News & Information

The way an organization conducts their business reflects their core principles and impacts the bottom line. Those that want to contribute to their workforce’s well-being need to look at all areas of business to ensure they are walking the walk, not just talking the talk.

In a special Annual Wellness Summit preview webcast, “Leading With Care: How Bold Benefits Strengthen People and Profit,” consumer educator for Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Lisa Bronner divulges the secrets to the company’s success. Hint: It starts with their employees.

Every Employee Matters

Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps is a family company—and that familial spirit doesn’t end with leadership. One of the organization’s leading principles is to treat everyone like family, recognizing that each and every employee at each step of production is essential to delivering a great product. As all employees contribute to the success of the company, they all deserve to be sharing in the benefits of their success.

In other manufacturing operations, there are essential workers left out of receiving this quality of life and work: those on the factory floor, particularly in developing countries where the majority of mass manufacturing operations take place. In the late 1990s, when Dr. Bronner’s was expanding and pursuing fair trade operations for their certified organic products, what they needed did not exist. Instead of settling for less, the company pivoted to a vertical integration of their supply chain, creating their own fair trade mills for essential ingredients in Sri Lanka and Ghana. This undertaking ensures that nothing in their products is exploiting people, animals, or our planet.

Life Outside of Work

Treating employees like family also means seeing each individual as a whole person, with wellness needs that go beyond physical health and families and communities connected to them that impact how they show up to work. Dr. Bronner’s makes an effort to take care of their employees so that they can live their best lives both inside and outside of work. Some of these efforts include zero deductible medical insurance for employees and their families, preventative health boot camps, subsidized massages, daily vegan lunches, and mental health assistance. Many employees also feel a strong sense of purpose working for a company that produces products in a mindful, ethical way.

The Price of Success

Obviously, providing these benefits to employees comes at quite a cost, but the investment continues to pay off as Dr. Bronner’s growth shows no signs of slowing down. In addition to a trusted brand identity and a quality product, those who work for Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps have a sense of purpose and are well taken care of, leading to a very low turnover rate for the manufacturer. Lisa Bronner’s takeaway? As an organization, you must stay flexible—Just because a solution was the right answer at one point doesn’t guarantee it is the right answer today. The companies that can evolve and change to meet the needs of their industry and their workforce are the ones that will survive and thrive.

Resources

Attend Lisa Bronner’s keynote session at the 2026 Annual Wellness Summit to learn more.

The Wellness Alliance in partnership with the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans present the 2026 Annual Wellness Summit July 28-30 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Become a member to view webinar recordings. Register for upcoming live events here: https://www.wellnessalliance.org/education-and-events/education-catalog.