Weleda: A Pioneer Turns 100

IRVINGTON, N.Y., Jan. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Weleda AG is celebrating one hundred years of success as one of the world's leading manufacturers of certified natural cosmetics and Anthroposophic medicines. As a pioneer in sustainable business practices, Weleda is strengthening its commitment to healthy soils and the preservation of biodiversity in 2021.

In 1921, Austrian philosopher Dr. Rudolf Steiner, Dutch doctor Ita Wegman (one of Europe's first Female medical doctors) and German chemist and pharmacist Oskar Schmiedel collaborated with a small and enthusiastic team of scientists to create the first synergistic products orchestrated to reconnect the body with its natural rhythms.  Since the very beginning, taking responsibility for people, society and nature has been a core value of the business. 

"We are proud to be part of an organization that pioneered some of the most innovative best practices in agriculture which have and continue to positively impact the sustainability of people and planet.  To this day, our efforts to lead by example in sustainability, biodiversity, biodynamic and regenerative agriculture, and fair trade, permeate every aspect of our business," said Rob Keen, CEO of Weleda NA. 

Sustainable for 100 years

Conducting business in harmony with nature and people has been Weleda's trailblazing approach for 100 years. Weleda's ethical business principles have been recognized with numerous awards globally including the German Sustainability Award, the Swiss Ethics Award and the Green Brand Award 2020. The company processes several hundred raw plant materials, which are cultivated in the company's eight biodynamic  plant gardens or sourced from more than 50 long-term raw materials partnerships around the world. Weleda places great importance on ensuring that its supply chains are both environmentally and socially sustainable. Since 2011, Weleda has been a member of the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) and in 2018 became one of the first companies worldwide to bear the UEBT label "Sourcing with Respect". UEBT offers a globally recognized certification system ensuring the ethical sourcing of natural ingredients. The label guarantees that the cultivation, harvesting and processing of raw materials conserve biodiversity and make sustainable use of natural resources. It also requires that companies respect human rights and ensure fair working conditions for everyone in the supply chain.

Our Gardens: Experience biodiversity hotspots online

Weleda cultivates its eight plant gardens around the world according to the guidelines of biodynamic agriculture. These gardens are at the heart of its operations. With the global decline of biodiversity and around 10 million hectares of arable land lost every year, Weleda gardens are a hotspot of biodiversity with an abundance of animal and plant species. Around six billion organisms live in a single handful of biodynamic soil.  In 2021, Weleda will open its gardens to the world. The digital platform "Weleda Open Garden" delivers authentic, relevant and shareable content, including special features such as 3D visualizations and augmented reality (AR).

Take a journey to the Weleda Garden here: https://opengarden.weleda.com.

About WELEDA AG

Weleda AG Arlesheim is a public limited company with headquarters in Arlesheim near Basel (Switzerland) and a branch office in Schwäbisch Gmünd (Germany). In addition, the international Weleda Group consists of 20 companies worldwide and currently employs around 2,500 people. Weleda is represented in around 50 countries and is the world's leading manufacturer of certified and natural cosmetics and Anthroposophic medicines.

More Weleda facts

• 100% of Weleda's products are certified natural cosmetics by NATRUE
• UEBT certified – Weleda is one of the two leading cosmetic brands worldwide to receive the new UEBT certification "Sourcing with Respect"
• 81% of all botanicals from come from organic farming
• Raw materials for Weleda are cultivated on around 248 square kilometres worldwide – the equivalent of 35,000 soccer fields
• Weleda has the largest medicinal plant garden in Europe – home to over 1,000 different plant species, around 50 different bird species and more than 30 different species of wild bees on 23 hectares
• Over 120 plants are used, picked and processed into tinctures for Weleda products
• Weleda maintains more than 50 long-term farming partnerships throughout the world
• Weleda production facilities in Switzerland, Germany and France use 100% renewable energy. For the other branches of the Weleda Group, the share amounts to 91%.
• 98% of the waste generated during production is reused
• Weleda aligns its sustainability goals with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals published in 2015

More information on this can be found at www.weleda.com and in the Annual and Sustainability Report.

SOURCE WELEDA North America