Our commitments
COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION
Botanica is prioritising its research and development efforts in niche areas where science meets traditional knowledge.
We pride ourselves on having pioneered and promoted the cultivation of Bulbine frutescens and for being leaders in the market of organically certified specialty extracts derived from this indigenous South African plant.
We have invested in the construction of a factory that meets European standards and a state-of-the-art laboratory facility. This greatly assists us with the development of practices and techniques that are set to become industry standards in the farming and production of plants such as Bulbine frutescens.
COMMITMENT TO QUALITY
Our premises are located on Canterbury Farm where Botanica cultivates 10 ha of Bulbine frutescens plants and Moringa oliefera trees. Botanica’s factory and in-house laboratory is located on site ensuring that the manufacturing process meets the highest quality standards. Our manufacturing and processing techniques are patented.
We strive to develop products that exceed industry standards for quality and purity. We prioritise quality at all levels, whether for the training of our employees, the cultivation, processing and storage of our plant extracts and oils, or during the development of our skin care range.
All of our active ingredients are sent to an external laboratory for quality assurance testing to ensure that they meet our rigorous standards.
COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITIES
Botanica is proud to offer a stable source of income to 15 full-time staff in a remote rural location. Seventy per cent of our staff are not only women, but also the main breadwinners in their families. The broader impact ensures a steady income and higher standard of living for more than 70 local persons.
All Botanica’s employees receive on-the-job training, including first-aid and business development. All employees also receive AIDS awareness training, free access to medical care and family planning support.
We are active in our local community and engage in projects that help transform disadvantage into self-reliance and economic sustainability.
We partner with a local non-profit organisation as part of our Access and Benefit Sharing Agreement to ensure that the sale of our product directly benefits the community. 3% of our profits are directed to a local community foundation promoting children’s health, AIDS awareness and social development.
We also collaborate with local Eco-Schools to provide educational awareness for the next generation on how to live sustainably.
COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Since the inception of Botanica we have ensured that all practices are environmentally sound, from energy conservation to the sustainable cultivation and use of indigenous plants.
We are conscious that farming with chemicals is harmful to the ecosystem. Botanica practices sustainable agriculture by employing organic farming methods. No pesticides or inorganic fertilisers are used on our Bulbine frutescens or Moringa oleifera.
We believe that businesses should take responsibility for the environmental repercussions of their actions. We strive to be as eco-friendly as possible and keep innovating to find ways to reduce our environmental impact. Our aim is to have a net zero Carbon footprint.
We’ve planted 200,000 spekboom trees to offset our carbon emissions and to reduce soil erosion. Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) is an indigenous South African tree species that captures carbon dioxide and converts it to oxygen 24 hours a day. Planting 10 hectares of Spekboom, for example, equates to the removal of 26 cars from South African roads for a period of 12 months.
Additional efforts are made to reduce Botanica’s energy consumption by converting to solar energy and employing methods to harvest rainwater for irrigation and production purposes.
We promote the sustainable use of indigenous plant species and share benefits with local communities.
