Forever prides itself in maintaining the very highest standards in the way in which our products are produced. The 'Commitment to Quality' (below) quotes from our legal information literature (“Ad Pack… The Essential Tool”):
Why don’t we call our products ‘organic’?
This is a very good question. In fact, we don’t because the organic standard in America does not meet our own high standard. Below is an extract from the Forever Knowledge website explaining our reasoning.
Organic Products
All of the Aloe Vera used in FLP products is grown under ecologically responsible conditions and is pure and natural as certified by the International Aloe Science Council. Our bee products are produced using ecologically responsible procedures as well.
The final “Organic Rule” in the U.S. allows for the use of many undesirable substances and practices. For that reason and because we use a lot of aloe from our fields in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, we do not subscribe to the organic certification programme in the U.S.
What about our workers?
We take the employment of people very seriously. We pay and reward our employees so well that we have waiting lists of people wanting to work for us! Again, from the website:
Aloe Workers
Taken from a UK ‘Forever’ newsletter article in September ’99 written by Aiden O’Hare from our Head Office in the USA:
I have been asked in the past about the working conditions for my colleagues in the aloe fields. I was eager to ask them myself and I can tell you that the story was the same throughout. They love their jobs and receive a variety of benefits, including profit share, medical and dental benefits, a four-day week and education allowances for their children. my guide for the day, Jose Martin, has been working with our aloe for 18 years and talks of it with almost parental care. The affection in his voice was evident as he explained how Aloe changes colour according to its mood, so “Be nice” he instructed me! Another striking point is the simplicity of the operation. The “beautiful Aloe” is cut from the field, dropped into fresh water, pressed, then hand sieved before stabilisation. The purity of our product is unrivalled and our commitment to this must never falter, as ours is the best that nature offers. This simplicity applies equally to our Bee Products.
Taken from an e-mail from Aiden O’Hare, FLP Head Office, USA,
26 November 2003:
The people I wrote about in 1999, are still working for FLP and earning more money now than before. We care for our people regardless of where they are from or where they work. Rex’s (founder and CEO of FLP) philosophy of “caring more than others think is necessary” has not changed. We are a global business that is doing business throughout the world, we offer every person regardless of colour, creed or belief, an opportunity to better themselves. Our entire company is built upon the premise of removing barriers and exploitations, that is why we have waiting lists of people who want to work for us and why those that start work with us rarely leave.
Natural Ingredients
The quality of our ingredients is essential. All our supplements are naturally sourced, not synthesised in a laboratory. We do this because, “Although they both appear to be identical, the natural vitamins are more readily absorbed by the body and they don’t contain any toxins. In some cases synthetic supplements can’t be broken down by the body, so they come out exactly the same as they went in.” (Forever Knowledge website). This philosophy applies to all the ingredients we use.
For this reason, we sometimes use ingredients that are sourced from animal products. Glucosamine, for example, is sourced from shellfish rather than a mineral oil synthetic substitute. The Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (in our shampoo) we use is derived from coconut oil. The Parabens we use are likewise derived from plants and not mineral oil. Our Omega-3 fish oil is taken from the flesh of fish caught in the Arctic Ocean (the least polluted ocean on Earth), not the liver which collects toxins from the body for disposal.
More!
We care about the environment. We use solar-powered electric tractors in our Aloe fields. A pollution-free environment means pollution-free Aloe. We do not use herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilisers. Our products are all GM free. We produce all our own packaging using recycled and recyclable materials. We use chlorine-free paper for all our publications.
You can have confidence in our products – confidence that they are good for you, and good for our planet.
“Forever is the world leader in the growing, processing and distribution of Aloe Vera products and the collection, processing and distribution of bee hive products (Forever's range includes: health, nutrition, skin care, cosmetics, weight management and animal care products).
Forever was the first Aloe Vera company in the world to have the International Aloe Science Council seal of approval for its Aloe Vera products (10 years before any of its European-based competitors).
Forever’s commitment to quality assurance and control is exemplified by its investment in state-of-the-art production facilities in places like Dallas that house research facilities that are comparable to any cosmetic Laboratory in the world.
Forever’s Aloe Vera is ‘naturally grown’ (as opposed to ‘organic’) and is the only Aloe Vera company in the world to operate a totally vertically integrated system, i.e. from plant to products to end user/customer, ensuring unmatched levels of quality control, assurance and customer service.
Forever owns and farms over 6,000 acres of Aloe Vera plantations in Texas, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
Forever owns patents for its unique Aloe Vera stabilisation process and its beehive products’ collection systems.
Forever’s beehives are located it in the high Sonoran Desert in Arizona, an area noted for its pollution-free environment, rich soil, and unique flora and fauna.
Forever and its sister company, Aloe Vera of America, are member companies of PeTA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and are featured on the organisation’s website as a consumer products company that does not test on animals.”