003. She was a host for a small fund raiser for the nonprofit I ran and I was immediately blown away by her. We sat in a corner and talked for what seemed like hours, but was not nearly long enough. She inspired me to always try to do more.
She had the courage to stand up for her convictions. She has been a hero of mine for a very long time, but to meet her changed everything.
Yes, she made mistakes - and this book talks about those. but she was human and she was embarking on unchartered territory.
Among so many other things she worked tirelessly to raise awareness for the Angola 3. If you do not know of their case, google it. This was not a popular cause but something she knew was important.
I highly recommend this book.
She had the courage to stand up for her convictions. She has been a hero of mine for a very long time, but to meet her changed everything.
Yes, she made mistakes - and this book talks about those. but she was human and she was embarking on unchartered territory.
Among so many other things she worked tirelessly to raise awareness for the Angola 3. If you do not know of their case, google it. This was not a popular cause but something she knew was important.
I highly recommend this book.
July 30, 2011
Wow, Anita Roddick definitly took business to a whole new social and political level. She's definitely a die-hard activist. Although I don't know if I could have that same attitude and boldness, and I didn't agree with everything she wrote about, I have a tremendous amount of respect for her because she stands up tall for what she believes in. I truly hope more and more businesses follow her example and become more socially and environmentally responsible. In fact, some are already moving in that direction, or have been for a while. I don't expect them to be as outspoken as The Body Shop, but I believe that any move in that direction will definitly make a big difference in how the global market affects the world - and any action is better than nothing. Profits with Principles!!!
May 1, 2015
I expected it to be more like Howard Schultz's book on Starbucks, explaining how she started The Body Shop, and her journey. I was also hoping that she would somewhere mention of the Shop from where she took the idea of The Body Shop, but she claims the store as her own idea.
Also, at times the book becomes boring and starts preaching too much about how to do a business being cognizant of community, people, etc. And the fact that Roddick sold off The Body Shop to L'Oreal- the exact type of multinational she had been bashing throughout her book- speaks volumes of her commitment towards community.
Actions speak louder than words.
Also, at times the book becomes boring and starts preaching too much about how to do a business being cognizant of community, people, etc. And the fact that Roddick sold off The Body Shop to L'Oreal- the exact type of multinational she had been bashing throughout her book- speaks volumes of her commitment towards community.
Actions speak louder than words.
January 27, 2010
Anita Roddick created a business model for the new millennium. We need more entrepreneurs just like her, who are audacious enough to insist on earth-friendly, "cradle to cradle" manufacturing processes that protect our environment, who altruistically create other businesses in that same realm, and who care fiercely about value and purity of product. This is her story, including the clear-eyed observation of how she had to get out of her own way. I wish she was still with us.
January 24, 2008
Girls - you want a role model in business? Want a role model for innovation and managment ideals?
READ! Then gab among your friends. The ideas she implemented were successes and flops. Worth a million words of discussion.
READ! Then gab among your friends. The ideas she implemented were successes and flops. Worth a million words of discussion.
March 23, 2008
Great book from a very passionate and incredible person. You'll learn how sometimes business isnt planned and the way things end up are just fate. The Body Shop is a great company and it's a sad thing that Anita is no longer with us but she left an incredible legacy.
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September 14, 2007After Roddick's death earlier this week, it is definitely a good time to re-visit this book.
May 19, 2008
LOVED this book... she was a genius.. combining commercial success with heart and soul. The perfect recipe for integrity in a world where it's not so easy to find!
August 15, 2008
"The moral entrepreneur." She had courage, purpose, wisdom, foresight, and community spirit. A pleasure to read.
August 27, 2008
This book led me to be the entrepreneur, leader and mentor that I am today...a must read! Especially for all you TBSAH consultants out there!
June 9, 2012
An inspiring read!
October 1, 2012
I return to this book to understand why anyone is crazy enough to be an entrepreneur. You can make a difference, change, impact by the power of your purchase. A must read.
January 21, 2008
Money and respect go together well!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews