This week the world mourns the loss of an inspired activist and entrepreneur: Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. Sadly, Roddick passed away Monday at the age of 64. Known for her passion for the environment and her commitment to fighting social injustice, the passing of Anita Roddick reminds each of us of how far she was willing to go for what she believed.

Beginning in the world of business with absolutely no training, Roddick opened the first Body Shop in England in 1976. At the start of her business, Roddick made all the products herself, using only natural ingredients. After opening her first shop, she opened her second shop just six months later. Fifteen years down the road, the Body Shop had 700 branches and Roddick was awarded the 1991 World Vision Award for Development Initiative Award.

Needless to say, the immediate success was just as much a surprise to her as it was to the rest of the international business community. In 1993, in an interview with Third Way Magazine, Roddick explained,

The original Body Shop was a series of brilliant accidents. It had a great smell, it had a funky name. It was positioned between two funeral parlours - that always caused controversy. It was incredibly sensuous. It was 1976, the year of the heatwave, so there was a lot of flesh around. We knew about storytelling then, so all the products had stories. We recycled everything, not because we were environmentally friendly but because we didn’t have enough bottles. It was a good idea. What was unique about it, with no intent at all, no marketing nous, was that it translated across cultures, across geographical barriers and social structures. It wasn’t a sophisticated plan, it just happened like that.

During her long career as both a businesswomen and an activist, Roddick stayed true to her roots, playing a hands-on role in operating the business. In her conviction, Roddick was unwavering. In fact, her business was one of the very first to ban the use of ingredients tested on animals and to promote fair trade with Third World countries.

Aside from activism within her business life, Anita Roddick also went out of her way to champion of the causes that were dear to her. In 1990, Roddick founded Children On The Edge, an organization that works to help disadvantaged children affected by natural disaster, AIDS/HIV, war and disabilities. It is here that I am reminded of the famous words of Mrs. Roddick: "Pray for the dead, but fight like hell for the living."

Only confirming her commitment to benevolence, it has been reported that Roddick gave away her $104 million dollar fortune in 2005.

In the wake of the death of an amazing leader in business, philanthropy and activism, we can all be reminded of the impact one small business owner can have on the world. Let us all take this loss as a call for action, a call for greatness. If every business owner could act with half the conviction of Anita Roddick, imagine what massive social change could be actualized.

photo courtesy of AnitaRoddick.com