A decline in the number of bees across the globe poses a threat to the supply of raw materials, according to a report published by The Independent.
Some three-quarters of crops worldwide rely on pollination by bees, a process which could be affected by a drop in wild bee and butterfly species as a third face extinction, according to a study conducted by the UN, the University of East Anglia and the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. The UN is calling for new industry standards to protect pollinating insects and animals.
“The importance of pollination for natural raw materials is increasingly a priority for us,” Francesca Brkic, Sustainable Sourcing Manager at The Body Shop told The Independent. “Bees are very important to us and we recognize the positive impact that comes out of sustainable trade to supply chains that depend on pollinators as well as communities who produce honey and beeswax as an integral part of their livelihoods.”