National Design Awards

The mission of Aveda Corporation, founded in 1978 and based in Minneapolis, is rooted deeply in two things: design and responsibility. Aveda strives to develop solutions to problems by insisting on strong design and aesthetic standards, expressed within shifting parameters of materials and design processes that are "light on the planet." The company's attention to design excellence encompasses all levels of its endeavors: its products, packaging, printed materials, manufacturing facilities, retail stores, and spas. The first privately held company to endorse the CERES Principles (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies), Aveda's commitment to worldwide environmental leadership permeates its corporate culture. Aveda bottles and cartons contain one of the highest post-consumer content levels in the beauty industry and have won accolades for their ingenious design. Stores and display cases utilize renewable resources such as bamboo stalks, sunflower husks, corn sorghum husks, wheat seeds, and reclaimed maple sunk in North American rivers and lakes from nineteenth-century logging operations. Manufacturing facilities have significantly reduced electrical consumption and carbon dioxide emissions - demonstrating that economic development and environmental sustainability can work hand-in-hand.