Sustainable Leadership

2A Shining Example

Never forget: sustainability is about constant progress over perfection.

—Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO, Accenture

YOU WOULD NEVER guess from his ready smile and calm demeanor, but João Paulo Gonçalves Ferreira, CEO of Natura &Co's Latin America division, is feeling the pressure. Since he took on the CEO role at Natura in 2016, the company has been on an acquisition spree, adding iconic global brands The Body Shop, Aesop, and Avon to its portfolio. It's a way not just to scale the business internationally but to disseminate worldwide the sustainable values of its original founders, who've been steadfastly committed to the principles of environmental and social responsibility since Natura opened its first shop in São Paulo in 1970.

Long before João Paulo came on board, Natura's founders—Luiz Seabra, Guilherme Leal, and Pedro Passos—had been passionate about running a business that gives back to people and planet. They set up the company on six founding beliefs, including that the business should focus on forest conservation, waste reduction, climate protection, and using sustainably sourced natural ingredients.

They stayed true to their word. Natura was among the first in the world to pledge to make cruelty-free products with responsible sourcing throughout its entire value chain. It was also one of the first businesses in the beauty industry to offer refills. This was decades before sustainability became a thing, inside a country that's been among the most ...