
What's your main role at So Organic Sam?
My main role is being head of the company and generally overseeing everything that we do including the strategy and the direction the company should take. I liaise with new suppliers, deal with PR side of business, talking with journalists and at events as well as looking after the marketing team.
How would you describe So Organics company ethos/philosophy?
Our philosophy is really about being a trusted friend to our customers
3 words to describe So Organic?
Honest, knowledgeable, experienced
What are the most challenging questions you face from suppliers and/or customers in regards to So Organics ‘organic and natural' status?


We are certified by the Soil Association as an organic health and beauty retailer and textiles retailer.
What is your favourite product in the range and why?

What is your definition of organic?
Something where the plant based ingredients or the agricultural ingredients have been grown to strict organic standards without the use of pesticides.

Probably the Riverford Organic Box Scheme because I think what they're doing in terms of locally produced organic food and getting it out at an affordable price to the British public is absolutely fantastic, and the quality of their products is brilliant.
What environmental issues are of most concern to you?
Local sourcing is a prime concern for me. It makes me really angry when we're importing things from thousands of miles away when we're able to produce them in the UK from both an environmental point of view and a human angle. We've driven thousands of UK farmers out of business by wanting cheaper imports. We could help our environment and local population if we started to buy more local products.
Would that stop you from stocking overseas products?

What natural beauty issues are you most concerned with?
The avoidance of ingredients like parabens, particularly synthetic fragrance, which is really irritating to people with sensitive skin, plus people with allergies and asthma. I'm most concerned about brands like Johnson and Johnson putting products on the market and calling them things like ‘soothing naturals' when they contain virtually no natural ingredients whatsoever - that's really misleading for consumers.
What latest innovations in regards to the environment have grabbed your interest?

What is you worst eco habit?
Leaving too many lights on.
Who's your eco role model?
Guy Watson who founded Riverford Organic. He's been so strong with rejecting working with supermarkets because of the way they were treating him and their attitude to business and he's had the strength to decide the way he'd like to do things, stay true to his principles and still build a very successful business. And he's not been afraid to say what he thinks.
How do you envision the world in 30 years time from an environmental perspective?
What I really hope happens is that because of climate change issues we start taking the environment a lot more seriously, that we'll all be recycling a lot, that we'll all be shopping locally. We'll all be buying products that have a lower impact on the planet and consuming fewer, better quality products. That's what I'd like it to be like. I don't know if it will be. I think that we have a really big opportunity but it's going to be a battle against the rampant consumerism from those who want more and more for cheaper and cheaper prices all the time. The alternative is too horrible to think about.