Natracare Rejects Buyout Path, Cements Legacy with Employee Ownership

BRISTOL, United Kingdom – March 26, 2026 – In a move that prioritizes purpose over profit, Bodywise (UK) Ltd., the manufacturer of pioneering organic period care brand Natracare, has transitioned into an employee-owned company. After 37 years at the helm, founder Susie Hewson has transferred ownership to the newly formed Natracare Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), ensuring the company’s ethical mission is permanently protected by the people who helped build it.

The transition marks a definitive rejection of the well-trodden path for successful, purpose-led brands: acquisition by a larger corporation. To lead this new chapter, the trust has appointed Nina Davies, a seasoned brand leader with over 25 years of experience, as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer.

A Radical Act to Preserve a Radical Mission

When Susie Hewson founded Natracare in 1989, she was an environmental activist launching a rebellion against an industry comfortable with plastics, chlorine bleaching, and undisclosed chemicals. The brand’s introduction of the first certified 100% organic cotton tampons was a radical act. Today, the decision to place the company into an EOT is an equally radical act of preservation.

"As we looked to the future of Natracare, it was essential that the company remain guided by the same principles it was founded on—respect for women's health, environmental responsibility and transparency," Hewson said in a statement. "By placing Natracare into an Employee Ownership Trust, we are protecting the mission of the brand while empowering the people who carry that mission forward every day."

This choice deliberately sidesteps the risk of having the brand’s core values "quietly hollowed out" by a corporate buyer focused on bottom-line efficiencies over ethical commitments. The EOT structure, a growing model in the UK, legally safeguards a company's mission by placing a controlling stake into a trust held for the benefit of all employees. This ensures that long-term purpose, not short-term profit, remains the primary driver of every business decision.

Natracare's move aligns with a rising trend among ethical businesses, particularly Certified B Corporations, which use the EOT model to embed their stakeholder-focused values into their legal governance. For these companies, employee ownership is not just an exit strategy but a powerful tool for ensuring a founder’s legacy of social and environmental responsibility endures indefinitely.

From Activist Founder to Employee Guardians

The story of Natracare is inseparable from Hewson’s own journey. An "eco-warrior" horrified by a 1980s documentary exposing the dangers of dioxin pollution from paper pulping, she discovered that these same chlorine-bleaching processes were used for tampons and pads. Faced with a complete lack of natural alternatives, she took action, creating a company from conviction.

Hewson’s path was not easy. She faced skepticism and difficulty securing funding as a female entrepreneur in the early 1990s, eventually securing a loan against her own home to launch the business. Her activism continued as the company grew; she worked with the UK's Soil Association to develop the world's first organic standards for period products and has been a tireless advocate for transparency and safety regulations in the personal care industry.

The transition to an EOT is the culmination of this life's work. Instead of a sale to the highest bidder, Hewson has chosen to make the employees the collective stewards and guardians of the brand. According to the company, this ensures that the people closest to the work—those who live and breathe Natracare’s values daily—are the ones who will guide its future. It is a declaration that the company's principles are not a marketing position, but its permanent foundation.

A New Era of Leadership and Shared Success

Stepping in to lead this employee-owned entity is Nina Davies, who brings a wealth of experience in building purpose-driven brands and cultivating global partnerships. Her appointment signals a strategic move to blend Natracare's foundational legacy with a forward-looking vision for growth and impact. Davies is entrusted with steering a company where success is measured not just in sales, but in its continued adherence to its founding mission.

Under the EOT model, employees gain more than just a voice; they gain a tangible stake in the company’s performance. This structure fosters a deep culture of ownership and engagement, as the team’s collective efforts directly contribute to their shared success. In the UK, EOTs can also provide direct financial benefits, allowing companies to pay annual tax-free bonuses to their staff, further aligning the interests of the employees with the long-term health of the business.

This shift from a founder-led to a future-led organization empowers the entire workforce to innovate and solve problems with a shared sense of purpose. The model is designed to enhance stability and resilience, creating a workplace where integrity and accountability are woven into the operational fabric of the company.

The Future of Purpose-Driven Business

In a market that Natracare helped create, the demand for natural and organic period care is at an all-time high. The sector is now crowded with new entrants and established players launching their own "natural" lines. However, Natracare's move to employee ownership provides a powerful new differentiator: an unbreakable, legally-binding commitment to its ethical principles.

This structural integrity is supported by a formidable list of third-party validations, including certifications as a B Corp, a member of 1% for the Planet, and accreditations like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), MADE SAFE, and Vegan status. These aren't just badges; they represent decades of consistent, audited commitment to planetary and human health.

For Hewson, the EOT is described as her gift to the people who helped build her vision and her promise to the customers who have trusted the brand for nearly four decades. By turning her employees into its successors, she has provided a potential blueprint for other founders of purpose-driven companies, proving that it is possible to build a successful business without ever sacrificing its soul.