Burt\'s Bees Case Business Plan

Burt's Bees Case

Business plan outline

A) Overview: Burt's Bees sales have exceeded $3 million and is a growing company. The owners believe that their location in Maine will limit further growth due to high taxes and unskilled labor-market.

B) Goals:

Continue to grow the company

Maintain commitment to natural products

Be an environmental friendly organization

C) Strategies: Find a location which meets three criteria:

Non-urban

Business friendly tax policies

People with skills and experience in the health/beauty aids category

D) Budget

What are the costs of relocating the business?

What can the business afford?

Does the business want to take on debt to finance the relocation?

E) Financial analysis

What additional growth can the company achieve by relocating?

What is the financial business case?

What is the ROI of this investment?

F) Recommendation: move the company to Raleigh, NC.

Question 2:

In order to maintain its down-home simple, and uncomplicated culture Burt's Bees will need to find a balance between their values and their growth aspirations. Burt's Bees values focus on the environment. In recent article, Yola Carlough, queen bee (a.k.a. director) of sustainability, stated that the company has created a set of long-term goals which emphasis the company's commitment to being an earth friendly company. One of these goals is to have 100% employee engagement in sustainability.

Burt's Bee has created a strategy that aligns the company's values with a framework for reducing costs while continuing to grow. They have also invested in talent to make sure their strategy is implemented and funds an employee group called EcoBees -- Environmentally Conscious Organization Bringing Ecologically Empowered Solutions. (Kaplan M. (2010, January 27). The buzz at Burt's Bees is sustainability, Retrieved March 3, 2010, from SmartPlanet website: http://www.smartplanet.com/people/blog/pure-genius/the-buzz-at-burts-bees-is-sustainability/1552/?tag=content;col1)

Question 3.

Vision Statement: Burt's Bees aims to create all natural consumer products that are manufactured in an environmental conscious way. We pledge to be caring and respectful to our customers, our employees, our communities and our earth.

Question 4

The goal of developing a National Park impacts the vision statement, mission statements and organizational culture making it necessary to communicate and instill the company's aspirations to be environmental friendly in all way: manufacturing, product packaging, facilities management, employee behaviors, and the company's social responsibility activities. (Story, L. (2008, Jan 6). [Can Burt's Bees Turn Clorox Green?] NYT. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/business/06bees.html)