I think the leadership of a company should encourage the next generation not just to follow, but to overtake. The duty of leadership is to put forward ideas, symbols, metaphors of the way it should be done, so that the next generation can work out new and better ways of doing the job. The complaint Gordon and I have is that we are not being overtaken by our staff. We would like to be able to say, "We can't keep up with you guys", but, it is not happening.

If I can't do something for the public good, what the hell am I doing?

Cynicism is what passes for insight when courage is lacking

You persuade people with passion, so you've got to have a product or service you feel emotionally charged about. Then you can tell stories about it that will inspire others.

At The Body Shop we had always been measured by how many jobs we had created, and I got a major award from the Queen on that.

Be courageous. It's one of the only places left uncrowded.

My passionate belief is that business can be fun, it can be conducted with love and a powerful force for good.