YVES ROCHER: 50 YEARS OF LOVE
YVES ROCHER
50 YEARS OF LOVE
I believe in my love of nature,
and then in a certain entrepreneurial
spirit, and finally, why not, in the
tenacity of the people of Brittany.
- Yves Rocher
EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED,
NOTHING HAS CHANGED
In 1959, when the population of his village was shrinking, my
grandfather, Yves Rocher, had but one obsession: stopping this.
And so, from his attic laboratory, he set out to create his company,
a company focused on nature and the beauty of women.
That was 50 years ago. Since then, everything has changed and
nothing has changed. The values have remained the same, the
convictions have remained the same. With much passion and
patience, the Yves Rocher Brand has been building bonds of love,
respect and loyalty. A bond with its home village of La Gacilly
in the Brittany region of France, a bond with plants, so fragile
and precious, and of course, and above all, a bond with women.
This is why the Yves Rocher Brand has carved out such a special place
for itself in the world of cosmetics. This is why I love this Brand. This
is why I am proud to be cultivating its values, values that are so dear
to my grandfather’s heart. This is why I am happy to see the story of
the Yves Rocher Brand continue to be written with each passing day!
Bris Rocher
CEO & Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Group Yves Rocher
The Yves Rocher Brand was born of the vision of one man who
believed in plant-based beauty care and in the democratization of
beauty for all women. These two convictions lead to the creation
of Botanical Beauty. In addition, as Harvester, Manufacturer and
Distributor, a unique position in our industry, Yves Rocher then
went on to invent another type of beauty. A beauty that was
closer to women, a beauty that was more modern than ever, a
beauty that has already captivated 30 million women around the
world and that continues to captivate new women every day by
remaining accessible.
Stéphane Bianchi
CEO of the Group Yves Rocher
CEO of the Brand Yves Rocher
At Yves Rocher, Sustainable Development is a family principle.
It runs in our veins, like sap in a tree. For us, nature is not a
concept. It’s our way of living and of viewing life. We respect nature
because we live with it. And we will continue, continue to do what
we have always done: making women beautiful, while keeping
the planet beautiful. This has been our commitment for 50 years.
Jacques Rocher
President, Yves Rocher Foundation - Institut de France
Being beautiful. For yourself. To feel good.
For 50 years, Yves Rocher has been helping women achieve all their beauty desires.
50 YEARS OF LOVE
FOR A VILLAGE, LA GACILLY
One day, La Gacilly will be well-known and prosperous.
I swear it. And you shall be the witnesses.
- Yves Rocher
- From the attic of his family home to 300 million products
- distributed around the world, Mr. Yves Rocher has always kept his
- village in mind. And in his heart. La Gacilly, the roots of the future.
BRITTANY
It was in 1959, in his home town of La Gacilly in the
Brittany region of France, that Mr. Yves Rocher made
- his first plant-based beauty products.
For Mr. Yves Rocher, selling his products by mail order was the best way to
remain loyal to his village. By creating his company in his home town, he
ensured that his place of birth would benefit from his growth and success.
Today, the Brand can be found all around the world. Carried away by such
success, it could have easily cut itself off from its past. But it did the exact
- opposite.
The Brand cultivates its truth with determination. With simplicity. Proclaiming
one’s Breton origins in a world governed by globalization, displaying one’s
rural roots in an industry dominated by world-wide markets is a challenging
act of courage that makes the Yves Rocher Brand such a singular archetype
- in the industry.
ONE BRAND,
ALL OPERATIONS
Yves Rocher is a one-of-a-kind Brand that has chosen to master every
aspect of its operations: agriculture, botanical and scientific research on
plants, developing innovative active ingredients, formulas, supplying raw
materials, manufacturing, packaging, shipping and distribution around the
world. A Brand that, through loyalty to its roots, has made the decision to
concentrate the essential aspects of its operations in La Gacilly, its historical
- cradle and the home town of its founder.
Arriving at Yves Rocher in La Gacilly, one is impressed by industrial sites
that look like no other, sites surrounded by colourful, moving fields as far as
the eye can see. These 44 hectares of Organic flowers and plants meet one
third of the botanical needs of the products manufactured by Yves Rocher
every year. The Organic Chamomile of Pure Calmille, the Organic Arnica
of the Arnica Essentiel line, the Organic Nasturtium and the Organic
Calendula of the Culture Bio line are all there, right before our very eyes.
This is how, over the years, Yves Rocher has become one of the major
players of Organic Agriculture in the cosmetics industry. As for its Botanical
Garden, located across from the Croix des Archers manufacturing centre,
it’s a veritable botanical conservatory that classifies, studies and preserves
- more than 1,000 plant species.
Today still, and despite the Brand’s continued growth, 90% of the products
for the entire world are manufactured in Brittany. Which, directly and
indirectly, helps create 10,000 jobs and amply meets Mr. Yves Rocher’s
initial objective of saving his village. Production is carried out in the three
Breton plants located within 30 km of each other: La Gacilly for hygiene
and skin care, Rieux for make-up, and Plöermel for fragrances. Models of
management, these three plants have received the following certifications:
ISO 9001 Quality, ISO 14001 Environment and SAS 18001 Occupational
Health and Safety. The Plöermel plant is unique in that it is also a bird
refuge that has received the Ligue Protectrice des Oiseaux label (a French
- bird protection league label).
It’s also in La Gacilly that the deliveries for all our distribution channels are
prepared:
• 4,000 points of sale around the world, 550 of which are in France.
• 200 million mailings sent per year and translated into 16 different languages.
• 80 million visits per year to our websites.
• 6 million catalogues for direct sales.
• 10 million “Green Books” translated into 20 languages, including Braille.
Thus, 300 million products leave this village each year and are distributed
- throughout the world.
PEOPLE & NATURE FESTIVAL
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PHOTO GALLERY IN THE WORLD
From the first weekend in June to the last weekend in September, La Gacilly is decked
out in photos and the heart of Brittany beats to the pulse of the planet. The world of
photography meets in the streets of the village each year to display powerful and touching
images that make us reflect and dream. Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Sebastiao Salgado and
Niels Udo all wanted to become part of this initiative and exhibit their most beautiful
photographs blown up for this ephemeral photo gallery. The Yves Rocher Brand is
a partner of this outdoor photo festival that has been drawing photographers from
around the world for the past 7 years. This major event presents a different take on the
- ties between Nature and Mankind. www.festivalphoto-lagacilly.
- La Grée des Landes
- Éco-Hôtel Spa Yves Rocher
TOGETHER AT LAST
We needed a place for the Yves Rocher Brand. A place that
embodied, without compromise, the convictions it has
held from the start. A generous place that shows everyone
that it is possible to be environmentally conscious and
to believe in sustainable development, while bringing a
smile to women’s faces and creating a sense of well-being,
lightness and joy. This place, well, we just had to create
it in La Gacilly. Welcome to La Grée des Landes, living
proof that with some great new ideas, ecology and bliss
- can indeed go hand in hand. www.lagreedeslandes.com
Because it’s easier to recharge your batteries in the heart of nature,
La Grée des Landes is the new art of experiencing nature. More than just a
hotel, La Grée des Landes is twenty-nine comfortable ground-level rooms
with patios, nestled amongst the trees. It’s a simple decor that makes you
- feel good. It’s the joy of reconciling yourself with nature.
Nestled amongst the trees, the Botanical Beauty Spa is a place of
incomparable well-being: relaxation pool, hammam, treatment rooms,
lounge chairs, soft music and, of course, nature as far as the eye can see.
In keeping with its principles, the Spa offers the first three spa treatments
- ever to be Ecocert-certified.
Eating healthy, rediscovering the taste of good things, discovering new
flavours. The seasonal menu at Les Jardins Sauvages restaurant is updated
every two months, and there’s a new menu every day. Fresh, local produce,
90% of which is Organically grown, makes for fine dining that is rich in
- gourmet flavours and authentic aromas.
With 52 species of wild flowers, more than 60 species of trees and shrubs,
40 species of birds and 19 species of butterflies, La Grée des Landes is
a veritable cornucopia of precious flora and fauna. A genuine ecosystem
that the Yves Rocher Brand has committed to preserving, managing and
promoting. An initiative that has earned it the “Refuge Ligue Protectrice des
Oiseaux” label and the “Refuge Papillons” label (French “bird protection
- league refuge” and “butterfly refuge” labels).
In the park, two sculptures, L’oiseau de bronze by Frans Krajcberg and
Les arbres brûlés by Philippe Pastor, stand militantly against deforestation.
Inside, the photographs of Pierre de Vallombreuse, Jean-Noël Reichel and
- Patrick Wallet put the spotlight on the solidarity and fragility of people.
50 YEARS OF LOVE
- FOR A VILLAGE, LA GACILLY
Attic
In the attic of the house where he was born, Mr. Yves Rocher
makes and markets the first cream using the Lesser
Celandine plant. Quickly feeling cramped for space,
he builds the first manufacturing centre in La Gacilly.
1962
Politics
Mr. Yves Rocher becomes Mayor of La Gacilly and
remains so for 40 years. His son, Jacques, takes over for
him in 2008.
1969
Manufacturer
Construction of the La Croix des Archers industrial site,
then the plant in Rieux in 1979 dedicated to make-up,
then the Plöermel plant in 1982 dedicated to fragrances,
and lastly, in 1991, the Villes Geffs for hygiene and skin
care. This last plant was designed from an environmental
viewpoint: no land reparcelling, perfectly incorporated
into the countryside, integrated wastewater treatment
plant... Today, these plants create more than 10,000
direct and indirect jobs in Brittany.
1972
Artists
Mr. Yves Rocher and the Municipal Council place an ad
in the newspaper, Ouest France, asking artisans to set up
shop in La Gacilly for free and practice their craft. Today,
some thirty artisans promote their craft in the heart of
the village.
1975
©
Botany
Creation of the Botanical Garden. Filled with more than
a thousand species, the Botanical Garden is dedicated
to preserving and studying plant biodiversity and to
educating the public. It is located in the centre of the
Brand’s 44 hectares of Organic flower fields.
©
1992
Award
The Ministry of the Environment designates La Gacilly
as an “eco-township.”
1998
Museum
Inauguration of the Végétarium, the first museum in
Europe dedicated entirely to discovering the plant world,
and created with the Muséum National d’Histoire
Naturelle (French national museum of natural history).
©
2002
Logistics
Construction of the international logistics platform, which
handles 300 million products distributed throughout the
entire world each year. Implementation of double trailer
or tadem trucks, which has allowed Yves Rocher to save
1.6 million kilometres, i.e. more than 40 times around
the world.
2003
Festival
Creation of the People and Nature Photo Festival, which
has become the largest outdoor photo festival in Europe
with more than 220,000 visitors in 2009.
2009
Eco-Spa Hotel
Opening of the Eco-Spa Hotel, La Grée des Landes,
with its European Ecolabel and HQE certification, on a
10-hectare site. This is the first spa to offer certified-Organic
beauty treatments.
©
50 YEARS OF LOVE FOR NATURE
We have a supreme duty to our children,
to our grandchildren and to future generations
to leave the earth as we found it.
-Yves Rocher
50 YEARS OF LOVE
FOR NATURE
Way before modern cosmetics turned its attention
towards plants, Mr. Yves Rocher was already designating
the plant world as his only horizon. 50 years of experience
creates an irreplaceable amount of know-how. Today,
Yves Rocher still has the advantage of having been
the first. With active molecules and pure formulas,
Botanical Beauty is a craft. The craft of Yves Rocher.
WHAT IS
BOTANICAL
BEAUTY?
Botanical Beauty is the very foundation of the Yves Rocher
Brand. It’s a contract between Yves Rocher and the plant
world and between Yves Rocher and women, a contract
based on respect for and closeness to women. It’s a
unique and incomparable beauty that gets its strengths and
convictions, its reason for living, and its inspiration from
plants. Botanical Beauty is not only different, it also provides
more. More safety, more quality, more effectiveness, more
serenity. This is how the plant world keeps all of its promises
and ensures more life, more emotion, more respect for
every woman.
MORE LIFE, being beautiful
Botanical Beauty is living beauty that uses the regenerative
power of plants, that mobilizes their energy, their resistance
and their longevity to shape the beauty, youth and wellbeing
of women. It draws on the indestructible life force of
plants, a life force that helps them germinate, resist, adapt
and then germinate again in a never-ending cycle of life.
MORE EMOTION, feeling good
Botanical Beauty is a generous beauty that conveys sensations:
colours, textures, scents. It transports you through time, across
cultures and around the world. It knows how to release intact the
sensory powers of a generous plant world, of nature more real
than real, filled with vibrant colours, gourmet flavours and heady
scents. Botanical Beauty is pleasure and sensuality, simple and true.
MORE RESPECT, being sure
Botanical Beauty is ethical beauty, accessible beauty that
respects women, their lives and their personalities, that respects
all things living, the earth and the planet. The plant world
is alive. The better we know it, the better we understand it.
Botanical Beauty tests* the safety of each ingredient and
validates the effectiveness of each formula. It’s then and only
then that a product is considered reliable. Reliable in terms
of quality. Reliable in terms of safety. Reliable in terms of
tolerance. Reliable in terms of effectiveness.
* Yves Rocher does not test its products or their ingredients on animals.
50 YEARS
OF CREATING
AND RESEARCHING
BOTANICAL
BEAUTY
Plants have been at the heart of Yves Rocher
for 50 years. At the heart of all its formulas,
at the heart of its research.
THE POWER OF PLANTS FOR YOUR SKIN
A rarity in the world of cosmetics, Yves Rocher carries out its basic research in its own
Botanical Beauty laboratories. Our mission? Discovering, isolating and revealing the
powers of plants.
FOR YOUR SKIN CARE
Twenty teams from every discipline
dedicate their time and talents to skin
care. Each year, close to 30 new botanical
active ingredients are developed and
tested. Since 1959, more than 50 patent
families have been filed. It was here
that Rice Inositol revealed its effects
on cellular respiration for the first time.
Here, that Apple Oligosides demonstrated
their incredible rejuvenating properties,
making Sérum Végétal one of the most
popular anti-aging products in the world
for the past 10 years, with one product
purchased every 3 seconds.
FOR YOUR MAKE-UP
The plant world is a model of creation and
emotion. Rich in unusual tones and original colours,
it offers an infinite number of exuberant effects.
Couleurs Nature is the first make-up line that owes
everything to the plant world: the opulence of its
reflections, the abundance of its hues, the quality
of its textures. Endlessly inspired by nature, the first
Botanical Colour Chart provides every woman with
the make-up she wants, from the most classic to
the most extravagant.
FOR YOUR
FRAGRANCES
The plant world is a magnificent and
endless source of scented pleasures,
which expresses its truth in living, radiant
products. Created by the most talented
perfumers (Annick Ménardo, Jacques
Cavallier, Christine Nagel, Olivier Pescheux,
Olivier Cresp…) and made from natural
raw materials, perfumes draw their most
definite intonations from the purest plants.
50 YEARS
OF ETHICS
AND COSMETICS
Involved in the entire life cycle of its products,
the Yves Rocher Brand is in a position to curb
its environmental footprint and it gives itself
the means to do so each and every day.
WORK FROM THE HEART
Actively protecting nature means using the richness of the plant world while ensuring that,
when we use a species, we are not threatening the plant, its future or its environment.
These demanding commitments have been formalized in the Yves Rocher Plant Charter.
And when it comes to packaging, Yves Rocher applies the 3R rule: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
The following are concrete steps Yves Rocher has taken in its commitment to nature:
eliminating over-packaging, printing instructions on the back of containers instead of on a
separate piece of paper, saving close to 30 tonnes of plastic simply by creating the Inositol
Végétal refills, and using recycled plastic in its bottles. In addition, at the distribution stage,
Yves Rocher is rethinking and streamlining the transportation methods used to distribute
the 30 million or so packages delivered each year. That is why, everyday, at every stage of
the process, from the plant to the skin of millions of women, we ask ourselves how we can
do more and do better for nature. And then find out how.
HEART OF OUR WORK
Preserving biodiversity has been part of Yves Rocher’s culture and actions for the past
50 years now. Through green acts in the areas of packaging, merchandising and commercial
activities dedicated to the environment, Yves Rocher is seeking to bring nature into the
bathrooms of millions of women. With a simple, positive position. When the Yves Rocher
Brand involves itself in plant biodiversity for its products, it doesn’t just mean passively
protecting biodiversity, it means actively promoting it. This is the heart of our work.
©
50 YEARS OF LOVE
FOR NATURE
1959
Lesser Celandine
First cream made with Lesser Celandine and first patent
filed. In 2010, Lesser Celandine becomes a key active
ingredient in the Soin Végétal Corps line.
1972
Young Friends
First Congrès National des Jeunes Amis des Animaux
et de la Nature (national youth, friends of animals and
nature conference) in La Gacilly with the participation of
1,500 young people. Jacques Rocher, a teenager at that
time, becomes friends with the young Allain Bougrain-
Dubourg, future president of the Ligue de Protection des
Oiseaux (French bird protection league).
1988
Environment
Creation of the Sustainable Development Department
headed by Jacques Rocher. The Yves Rocher manufacturing
facilities commit to working towards a zero waste
objective. Elimination of greenhouse gases in aerosol
products, replaced by pure air propulsion products
almost 6 years before they were banned worldwide.
1989
Animals
First European cosmetics company to no longer test its
finished products on animals. In 1992, Gold Medal from
the SPCA (called SPA in France) for its continuous efforts
in favour of animals. Yves Rocher also makes the One
Voice list. One Voice is a leading animal rights organization
in France working to eliminate animal suffering.
1991
Foundation
- Creation of the Yves Rocher Foundation for the protection
of nature, which is placed under the aegis of the Institut de
France in 2001.
- Creation of an environmental balance sheet for emblematic
products and commitments made: biodegradable foaming
formulas, lighter bottles and creation of refills.
1992
Rio
- Jacques Rocher takes part in the Earth Summit in Rio.
He brings a petition signed by more than 200,000
clients to save the tropical rainforests.
- First ethno-botanical mission in search of new botanical
active ingredients. Since then, our research teams have
gone to Amazonia, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, India,
Bhutan, and so on….
1993
Eco-refills
Launch of the first Hamamélis shampoo eco-refill:
75% reduction in packaging. Other skin care products
follow in 1996. Every year, Yves Rocher sells 2.8 million
refills around the world: a simple gesture for our planet.
1995
Preservation
Launch of initiative to preserve Arnica Montana, a
medicinal plant from the Black Forest in Germany.
Replaced by Arnica Chamissonis in the best-selling hand
care line, Arnica Essentiel, grown Organically in La Gacilly.
- Discovery of the filtering properties of Aphloia from
Madagascar, which becomes the key active ingredient in
the Protectyl Végétal sun care line and the symbol of a
sustainable partnership with the Madagascan plant industry.
1996
Trophy
Environmental company trophy from the Ministry of the
Environment, awarded for environmental commitments at
all Yves Rocher production sites, particularly implementation
of ISO 14001 (for the environment).
1997
Organic Agriculture
Ecocert certification for the 44 hectares of fields in La Gacilly
based on extremely strict Organic agriculture specifications.
- Patents on Shiitake, Gum Arabic and Apple Oligosides,
which give rise to the Sérum Végétal line.
2006
Plastic Bags
Elimination of plastic bags in our stores and the launch
of the reusable shopping bag help save 200 tonnes of
plastic per year. Continuing our in-store environmental
initiatives, two years afterwards, the Brand creates the
rewritable loyalty card in Europe.
2007
Plant for the Planet
- Commitment to plant 1 million trees under the United
Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Billion Tree
Campaign. Objective revised upwards with 7 millions
trees already planted at the start of 2010, and 50 million
in the next 5 years.
- A Carbon Balance Sheet™ for all our Harvesting,
Manufacturing and Distributing operations in France.
The Brand commits to decreasing its CO2 emissions by 10%
by the year 2010.
2000
Research
Discovery of plant DNA in wheat germ extracts and launch
of the ADN Végétal skin care line.<
2001
Women of the Earth
First edition of the Women of the Earth Awards by the
Yves Rocher Foundation - Institut de France.
2005
Patents
Patent on the properties of Green Coffee extract, which
is at the heart of the slimming line. The Brand strongly
asserts itself as No. 1 in slimming and firming lines in France.
- Patent filed for Rice Inositol and honourable mention for ecodesign
from the ADEME (French Agency for Environment and
Energy Management) for the Inositol Végétal skin care line.
2008
Culture Bio
Launch of Culture Bio, the first skin care line certified by
Écocert-Cosmébio, made with 19 Organic plants. Culture
Bio is also an eco-designed and carbon offset line.
Organic at Yves Rocher means going to the utmost limit
of commitment to the planet.
2009
Eco-Label
For the first time in the French marketplace, launch
of a shampoo bearing the European eco-label. And for
each shampoo purchased, one tree is planted.
FOR ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY,
YVES ROCHER
IS GIVING THE PLANET
50 MILLION TREES
Nairobi, June 2007. Jacques Rocher, President of the Yves Rocher Foundation – Institut de France
meets Wangari Maathaï, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner and sponsor of UNEP*’s “Plant for
the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, and a woman whom Jacques Rocher describes as having a
contagious energy.
Jacques then commits to planting 1 million trees by the end of 2009. An adventure that he very
quickly shared with the clients and partners of the Yves Rocher Brand. The mobilization was a success!
At the dawn of 2010, 7 million trees have already been planted in some ten countries around the
world: India, Brazil, Senegal, Ethiopia, etc.
* United Nations Environment Programme
2010: Yves Rocher turns 50. 50 years of love for the plant world. Of love for the
La Gacilly countryside. Of love for women. 50 years of commitment to all things living.
50 years of love for the planet. In honour of its 50th anniversary, the Yves Rocher
Brand has decided to celebrate by strengthening its commitment to UNEP*: planting
50 million trees over the next 5 years.
50 MILLION TREES:
ONE OBJECTIVE
FOR THE FUTURE.
2010 is also the International Year of Biodiversity,
whose fragility we are aware of today. There’s
only one thing to do: take action to protect it.
Together and right now. Yves Rocher is re-affirming
its commitment to nature and is giving its clients
and partners more ways to take participate.
In fact, with Plant for the Planet, Yves Rocher is
issuing an unprecedented call to action to defend
biodiversity.
50 years – 50 million trees. As part of its contribution to the “Plant for the Planet”
initiative, and after having already planted 7 million trees at the dawn of 2010,
the Yves Rocher Brand is making a strong commitment for its 50th anniversary:
planting 50 million trees across the globe over the next 5 years. An act of
activism in keeping with the initiative of the Yves Rocher Foundation - Institut
de France, chaired by Jacques Rocher.
Mata Atlantica (BRAZIL)
NGO PARTNER: Instituto Terra
In Brazil, together with the Instituto Terra
founded by humanist photographer
Sebastiao Salgado, we are replanting
70,000 trees, and up to 240 different
species, to help reconstitute the Atlantic
Forest, the “Mata Atlantica."
Tree cutting and intensive animal
husbandry have changed the landscape
and the soil, and have unfortunately
largely contributed to the loss of
biodiversity. When you know that this
tropical region is one of the 25 richest
regions in the world in terms of
biodiversity, reforesting it is a challenge
that is as crazy as it is absolutely vital.
Casamance (SENEGAL)
NGO PARTNER: Océanium
In Casamance, Senegal, with the NGO
Océanium, we are planting 5 million
mangrove trees to rehabilitate the
mangrove forest, an ecosystem that is
a treasure trove of biodiversity. In fact,
mangrove forests provide a habitat for
crabs, crustaceans and fish. And for
the birds that are slowly repopulating
the coastline, it provides fruit and
seeds. It also forms a natural barrier
to the sea salt that was burning the
rice paddies. We now understand that
this environment is absolutely vital to
the local communities that live directly
off of all these natural resources.
Tamil Nadu (INDIA)
NGO PARTNER: Isha Foundation
In India, we are supporting the Isha Foundation’s “Green Hands”
project by planting 1 million trees in the Tamil Nadu region. Today,
this region is gravely threatened by desertification. Planting trees will
help keep the water in the ground (thus improving its quality) and
improve agricultural production in the surrounding areas. Mango,
Jackfruit, Marmalade and Coconut trees are just some of the trees that
are helping to restore the forest cover so vital to the local populations
today, be it for food or economic development.
Tigray region (ETHIOPIA)
NGO PARTNER: Green Ethiopia
Together with the Green Ethiopia Foundation, we are planting 210,000 trees in the Tigray region of
Ethiopia. In order to deal with prevailing hunger, massive forests were burned down in this region
to make room for agriculture. We now know the disastrous consequences of this so-called “slashand-
burn agriculture” technique: a high rate of soil erosion and depletion, and rampant drought that
makes the soil unfit for agriculture. Replanting trees and setting up an efficient irrigation system will
go a long way towards creating a sustainable ecosystem: water retention, a return of biodiversity
and clearly improved soil quality.
50 YEARS OF LOVE
FOR THE BEAUTY OF WOMEN
Every client is a queen and must be considered as such
-Yves Rocher
50 YEARS OF LOVE
FOR THE BEAUTY OF WOMEN
Yves Rocher loves women. Through its proximity
and respect for women it offers protection and
comfort. Far from stereotypes, free of prejudices, the
Yves Rocher Brand sees itself as the natural ally of all
women, of all types of beauty. All around the world.
FOR ALL
WOMEN
I am beautiful , you are
beautiful , she is …
In 1959, Yves Rocher chose to be a champion of women.
According to him, beauty has many faces. For him, beauty has
no age. A man of conviction, he is ready to take up any challenge
to prove this. Born of this desire, the Yves Rocher Brand supports
every woman in every aspect of her beauty. It proposes a living,
changing, individual beauty. Far from all decrees or imposed
models, beauty is a way of being and a way of loving oneself.
DEMOCRATIZING BEAUTY
In France, 170 products for under 5 euros, 60 lipstick
shades for under 8 euros and affordable perfumes despite
raw material costs that are among the highest in the market.
After all, the effectiveness of a cream is seen on the face,
not on the label!
The concept of democratizing beauty is still relevant today in
countries where buying power is debatable. Internationally,
the Brand is making it its duty to provide “Made in France”
products at great prices. And making these prices even
more attractive through customized offers.
THE RIGHT
TO BEAUTY
The Yves Rocher Brand has always been guided by one conviction: all women all
around the world have the right to beauty. This is why Yves Rocher makes it a rule
to provide top-quality products at low costs. By dispensing with intermediaries,
by directly taking care of everything from harvesting to distribution, by limiting
packaging costs and by not using any icons in its advertising, the Brand has been
scrupulously following its own rule for the past 50 years.
Yves Rocher loves and understands women, and supports their beauty with all the
richness of nature. And women know this. This is why, each year, the world over,
more than 30 million women choose, buy and use Yves Rocher products, bearing
witness to their attachment to the Brand. In France, one out of every three women
is an Yves Rocher customer*. Today, 30 million women in 80 different countries
have put their trust in the Brand.
EVERYWHERE
* Accessible to the greatest number of women, the Yves Rocher Brand is open and available. In order to be closer to its clients, Yves Rocher
has always designed its distribution network to meet the expectations of women. Of all women. Today, it manages to reconcile the paradox
of being wide open to the world while staying close to every woman, of meeting the global challenge and preserving its privileged bond
with each client.
BUYING AT HOME WAY BEFORE
THE INTERNET
In 1959, beauty products were reserved for the elite and not all women
could get perfumes easily. To make life easier for these women and to
give every woman direct access to beauty, Yves Rocher came to them with
what was then a groundbreaking sales channel in the world of cosmetics:
catalogue and mail-order retailing. Today, more than 10 million copies
of the Green Book of Beauty are distributed each year in 20 different
languages, not to mention the Braille version created in partnership with
the HandicapZéro association.
EVERY WOMAN
IS A QUEEN
“Every woman is a queen and must be considered
as such.” This is what Yves Rocher said when he
inaugurated his first store on Boulevard Haussmann
in Paris in 1969. Today, Yves Rocher has 550 beauty
centres in France, 1,600 across the globe. Beauty
advice, personalized skin diagnoses, gift certificates,
trial-size samples, loyalty cards... everything is designed
to make every woman feel unique and pampered.
And so that every woman can indulge in the pleasure
of a beauty treatment, Yves Rocher has become the
first network of beauty institutes to have 1,800 beauty
treatment rooms in France. Which makes Yves Rocher
the #1 chain of Beauty Institutes in Europe.
JUST A CLICK AWAY
Today, women go from one sales channel to another so
Yves Rocher is developing its Internet retailing network.
Yet another way of being close and accessible, the
Internet is an easy and immediate way to connect with
clients on a daily basis. Every year, there are more
than 45 million visits to the Brand’s 17 websites around
the world.
PERSONALIZED CUSTOMER
RELATIONS BEFORE
EVERYONE ELSE
Yves Rocher was the first to do what is today commonly called
CRM (Consumer Relationship Management): sending a card on
the client’s birthday, personalized messages, gifts, following up
on orders, etc. Today, the Brand continues to accompany women
in their day-to-day activities.
YVES ROCHER
GOES THAT EXTRA MILE
In Mexico, in Italy, in Portugal, there are thousands of Yves Rocher
home beauty advisors that visit women in their homes. This is a great
way to discover and try Yves Rocher products, but it’s also an opportunity
to bond as women and to get trial-size samples, beauty advice
and a personalized skin diagnosis.
YVES ROCHER SHINES
THE SPOTLIGHT ON
WOMEN
Women of the Earth Awards:
Every year since 2001, in fifteen countries around the world, the
Yves Rocher Foundation has been honouring women for their
environmental initiatives. To date, more than 240 women around
the world were encouraged in their environmental efforts when
they received this award.
elles@centrepompidou:
For the first time in 2009, the Yves Rocher Brand became a patron
of the arts by supporting an exhibition dedicated to female artists
of the 20th and 21st centuries that was being held at the Centre
Pompidou in Paris, one of the most visited museums in the
world. Yves Rocher’s support of this event ensured that it became
accessible to the greatest number of people.
50 YEARS OF LOVE
FOR THE BEAUTY OF WOMEN
1959
Mail-order retailing
Yves Rocher makes beauty available to all women by
selling his cosmetics via mail-order.
1964
Chamomile
First cream for sensitive skin made with Chamomile.
This plant has been emblematic for Yves Rocher for
50 years, and is grown Organically in the fields of
La Gacilly. The line is named Calmille in 1979 and Pure
Calmille in 2007.
1965
Green Book
Launch of Yves Rocher’s first Green Book of Beauty.
Today, 10 million copies of this book are distributed in
20 different languages, including Braille.
1969
Stores
Opening of the first store on Boulevard Haussmann
in Paris following a mail strike that paralyzed France
and blocked all parcel deliveries. Today, there are
1,600 Yves Rocher Beauty Centres across the globe.
1970
International
First venture onto the international market with the
opening of a subsidiary in Belgium and then another
one in Switzerland. In 1991, Yves Rocher is the second
brand to enter Russia, after McDonald’s. The Brand is
now found in more than 80 countries on 5 continents.
1973
Riche Crème
Creation of Riche Crème containing 30 precious oils for
mature skin. A best-seller for more than 35 years, with
7.5 million units sold around the world each year!
1976
Chèvrefeuille
Launch of the Chèvrefeuille eau de toilette, the mythical
fragrance of an entire generation. Today, it is enriched
with three other scents: Bamboo, Green Tea and
Verbena. Almost 11 million bottles are sold around the
world each year.
1980
Cléa
The first prestige perfume. This is the beginning of a long
series of successes. Today, the Secrets d’Essences line
contains the most rare and most beautiful raw materials.
1987
Home Party Direct
Selling
Launch of home-party selling concept. Today, thousands
of ambassadors in Italy, Portugal and Latin America
present the Yves Rocher Brand to women.
1994
Les Plaisirs Nature
Creation of the “shower gel” concept with a gourmet
hygiene line called Les Plaisirs Nature. Today, 20 million
units are sold each year, with Peach, Coconut and Vanilla
being bestsellers since the beginning.
1996
Couleurs Nature
Creation of the Couleurs Nature make-up line. The latest
version, which came out in 2009, includes 200 shades
inspired by Nature, making it the N°1 make-up brand in
terms of volume in France.
1997
Sérum Végétal
Launch of the anti-aging skin care line, Sérum Végétal.
An emblematic Botanical Beauty line, with one unit sold
every 3 seconds around the world!
2000
Internet
Opening of the on-line store. In 2009, for the third year
in a row, www.yves-rocher.fr is voted the preferred
beauty site by Internet users. The Yves Rocher site has
1.5 million visitors per month in France, and there are
26 other versions of this site in countries around the world.
2003
Comme une Évidence
Birth of the Comme une Évidence perfume. Today,
it is simply the most purchased perfume in France, all
distribution channels taken into account.
2006
China
Opening of the Chinese subsidiary. At the end of 2009,
Yves Rocher has 100 points of sale in China.
2008
New Identity
Under its transformation plan, Yves Rocher adopts a new
identity and a new store concept: the Atelier of Botanical
Beauty.
2009
Brand Rating
- In a BVA/Les Echos survey, the Yves Rocher Brand receives
2nd place for the brand closest to French women, and on
December 3, the press attends the inauguration of the
flagship store in Paris at 102 Champs-Elysées.
***
Whom You Know has critiqued many products by Yves Rocher and we love them!
