Natura is a Brazilian manufacturer and marketer of beauty and personal care products. Founded in 1969 by Luis Seabra, today it is listed on the São Paulo Stock Exchange and is distributing its items to families in 342 countries.
The firm seeks to mobilize broad social networks capable of integrating scientific knowledge and the wisdom of traditional communities, while promoting the sustainable use of botanical biodiversity.
It is estimated that currently, Natura has close to 1.9 million consultants spread across nations such as Argentina, Chile, Colombia, France, Mexico, Peru, the United States, Australia and of course Brazil, among others.
However, this was not always the case, although the idea of entrepreneurship through caring for the community and the environment proliferated from its beginnings. This is the story Of the brand told by Hans WernerGeneral Director of Natura México in an exclusive interview for Alto Nivel.
The nature of Natura: From São Paulo to the world
Luiz Seabra is the one who starts this story. Although he graduated as an economist, in the 1960s he discovered and developed his passion for cosmetology in a small family laboratory in São Paulo, where he was a manager for three years.
Later, in 1969, he founded his company Berjeaut Cosmetics Industry and Trade, which became Natura a few months later. In 1970, he inaugurated the first establishment on Oscar Freire street in São Paulo and it is said that it was he himself who personally attended to his clients.
In the 1970s, Natura began its development through a direct sales model; creates its first catalog with a line of 40 products and also opens the business to the male segment.
By 1980, only 10 years after its foundation, the Brazilian company counted among its numbers 200 employees and more than 2,000 consultants, which gave rise to the idea of internationalization. In this sense, in 1982, Natura arrived in Chile and later to other nations.
In 2005, Natura arrived on Mexican soil and set up shop in a small office in Chapultepec. According to the manager, today there are more than 330,000 consultants throughout the country who are part of this family.
In 2017 the Natura & Co group was born.which to date brings together the three companies now associated: Natura, The Body Shop and since 2020, Avon.
Historically committed to preserving the environment
Since its creation, its development and up to today, the company stands out for its attention to caring for the environment. Thus, in 1984 it became the first company in the world to have rechargeable productssomething that 39 years later continues to do and that has served as an example for many other brands in the sector.
Despite the fact that Natura produces and markets beauty and personal care products, 20 years ago it stopped testing its articles on animals. On the other hand, it should be noted that in 2007 it obtained its first carbon neutral certification.
In the same year, the Brazilian company also became one of the pioneers in offering its clients the so-called Environmental Table. It is a framework inspired by the nutritional table of food products. However, it contains technical data on ingredients, formulas and packaging.
In the last decade, Natura developed its Integrated Profit and Loss protocol (IP&L)in response to the need to promote business decisions related to sustainability.
The IP&L is a true measure of a company’s sustainability that reflects both negative and positive contributions to society while informing corporate strategy and decision-making processes at multiple levels.
At Natura we want to give way to a new economic model that allows us not only to make profits, but also to ensure the return of resources to society and our environment,” the company said in a statement.
Only in 2021, a net impact of the Natura value chain of 3,508 million dollars was obtained. For every 0.19 USD, 0.26 USD were generated in positive socio-environmental impacts, which refers to almost double the total value of sales.
The commitment behind, through and in front of the product
The strength of this company lies in its special attention to each of its areas, always putting its values at the forefront. Each of its products is designed for the well-being and comfort of its customers, something that is reflected in its creation, production and packaging team.
For example, Natura has its own perfumerVerónica Kato, who is in charge of creating the company’s fragrances, taking into account the characteristics of today’s world and the needs of each client.
To create a new perfume, Verónica and the company test nearly 300 prototypes, something that takes them approximately three years. Although it is a difficult task, today the firm manages an extensive line of scents for children, women, men, and in the last year, it also presented its unisex perfume.
Hans refers that in the Natura family the feeling of belonging in all its employees, collaborators, consultants and managers. This is due to business efforts to create a pleasant, comfortable and humane work environment based on horizontality.
Working in Natura is different from any other climate. We celebrate the birthdays of each of our employees; we operate in an environment of trust, respect and flexibility”, says Hans.
The celebration of life: What does the Natura logo mean?
In 2009, the Brazilian turned 40 with a million advisors in the world and from then until now, it has been in charge of expanding internationally under a sense of community, sustainability, quality and humanism.
These adjectives are represented by the company logo: A rosacea flower that represents life and beauty together. According to Hans, the distinctive has been modified to this day in order to be a globally recognizable symbol for all consumers.
Our logo, in part, is also a rose because our founder, Luiz Seabra, gave his customers a rose. This flower has prevailed over time, even when new personnel join our work team, they are given one as a gift”, mentions Hans.
Beyond the catalogue: Natura towards omnichannel
The catalog sales They have represented an employment option for millions of people —mostly women— who need flexible hours, self-management of time and work from home.
For this reason, the Brazilian company developed this sales model in the 1970s. However, it understands the limitations that exist when offering products by catalog: customers cannot try on the items or smell the perfumes, among other reasons, which is why it decided to establish Also physical stores.
In Mexico, six of them are located in the metropolitan area and one in Querétaro. Not with the objective of eliminating the consultants of his firm, but with the intention of boosting the sales of each one of them and bring customers closer to the company’s products and news.
40% of the people who visit us have never tried a Natura product. In this sense, the stores are helping the awareness of the brand; it is an opportunity for them to get to know our categories and sub-brands, but above all, to experiment with the products”, said Hans Werner, General Director of Natura México during the opening of his seventh establishment.
For her part, Carolina Gómez, retail director of Natura México, says that the firm is committed to reaching new consumers through omnichannel, since store sales register an average increase of 10% per month and 40% on commemorative dates.
From body creams and scrubs to perfumes, foundations and hair products, The multinational’s stores have what is necessary for both frequent and first-time customers to come and try the brandbut where are the consultants?
Hans Werner points out a collaborative work between both parties; Natura representatives can take their clients to see the products in person through these seven branches, ideal for those indecisive who cannot smell the fragrances or see what butter it suits them better.
With that, Consultants can attract new customers while also becoming familiar with the products to improve the shopping experience.
The future of the company from the future
ince its birth, Natura has been a pioneer company in several areas of the sector. In 2023, it ranks in the second rung as a direct selling company worldwide. The manager in Mexico plans to reach the first step in the coming years.
We want to continue transforming lives, invest in education in Mexico, continue with our expansion. We dream of being a company with a positive impact and that the entrepreneurs of this team enjoy the company”, he concludes.
By Margith Alcantara Miranda
High level Alto Nivel is the Mexican medium with more than 30 years of stories, content and news on the economy, finance, business and leaders.
