Burkina Faso is recognized by the United Nations as one of the least developed countries. Shea butter, known as 'women's gold,' is its most important economic resource. Since 1980, L’OCCITANE EN PROVENCE has partnered with women in Burkina Faso, becoming a long-term supporter of their work and living environment.

L'OCCITANE EN PROVENCE has been sourcing organic shea butter through fair trade practices for over 30 years. Instead of directly purchasing shea nuts, they purchase shea butter made using traditional methods – collected, crushed, and processed by local women. This is done to eliminate exploitation by intermediaries, ensure more stable income for the women, and enable them to achieve a greater degree of independence and autonomy.

L'OCCITANE EN PROVENCE is not only committed to creating a fair trade shea butter supply chain, but has also signed a 'Sustainable Harvesting Charter' with the five cooperatives it partners with. This ensures that shea trees are cared for in a natural way, without the use of any chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial chemical products, in order to maintain biodiversity. Furthermore, L'OCCITANE collaborates with local authorities in West Africa, protecting 33 shea orchards and providing West African women with training in tree protection and ecological regeneration, in order to achieve sustainable development