Badger CEO Attends First-ever US-Africa Business Forum
GILSUM, N.H. (PRWEB) August 05, 2014 -- Bill Whyte, CEO and founder of the W.S. Badger Co. Inc., a leader in the natural personal care category, will attend the first-ever U.S.-Africa Business Forum August 5, a day focused on trade and investment opportunities on the continent. Held at the Mandarin Oriental in the District of Columbia, the forum is part of President Obama’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the largest any U.S. president has convened with African heads of state or government. More than 95 U.S. companies representing all sectors of industry will participate. Badger, the recipient of the 2014 Small Business Exporter of the Year Award for New Hampshire and New England, is the only small business invited to attend.
“I believe that wise American companies can and should enter the African market, bringing family friendly and environ-mentally sustainable practices,” said Whyte. “From a practical point of view, that’s a value-added service that makes us more competitive and trustworthy. Imagine being able to help build economic wealth in Africa while treating people right and protecting water, air and soil in the process. That's what I’m hoping for.”
Badger began as a one-product, one-person company in 1995. Today the family-owned and operated company, with over 60 employees, formulates, produces and markets more than one hundred different products (from lip balms, sunscreens and anti-bug sprays to sore muscle rub, hair oils, baby balms and a line of old-time shave soaps and oils) and sells in the U.S., Canada and 25 other countries, including South Africa. Products are made from 100 percent botanical ingredients, with many core ingredients such as organic vanilla, olive oil, baobab oil, shea butter and geranium essential oil sourced from Africa.
For more information about the event, visit usafricabusinessforum.org. Members of the press from leading U.S. and international outlets will cover portions of the forum. Bloomberg Television will serve as the host television network and will deliver a live online feed of the program.
Badger is a certified B Corporation and landed a spot on B Lab’s 2014 “Best for the World” list, which honors companies with the highest score for impact on the environment. Badger’s placement on the list validates the company’s commitment to quality, safety and the health of the community and planet. According to SPINS data, product sales for Certified B Corps reached $1.2 billion in 2012, a 15 percent increase from 2011, exceeding growth in both total natural (13 percent) and total organic (12 percent) products. Other recent recognition for Badger includes the N.H. Division of Economic Development Business of the Year Award and being named one of the Top 5 Best Small Companies to Work for in New Hampshire by Business New Hampshire Magazines.
About W.S. Badger Company, Inc.
W.S. Badger Co. Inc. has produced quality, all-natural and certified organic body care products since 1995. Badger aims to provide a safe haven for those seeking a more natural solution by creating organic and natural products that protect, soothe and heal with ingredients safe for all. Family-owned and family-run, Badger was born when Badger Bill, a carpenter at the time, discovered a recipe of natural ingredients strong enough to soothe his rough, dry and cracked hands. Now a team of over 60 employees, Badger produces almost all of its products in Gilsum, N.H., and is a certified B Corp, meeting rigorous standards of transparency as well as social and environmental performance to create a healthy business with ethical and charitable principles. Visit http://www.badgerbalm.com for more information.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ mission is to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: public health, environment, education, government innovation and the arts. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s charitable activities, including his foundation and his personal giving. In 2013, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $452 million.
Bloomberg Philanthropies has been involved in projects across Africa and is currently active in more than 36 countries. The initial focus was on women’s economic development, malaria and maternal health, and later expanded to include public health initiatives, such as road safety and tobacco control, and helping cities reduce their carbon footprints through the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. Bloomberg Philanthropies works closely with partner organizations and governments in countries where the foundation gives. Its focus on reforming and implementing policies ensures that Bloomberg Philanthropies efforts will be sustainable and continue to help save and improve lives beyond its support.
About the U.S. Department of Commerce
The Department of Commerce promotes job creation, economic growth, sustainable development and improved standards of living for all Americans by working in partnership with businesses, universities, communities and our nation’s workers. The department touches the daily lives of the American people through a wide range of responsibilities in the areas of trade, economic development, technology, entrepreneurship and business development, environmental stewardship and statistical research and analysis.
Next week, Secretary Penny Pritzker will lead a trade mission of 20 U.S. companies to Ghana and Nigeria. This mission will promote U.S. exports and expand U.S. companies’ presence in Africa by helping American firms launch or increase their business in the energy sector. The firms joining the mission have the expertise to help African countries develop and manage energy resources and systems, as well as build out power generation, transmission and distribution. The department recently announced that in the coming months, its International Trade Administration will more than double its presence in Africa, opening their first-ever offices in Angola, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Mozambique. Concurrently, offices in Kenya, Ghana, Morocco and Libya will be expanded. With these critical investments, the department will increase assistance to U.S. businesses navigating markets in Africa, and help them sell their goods and services in even more places around the world.
Deirdre Fitzgerald, W.S. Badger Company, Inc., http://www.badgerbalm.com, +1 720.468.6166, [email protected]
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