Regeneration

Lush celebrates women every day and are proud to partner with and support women in regenerative agriculture through our buying and giving strategies.

Regenerative movements can offer us vital pathways to support biodiversity, fight climate change, and protect communities across the globe. Regeneration can go a step further than sustainability by taking a holistic approach to solving environmental, social and economic problems; aiming to restore health, wholeness and resilience.

Lush implements regenerative ideology and practices with the aim to ‘leave the world Lusher than we found it’ by aiming to ensure its value chain helps to regenerate ecosystems and communities. Be it through Lush’s sourcing and buying, working with suppliers on the ground through to its giving, supporting grassroots organisations who are making a difference in their community, across the globe.

A number of these organisations that Lush works with are led by women who dedicate their livelihoods using regeneration to restore communities and protect the ecosystems where they live and across the globe. Be they academics, activists, or practitioners the work that they do is integral to protecting and restoring all the planet’s inhabitants.

Ruth Andrade, Lush Regenerative Impact and Earth Care Team

Supporting the task of Lush’s regenerative vision is Ruth Andrade. Originally from Brazil, Ruth grew up in a concrete jungle, amidst high-rise buildings, asphalt and pollution, witnessing first-hand the destruction of the natural environment which prompted an early interest in environmental issues and fuelled a great passion for driving change.

“Women are our lands’ natural caretakers, our life-giving power, determination and caring nature gives us the skills, and also responsibility to regenerate the planet. There are already many brilliant women leading this movement and helping to protect rich, biodiverse ecosystems while transforming our food and raw materials supply networks. However, even though women make up half of the world’s farmers, there are still many gender-specific hurdles like land rights or access to markets. At Lush, we are proud to partner with and support women in regenerative agriculture through our buying and giving strategies.” – Ruth Andrade, Lush Regenerative Impact Coordination & Communication

Ruth is a Trustee and co-founder of Re.Alliance, a collective of practitioners bringing regenerative design to the humanitarian and development sectors; and a co-creator of Regenerosity, an initiative with a mission to flow resources, enable learning and share stories to grow the regenerative movement in partnership with funders and grassroots initiatives.

Ruth also helped to set up Lush’s new Bring it Back scheme, which is paving the way for customers to shop waste-free.

Precious Phiri, Lush Spring Prize Judge

Lush Spring Prize Judge, Precious Phiri is a training and development specialist in regenerative agriculture issues, an educator of Holistic management and a seasoned community organiser from Zimbabwe. She is a founder of EarthWisdom and IGugu Trust in Zimbabwe where she continues to inspire change.

“I live in the beautiful country of Zimbabwe, where I am learning together with rural communities. My work involves creating opportunities for dialogue that leads to regenerative actions.  These communities are on the frontlines of land degradation, poverty and droughts due to weather instabilities. As a facilitator in landscape regeneration, my wildest dream is to spark excitement, hope and action towards what is truly possible!” – Precious Phiri, Lush Spring Prize Judge, Founder of EarthWisdom and IGugu Trust

Precious recently co-authored a miniguide book on how to create whole landscapes and whole communities using regenerative agriculture. This book will be used in the agroecology training series in Southern Africa through a regional partner; Seed and Knowledge Initiative.

Precious is a steering committee member and African Coordinator for Regeneration International. Her work currently focuses on training, network and awareness building on regenerative agriculture and its role in rejuvenating soils, reversing climate change, rebuilding communities and replenishing the fast dilapidating wealth of social values. She is also involved in inspiring policy change in the African continent through regional networks.

Morag Gamble, Permaculture Education Institute Founder

Morag Gamble is a renowned Permaculture educator and founder of the Permaculture Education Institute in Australia. Morag lives on the unceded lands of the Gubbi Gubbi peoples, in a 35-year-old United Nations World Habitat award-winning permaculture ecovillage called Crystal Waters. The Permaculture Education Institute focuses on making Permaculture education accessible, especially aiming to train tomorrow’s Permaculture educators in the Global South. Morag received a grant from the Lush Re:Fund (Regeneration Fund) in 2020.

“I am not the controller or manager, but a collaborator, a participant. I walk and work here with deep respect and love for the community of life that I have become part of. I have learned that permaculture is a beautiful, accessible and inviting way of bringing people together to regenerate landscapes, ecosystems, water systems, soil, food systems, local economies and communities. I absolutely love and thrive living, working and raising a family this way”- Morag Gamble, Permaculture Education Institute Founder

Coral Herencia, Project Director of the Cuidemos Paraísos Foundation

Coral Herencia is the Project Director of Cuidemos Paraísos Foundation, located in Wallmapu ancestral territory, Araucanía region, Chile. Cuidemos Paraísos Foundation was one of the winners in the Intentional category at the Lush Spring Prize 2021. 

“The Palguin Alto forest is a natural paradise, with ancient trees, endemic species, and pure waters that you can drink with both hands. Unfortunately, it is reducing year after year due to the increasing greed of forestry companies, monoculture farming, and the great Climate Crisis. But despite all the challenges that these forests face, they have given us a great lesson: the power of regeneration and resilience. I believe that Regeneration begins from within, it begins by understanding our role in life, by allowing healing within ourselves, and by allowing our beauty and creativity to flourish like a plant”- Coral Herencia, Project Director of the Fundación Cuidemos Paraísos

Fundación Cuidemos Paraísos is an organisation, made up of young people determined to work in balance with nature, that strives to actively collaborate in the recovery of native forests, by raising awareness of the intrinsic natural and cultural wisdom of a territory.

Of all the reforestation projects that exist, only 30% are successful. This is one of the problems that it seeks to solve innovatively and creatively.

Committed to interdisciplinary collaboration for the ecosystem regeneration of the earth, the Foundation proposes to integrate ecological, educational, research projects, and create an innovative method of regeneration of Native Forests, which helps to activate and strengthen new points of biodiversity.

Notes to the Editor

About Lush

Lush invent, manufacture and retails fresh handmade cosmetics.  A beauty company with a campaigning heart, Lush is passionate about direct action and uses its stores around the world as a platform to shed light on little known social and environmental issues. 

Header photo credit: Forest Diversity, captured by the Fundación Cuidemos Paraísos team

Lush Press Office contact details: lushpr@lush.co.uk  / 020 7434 3948