*By Bridgette Webb* When personal-care company Schmidt's Naturals decided to expand its efforts to protect animals and the environment, it tapped a major ally of the cause: environmentalist and renowned chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall. "She's been a family friend for a long time," Michael Cammarata, the company's co-founder and CEO, said Tuesday in an interview on Cheddar. The pair created a deodorant inspired by one of Goodall's favorite floral scents, calling the special edition product "Lily of the Valley." Five percent of every purchase will go to the Jane Goodall Institute, which conducts field research at Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park, runs a sanctuary for chimps, and facilitates community-centered conservation work around the globe. According to Cammarata, Goodall is not only a friend to his company, but a trusted advisor. "When we were debating options at the end of last year to go IPO or to sell ... Jane actually was one of the biggest supporters of us going with Unilever and expanding out globally. So I said, 'Jane, if I am going with Unilever then you have to come along and we've got to make every dollar count and make a positive impact.'" Unilever ($UN) added Schmidt’s Naturals in December 2017 to its portfolio of consumer brands, which includes Dove, Axe, ice-cream brand Breyers and condiment-maker Hellmann’s. Schmidt's Naturals operates with a larger mission to promote "mindful consumerism." Cammarata said he was initially concerned that Unilever may not honor that same commitment. But those fears eventually subsided. "Unilever is actually promoting what we have done," Cammarata said. "We've now expanded globally." Without Unilever, he added, "I think we would never have been able to do that at the speed we are doing now." For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/schmidts-naturals-and-jane-goodall-partner-up).

Share:
More In Business
Keeping Employees Safe in Extreme Heat
UPS recently announced it would equip delivery trucks with air conditioning. Dr. Douglas Casa, CEO of Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut, spoke with Cheddar News on the dangers of heat stroke and how workers can keep themselves safe from extreme weather.
Stretching Your Dollar: How to Make Home EV Charging Affordable
The push for clean energy is igniting an interest in electric vehicles but charging EVs continues to be a concern for consumers looking to save. Brian Moody, executive editor with Autotrader, joined Cheddar News to discuss how people can make home-charging more affordable.
Load More