Weleda is a multinational company that produces both
beauty products
Cosmetics are constituted mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources, or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes. Those designed for personal care and skin care can be used to cleanse or protect ...
and
naturopathic medicine
Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of pseudoscientific practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as natur ...
s. Both branches design their products based on
anthroposophic
Anthroposophy is a spiritualist movement founded in the early 20th century by the esotericist Rudolf Steiner that postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world, accessible to human experience. Followers ...
principles, an
alternative medicine.
The company takes its name from the German form of the name of the 1st-century
Bructeri
The Bructeri (from Latin; Greek: Βρούκτεροι, ''Broukteroi'', or Βουσάκτεροι, ''Bousakteroi''; Old English: ''Boruhtware'') were a Germanic tribe*
*
in Roman imperial times, located in northwestern Germany, in present-day ...
völva
In Germanic paganism, a seeress is a woman said to have the ability to foretell future events and perform sorcery. They are also referred to with many other names meaning "prophetess", "staff bearer", "wise woman" and "sorceress", and they are ...
Veleda
Veleda was seeress of the Bructeri, a Germanic people who achieved some prominence during the Batavian rebellion of AD 69–70, headed by the Romanized Batavian chieftain Gaius Julius Civilis, when she correctly predicted the initial ...
. As well as being known to use green energy, Weleda uses natural ingredients grown using
biodynamic methods and none of their ingredients or products are
tested on animals
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and ''in vivo'' testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. This ...
.
Weleda Group is member of the
Union for Ethical Biotrade (UEBT).
History
1920–24: Founding and early history
In 1920,
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner (27 or 25 February 1861 – 30 March 1925) was an Austrian occultist, social reformer, architect, esotericist, and claimed clairvoyant. Steiner gained initial recognition at the end of the nineteenth century as ...
, an Austrian philosopher, and
Ita Wegman
Ita Wegman (22 February 1876 – 4 March 1943) co-founded Anthroposophical Medicine with Rudolf Steiner. In 1921, she founded the first anthroposophical medical clinic in Arlesheim, known until 2014 as the Ita Wegman Clinic. She also developed a s ...
, a Dutch gynecologist founded "Futurum AG", in
Arlesheim,
Switzerland, and "Der Kommende Tag AG" (an incorporated company with the mission of encouraging economic and spiritual values) in
Stuttgart, Germany. Their operating profits were meant to contribute to the financing of various anthroposophic undertakings such as constructing the
Goetheanum
The Goetheanum, located in Dornach, in the canton of Solothurn, Switzerland, is the world center for the anthroposophical movement.
The building was designed by Rudolf Steiner and named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It includes two performa ...
and establishing the Free
Waldorf School
Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. Its educational style is holistic, intended to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical ...
in Stuttgart. In 1920, ''Der Kommende Tag AG'' acquired the former "Colonial-Werke Paul Rumpus" in
Schwäbisch Gmünd
Schwäbisch Gmünd (, until 1934: Gmünd; Swabian: ''Gmẽẽd'' or ''Gmend'') is a city in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With a population of around 60,000, the city is the second largest in the Ostalb district and ...
. Today, this is the location of the Weleda headquarters. In 1921, the two companies wanted to merge for financial reasons. In 1922, the ''Futurum AG'' was renamed ''Internationale Laboratorien AG (ILAG)'' and new shares were issued. At a general meeting, Rudolf Steiner asked the shareholders to give their shares in ''Der Kommende Tag'' to ''ILAG'' in order to secure the assets of both companies, which were in financial difficulties. The companies were merged under a new name: ''Internationale Laboratorien und Klinisch-Therapeutisches Institut Arlesheim A.G.'' The facilities in Germany became branches of the Swiss parent company. Following a suggestion by Rudolf Steiner, the name ''Weleda'' was registered as a trademark: on September 20, 1924, in Germany and on September 25, 1924, in Switzerland. It was also proposed to rename ''ILAG'', the parent company accordingly. On 10 December 1928, the company officially registered under the new name ''Weleda AG'', and it is still known as such today. The name Weleda derives from the Germanic prophet and healer „
Veleda
Veleda was seeress of the Bructeri, a Germanic people who achieved some prominence during the Batavian rebellion of AD 69–70, headed by the Romanized Batavian chieftain Gaius Julius Civilis, when she correctly predicted the initial ...
“. The Weleda company logo was designed by Rudolf Steiner. The logo is based on the
Rod of Asclepius
In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius (⚕; grc, Ράβδος του Ασκληπιού, , sometimes also spelled Asklepios), also known as the Staff of Aesculapius and as the asklepian, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god A ...
, a staff entwined with a snake, which is a symbol of the medical and pharmaceutical professions.
The establishment of Weleda coincided with
Lebensreform
''Lebensreform'' ("life-reform") is the German generic term for various social reform movements, that started since the mid-19th century and originated especially in the German Empire and later in Switzerland. Common features were the criticis ...
, "life reform", a social movement in Germany that advocated alternative medicine and health food.
From 1925: Internationalisation
During the 1920s, Weleda expanded its product range. Some of the newly developed cosmetics are still part of the range today: toiletry milk (later
iris
Iris most often refers to:
*Iris (anatomy), part of the eye
*Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess
* ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants
* Iris (color), an ambiguous color term
Iris or IRIS may also refer to:
Arts and media
Fictional ent ...
milk), massage oil, rosemary bath, skin cream, soap, shaving soap, skin food, sun protection cream, hair washing powder, pine bath essence, and
arnica
''Arnica'' is a genus of perennial, herbaceous plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The genus name ''Arnica'' may be derived from the Greek '' arni'', "lamb", in reference to the plants' soft, hairy leaves. ''Arnica'' is also known by th ...
essence.
Weleda's total turnover doubled between 1925 and 1928 and Weleda expanded internationally. A number of subsidiaries are founded in the 1920s: The British Weleda Co. Ltd. (1924), Handelsonderneming Weleda (
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, 1926), The American Arlesheim Laboratories (1926), Veleda-Ges.m.b.H. (
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
, 1926).
From 1933: Nazi Germany
During the 1930s, parts of the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported t ...
(NSDAP) viewed anthroposophy as a movement that was contrary to
National Socialism
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Naz ...
. As a consequence, Rudolf Steiner's books were banned from Bavarian public libraries. In 1935, the
Anthroposophical Society
The General Anthroposophical Society is an "association of people whose will it is to nurture the life of the soul, both in the individual and in human society, on the basis of a true knowledge of the spiritual world." As an organization, it is d ...
was proscribed. Several times, Weleda was threatened with a ban on production, which it could avoid with considerable effort. In 1943, Weleda delivered a one-off consignment of frostbite protection cream to the German armed forces, the
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
. Since Weleda did not have the
petroleum jelly needed to produce the frostbite protection cream that had been ordered, it was provided with this ingredient from the Wehrmacht's own stock. The frostbite protection cream was delivered to Staff Surgeon
Sigmund Rascher
Sigmund Rascher (12 February 1909 – 26 April 1945) was a German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) doctor. He conducted deadly experiments on humans pertaining to high altitude, freezing and blood coagulation under the patronage of ''Reichsführer-SS'' Hei ...
of the German air force. Rascher performed
hypothermia
Hypothermia is defined as a body core temperature below in humans. Symptoms depend on the temperature. In mild hypothermia, there is shivering and mental confusion. In moderate hypothermia, shivering stops and confusion increases. In severe ...
experiments on prisoners at
Dachau concentration camp. In the 1990s, Weleda distanced itself from these actions and apologized to the survivors’ association
Aktion Kinder des Holocaust (AKdH). Weleda facilitated a comprehensive scholarly investigation of the events concerned, carried out by the history department of the
University of Basel
The University of Basel (Latin: ''Universitas Basiliensis'', German: ''Universität Basel'') is a university in Basel, Switzerland. Founded on 4 April 1460, it is Switzerland's oldest university and among the world's oldest surviving universit ...
. Weleda overcame the period of National Socialist rule and the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
relatively unscathed, as the German branches belonged to a company with its headquarters in neutral Switzerland.
From 1945: Later developments
![Experience Centre Weleda Schwaebisch Gmuend Visitor Centre with shop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Experience_Centre_Weleda_Schwaebisch_Gmuend_Visitor_Centre_with_shop.jpg)
During Europe's economic boom in the 1950s and 1960s, Weleda expanded its product range: therapeutic tea (1950),
sea buckthorn
''Hippophae'' is the genus of sea buckthorns, deciduous shrubs in the family Elaeagnaceae. The name sea buckthorn may be hyphenated to avoid confusion with the unrelated true buckthorns (''Rhamnus'', family Rhamnaceae). It is also referred to as ...
elixir (1955),
facial toner (1959), shaving cream (1960), lavender bath milk (1961), foot balm (1962), and chestnut shampoo (1966). From the 1950s onwards, Weleda continued to pursue an international course. Foreign subsidiaries were established in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
(1953),
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
(1955),
Sweden (1956),
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
(1959), and
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
(1965). The global demand for natural cosmetics increased continually during the 1990s and thereafter. By 1992, Weleda was represented in 30 countries with a range of over 10,000 products. Weleda established further international subsidiaries, such as Weleda
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
(1992), Weleda
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = National seal
, national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
(1993), Weleda
Japan (1999), Weleda
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
(2000), and Weleda
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
(2004). At the end of 2018, Weleda opened ''City Spas'' in the Dutch cities of
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...
,
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
and
Oegstgeest
Oegstgeest () is a town and municipality in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. Its population was in .
Etymology
The portion ''geest'' in the name refers to the geest lands, which were excavated in the seventeenth cen ...
. At the beginning of 2020, another ''City Spa'' opened in
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
. In 2021, two more ''City Spas'' opened in
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
and
Stuttgart.
2021: 100 years Weleda
In 2021, the company turns 100 and marks this event with a partnership with the British
charity
Charity may refer to:
Giving
* Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons
* Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing
* C ...
''treesisters'' to support
reforestation
Reforestation (occasionally, reafforestation) is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands (forestation) that have been depleted, usually through deforestation, but also after clearcutting.
Management
A debat ...
projects worldwide. Weleda aims to plant one million trees with this project sponsoring global reforestation projects and initiatives run by women or supporting women. The project started with a Christmas gift sale in 2020 that funded 47,255 trees. Until today 78,355 trees have been planted.
Anthroposophic philosophy and biodynamics
![Experience Centre Weleda Schwaebisch Gmuend skin food flower pot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Experience_Centre_Weleda_Schwaebisch_Gmuend_skin_food_flower_pot.jpg)
Weleda bases its products on
Holistic medicine and
Anthroposophic medicine
Anthroposophic medicine (or anthroposophical medicine) is a form of alternative medicine based on pseudoscientific and occult notions. Devised in the 1920s by Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925) in conjunction with Ita Wegman (1876–1943), anthroposo ...
. Anthroposophic medicine is a medicine inspired by the philosophy called
Anthroposophy
Anthroposophy is a spiritualist movement founded in the early 20th century by the esotericist Rudolf Steiner that postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world, accessible to human experience. Follower ...
.
Weleda's botanical ingredients are grown using a farming method known as
biodynamics
Biodynamics may refer to:
* Biodynamic agriculture
Biodynamic agriculture is a form of alternative agriculture based on pseudo-scientific and esoteric concepts initially developed in 1924 by Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925). It was the first of th ...
. Biodynamic farming was developed by one of Weleda's founders, Rudolf Steiner in 1924. Biodynamics treats the whole farm as one living ecosystem with soil fertility, plant growth und livestock care as ecologically interrelated tasks. Weleda is still inspired by Steiner's philosophy today. The company has imbued his values through all their operations: biodynamic farming, fair treatment of staff and stakeholders and sustainable manufacturing processes.
Products
Weleda is world's leading manufacturer of holistic, natural, organic cosmetics and pharmaceuticals for anthroposophic therapy. The product catalogue includes a complete line of skin care products, like Weleda Skin Food, items for baby and mother care, as well as homeopathic preparations. Following the philosophy of so-called lead plants, the company develops products that do not only focus on the raw materials, as all ingredients and the entire formula contribute to the overall effect. Lead plants include
arnica
''Arnica'' is a genus of perennial, herbaceous plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The genus name ''Arnica'' may be derived from the Greek '' arni'', "lamb", in reference to the plants' soft, hairy leaves. ''Arnica'' is also known by th ...
,
birch
A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech- oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains ...
,
calendula,
iris
Iris most often refers to:
*Iris (anatomy), part of the eye
*Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess
* ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants
* Iris (color), an ambiguous color term
Iris or IRIS may also refer to:
Arts and media
Fictional ent ...
,
lavender
''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, and from Europe across to northern and easte ...
and
wild rose.
Weleda is known as the historical and main producer of fermented white mistletoe extract (Viscum album), marketed under the name of Iscador. This treatment stems from a 1917 Steiner vision: «According to Rudolf Steiner, it is only through the appropriate blend of mistletoe summer and winter extracts that the mistletoe can deploy its "real healing power" on cancer». Sold as an anti-tumor, and widely used in the 1980s to cure different cancers in Switzerland and Germany (centers of Anthroposophic doctrine), its ineffectiveness has since been established and its use is not recommended by the Swiss Cancer Congress and the Swiss cancer league.
Social engagement
Weleda recognizes that it has a responsibility for the environments in which it operates, and for the people involved in manufacturing Weleda products. Following the principle of diversity that forms a core Weleda value,
philanthropy is encouraged to take a variety of forms in the individual countries in which Weleda is present, typically as a response to needs discovered through interaction with local communities. Weleda has been in a partnership with
The Foundation for Living Beauty, a nonprofit organization supporting women with cancer. The partnership is dedicated to improving the quality of life for women living with cancer and cancer survivors. The anthroposophical philosophy of Weleda also effects the way the company involves its employees. A format called Werkstunden, one-hour sessions on current topics, is coordinated by the concept of "culture and identity". For the employees, the programmes are voluntary and part of regular working hours. Since 2015, Weleda employees from various countries have been participating in the sustainability initiative "Bike to Weleda". Together they collect kilometres to do something good for
climate protection
Climate change mitigation is action to limit climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases or removing those gases from the atmosphere. The recent rise in global average temperature is mostly caused by emissions from fossil fuels b ...
and the environment by cycling to work. The length of the total distance travelled can be seen on a website which was financed with 10,000 euros from the RadKULTUR programme of the German state of
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
.
In 2021, Weleda has earned a B Corp certification. B Lab, the label behind B Corp certifies purpose-focused businesses and their actions and impact, rather than only their products. Weleda has committed itself to positively influence environmental and social impact. The certificate will need to be renewed every three years, setting in motion a development process that aims for higher standards and continuous improvement.
Sustainability
Sustainable agriculture
Weleda releases an annual
sustainability report, to mark their progress towards becoming an even more sustainable company. Aligning their targets with the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to enhance transparency and traceability of products. Weleda also aims to safeguard nature and the needs of their cultivation partners. Weleda has created several gardens to grow ingredients for its products according to
biodynamic cultivation methods that involve sustainable farming, avoiding pesticides and working with the seasons. Following the concept of lead plants, various
medicinal plants are cultivated in the gardens, such as
calendula,
valerian,
lavender
''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, and from Europe across to northern and easte ...
and
sage
Sage or SAGE may refer to:
Plants
* ''Salvia officinalis'', common sage, a small evergreen subshrub used as a culinary herb
** Lamiaceae, a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint or deadnettle or sage family
** ''Salvia'', a large ...
.
Waste prevention and recycling
Weleda Benelux has been
climate-neutral for several years. The companies in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
have also been participating in a ''Soil & More Impacts'' project in 2008 and the Dutch company organizes composting operations worldwide. Weleda partnered with
TerraCycle
TerraCycle is a private U.S.-based recycling business headquartered in Trenton, New Jersey. It primarily runs a volunteer-based recycling platform to collect non-recyclable pre-consumer and post-consumer waste on behalf of corporate donors ...
, a waste management company, to bring customers to recycle their packaging. Consumers can send in their empty packaging from the entire Skin Food line of products to be recycled for free. The collected packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic used to make new recycled products.
Environmental projects
Weleda Australia and the
Kitchen Garden Foundation have formed a partnership to educate children about the important role of
pollinators by building a network of ‚Bee B&B Hotels‘ at primary schools. In 2019, Weleda partnered with
Borneo Orangutan Survival
The Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation is an Indonesian non-profit non-governmental organization founded by Dr. Willie Smits in 1991 and dedicated to the conservation of the endangered Bornean orangutan (''Pongo pygmaeus'') and its habit ...
(BOS) to protect orangutans and committing to sourcing sustainable palm oil. Weleda has pledged $100,000 to the 20-month project that aims to create harmony between nature conservation and human needs in the
Mawas area.
In 2018, Weleda received the first-ever
Union for Ethical Biotrade (UEBT) Certification and label for sourcing with respect. The UEBT certification is designed to show consumers that the product they want to buy is produced by a company that treats people and biodiversity with respect.
Awards
Weleda won the first price at the 2021 Sustainable Beauty Awards by Ecovia in the categories "Sustainable Leadership" and "Sustainable Pioneer".
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Health care companies established in 1921
Pharmaceutical companies of Switzerland
Multinational companies headquartered in Switzerland
Cosmetics companies of Switzerland
Swiss brands
Swiss companies established in 1921
Alternative medicine organizations
Anthroposophy