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River Society Member Profile
John Replogle of Burt's BeesOver the past 26 years, Burt’s Bees has become an industry leader developing natural personal care products and promoting sustainability through the triple bottom line – people, planet, profit. John Replogle, who personally supports TLC as a River Society member, joined Burt’s Bees as President and CEO in 2006. Burt’s Bees is also a corporate River Society member – through The Greater Good Foundation – working to build a greener Triangle through grants and employee engagement. We talked with Replogle about why sustainability and the environment resonate with him. TLC: Tell me about growing up in New England. How did that impact your views on the environment and conservation? JR: It’s hard to put your finger on one thing. I have four older brothers, the oldest 11 years older, and he was active and environmentally conscious. Dartmouth was very eco-conscious (Replogle earned a B.A. in History from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. at Harvard Business School). There was also a conservation park called World’s End where I used to run along the waterfront growing up; it was a great oasis. There are many places like that in New England. All of those things not only grew my love for the outdoors but reverence to ensure it’s protected. TLC: How have you seen the business landscape around sustainability change since you joined Burt’s Bees in 2006?
TLC: What do you think prevents some companies from becoming more sustainable?
JR: The No. 1 myth is that going green is difficult and at odds with driving profitable business forward. The bottom line is green is good, and there are competitive advantages from a business standpoint as well. Burt’s Bees has doubled business in the past few years, decreased our energy load by 40 percent, and our waste to landfill is zero. Being green enriches our bottom line.
TLC: Can you share a few examples of little ways that Burt’s Bees has become more sustainable? JR: There are many ways that everyone at Burt’s is embracing our commitment to the planet. For example, no one has a trash can! Instead we have a comprehensive recycling program that has enabled us to become the first zero-waste-to-landfill manufacturer in North Carolina. We’re also focused on cutting our energy and water usage every day, not just at work but at home as well. We have a tremendous grassroots team called the ECOBEES that spearhead our efforts and engage 100% of our employees to do the right thing. It just takes a split second to change your thought process – to decide whether something needs to go in the trash – to break a habit and start new ones. That’s where real change begins. TLC: Why is supporting conservation – in particular local conservation – so important both professionally and personally?
JR: Life is complex and the more you realize that, the more you discover how things are intertwined. Everything that TLC is doing I support as a business leader, father and individual. Burt’s Bees is a natural personal care company. Our products come from the Earth so we have to take great care of the Earth. It makes a lot of sense for us to get involved with organizations like TLC.
TLC: Can you share an example of how the triple bottom line is lived out at Burt’s Bees? JR: Our employees have an opportunity to get involved in the community and make a difference. It creates a stronger commitment to Burt’s Bees and to our mission: “We care.” We care about our employees, consumers, customers and community – that mission is at the center of our company. And through the Greater Good Foundation, which is how we support organizations like TLC, we deepen that relationship beyond giving money. Burt’s Bees employees have built four Habitat for Humanity homes over the past four years – including closing for a day to build a playground and garden at Hope Crossing in Durham, the first affordable green housing community in North Carolina. All four Habitat homes are LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, certified. TLC: What keeps you busy outside work? JR: Family time is very important to me. We spend a lot of time along the coast and Blue Ridge Parkway. The (Raleigh) Greenway and Umstead State Park are also two of my favorite places. I love history and especially enjoy reading books about American history; I usually reading five or six books at a time. I also sit on the board of Ravenscroft School, where my children attend, and Habitat for Humanity. Replogle, who serves on the board for Habitat’s Durham chapter, volunteered to help build his first Habitat home more than 20 years ago in New Hampshire.
You can join John Replogle in supporting TLC.
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JR: Both Roxanne and Burt (founders of Burt’s Bees) were eco-pioneers so I had a clear path to follow. I’m encouraged by the pace with which businesses are embracing sustainability, including the increase in the Triangle. Today, nearly 75% of businesses claim that they have increased their focus on sustainable practices. I consider SAS a local leader with their campus and solar field. The N.C. Legislature is also leading the way with their building to create a full recycling program and compostable system. There are some wonderful and surprising places you may not expect to find sustainability, so there’s real hope for the Triangle to become a leader on a national basis in terms of conservation and sustainability. As pleased as I am that sustainability has become a topic in board rooms, we as business leaders are still not moving far enough fast enough to respond to the environmental crisis.