Cultivating Gratitude and Giving Back
The holidays are a time of giving and showing gratitude for all we have. At Badger, giving back is at the forefront of everything we do. We do our best to exemplify this all year round through charitable giving and by creating safe products for people and the planet.
Badger has come a long way since our origins in a garage with only a few employees and product offerings. Yet, despite our growth, our mission remains the same. Our true purpose, the central and grounding principle guiding our work, is to cultivate good – caring for the planet and the people we serve.
Want to know some ways you can practice gratitude with us this holiday season? Keep reading for some of our favorite ways to put gratitude into action on a personal level!
How Badger gives back
Everything we do, from how we operate our business to the products we create, is centered around showing gratitude and giving back.
Charitable Giving
We donate 10% of our profit before tax to non-profit organizations, including those that focus on the health and welfare of children (including environmental education), those serving our local communities, groups that take charge of the stewardship of our planet, and those that support the promotion of peace and well-being.
This year, we are grateful to have given to the Ukraine Red Cross, Amnesty International, Keene Community Kitchen, United Way, and many more with your help and support.
Environmental Initiatives
Caring for the environment and creating a healthier world is one of our core guiding principles. We show our love for the planet through environmental initiatives such as recycling efforts, sustainable sourcing, using 100% renewable energy, and creating zero-waste products.
By putting our mission into practice and making sure our products are truly safe for the environment, we express our gratitude for this beautiful planet by protecting it! For example, when our cosmetic waste is ready to be discarded, we arrange for it to be composted rather than incinerating it. We also recycle about 3 tons of cardboard, measure and track water usage and other practices that help us to walk the walk of sustainability.
People and planet-friendly products
We are grateful for the opportunity to create products that soothe, heal, and protect our customers and our loved ones.
Healing for people
We recognize the gift that it is to bring natural, restorative products into the world and the impact that they make on the people and planet we love. From the beginning, our mission has been to formulate products that help the people we love and then share them with the world.
Many of the products we create started as things our friends, families, or customers needed. This includes our sunscreen, a safer alternative for a Badger employee with skin cancer, and our Beauty Balm, developed for co-founder Katie Schwerin when she needed something simple and natural for her maturing skin.
Safe for the planet
Our connection to nature guides our product development process and inspires us to create powerfully pure body care products with organic, regenerative, and biodynamic ingredients. We've traveled the world to meet the people who grow, harvest, and process the ingredients in our products. Each ingredient is processed with respect for the environment, the workers, and the natural properties of the plants they come from.
When you gift a Badger product (or keep it for yourself!), you're gifting something that is sustainably made and sourced. Many of our products are made with recyclable materials and can be used again and again.
Our Beauty Balm jars can become candles, pots for succulents, or holders for your self-care items. Our oil bottles can house fresh flowers, and Badger Balm has many uses, from shining your shoes to treating wood! By creating sustainable products that extend farther than one simple use, we hope to make a positive difference.
What are you grateful for this season?
Gratitude is at the forefront of everything we do in business and life, especially during this time of year. We know how much gratitude has impacted our lives at Badger, and we know it can improve yours, too - even the science says so!
Did you know practicing gratitude has been shown to improve your overall mood and impact your physical health?
Here are a few simple ways you can cultivate a practice of gratitude this holiday season and all year round.
Try these gratitude prompts
If you're just beginning your gratitude practice, these prompts can help get you started!
I'm grateful for one thing I can hear…
I'm grateful for one thing I can feel…
I'm grateful for one thing I can smell…
I'm grateful for one thing I can see…
I'm grateful for one thing I can taste…
Keep a gratitude journal
Journaling is a simple and intentional way to create a mindset of gratitude. Each day, write down a few things you're grateful for. Focus on the good things that happened throughout the day, and over time, you'll start to notice more and more things that you're grateful for.
Share with your loved ones
Expressing gratitude to a friend or family can help strengthen your relationship. When someone does or says something you appreciate, let them know! We often forget to show our gratitude but stopping to notice the little things can impact others and yourself.
Try a gratitude meditation
Meditation is a great way to calm your mind and relax your body. It provides the perfect opportunity to practice gratitude! Start by finding a quiet place and getting into a comfortable position. Then, take a few deep breaths, and visualize the things you're grateful for.
Spend time volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to practice gratitude by sharing your time, energy, or resources. Donating to an organization you support or serving at a local charity feels great and puts gratitude into action by centering the well-being of other people.
This holiday season, we're reminded of how grateful we are for our Badger community. Without you, we couldn't create our people- and planet-friendly products and participate in our environmental initiatives. We wish you a season filled with love and gratitude!
Do you have a favorite gratitude practice? Let us know in the comments.
What delight…..a longtime fan of your wonderful products……and learning more about your company and philosophy…..especially embracing gratitude.
I’ve always loved your whimsical labels…..just learned about your partnership with British illustrator, Rachel Hudson. A perfect match.
Thank you for all you do!
Cappy
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Badger replied:
Thank you for your kind support and feedback! We are so happy about our partnership and love our new artwork. Many thanks for your appreciation!
This year, actually the past year and half, has been a series of ups and downs – health issues and lifestyle changes, forced to move when not really prepared for it. And through it all I have been blessed, really blessed, with good friends supporting me, new friends helping me, and being able to give back in some small ways. I have an older Badger calendar I’ve kept just for the art… those illustrations bring joy and hopefulness each time I glance at them. Badger products keep my skin happy and healthy and have made wonderful and appreciated gifts to my extended family of friends. Your positive outlook and work renew my belief in the good of humanity! Thank you!
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Badger replied:
We thank you for your kind words and compassion. Our hearts are warmed by your supportive community and love for Badger. May the blessings follow you in the New Year! Kindly, The Badgers
I’m grateful for family, friends, a safe home, fresh food and healthy, helpful products from Badger. I also love the badger artworks (both on products and on this dove illustration). They make me feel a nice connection with your company.
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Badger replied:
Thank you so much for your kind words and gratitude! We’re so happy to hear from you.