The Body Shop in Malaysia has since 2000 campaigned actively with the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) to Stop Violence Against Women. In 2008, its campaign focused on the often hushed up issue of domestic violence, calling it Break Up the Silence on Domestic Violence: Talk to a Friend.
Through the campaign, the beauty and skincare company with a conscience hoped to create widespread awareness of violence against women and communicate friendship as a means to assist victims of domestic violence.
The campaign was launched in all 54 The Body Shop stores in West Malaysia on August 8, 2008, in conjunction with World Friendship Day. The company dedicated a campaign station in every store to promote and sell a limited edition Shea Lip Care Duo, proceeds from which went towards setting up a WAO shelter where victims of domestic violence can stay and receive counseling. Educational material was distributed such as a duo-language broadsheets containing information on:
• statistics on domestic violence in Malaysia
• signs indicating someone has experienced domestic violence
• how friends can help
• understanding why and how domestic violence happens
• how the Domestic Violence Act can help and what a survivor can do
The campaign collected a total of RM35,924, which was channeled to WAO.
The Prime Minister’s CSR Awards, launched by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development in 2007, aims to recognise companies that have made a difference to the communities in which they operate through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes. Download the Official Entry Form.
