COP15 propels biodiversity: French-German beauty federations release guide, LVMH launches initiatives

13 Dec 2022 --- At the ongoing UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) in Montreal, Canada, political leaders and companies have come together to discuss new goals to guide climate action to halt and reverse nature loss. In line with the goals of COP 15, Fédération des Entreprises de la Beauté (FEBEA) and The German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association (IKW), the two federations representing the cosmetics sector in France and Germany, are launching a common good practice guide intended to share the experiences of cosmetics companies for preserving biodiversity.

Additionally, French luxury giant LVMH has unveiled initiatives to promote biodiversity and preserve the raw material value chain.

The key theme for this year’s conference is adapting an equitable and comprehensive framework matched by the resources needed for its implementation. The summit also aims to set clear targets to address overexploitation, pollution, fragmentation and unsustainable agricultural practices.

Authorities will develop a plan that safeguards the rights of indigenous peoples and recognizes their contributions as stewards of nature. Additional points on the agenda include funding biodiversity and aligning financial flows with nature’s needs to drive capital toward environmentally sustainable investments.

 COP 15 is being held in Montreal, Canada from Dec 7 until 19, and will see the adoption of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. “Nature and biodiversity are dying the death of a billion cuts and humanity is paying the price for betraying its closest friend. In the words of the UN secretary-general [Antonio Guterres], ‘we are committing suicide by proxy.’ This COP must secure the future of our planetary life support system,” stresses Inger Andersen, UN under-secretary-general and UNEP executive director.

Protecting raw materials for cosmetic ingredients
The guide released by FEBEA and IKW is titled Biodiversity in the Cosmetics Industry – Inspiring Examples from France and Germany.  The organizations spotlight the dependence of the personal care industry on the use of natural raw materials.

“Companies are already making a significant contribution to counteracting this loss of diversity: respectful and ethical handling in the procurement of raw materials along the entire supply chain protects biodiversity so that people and nature can benefit equally,” says Birgit Huber, deputy director general, head of department at beauty care at IKW.

Emmanuel Guichard, director general at the association says that ethical sourcing can allow companies to secure long-term access to biological resources and can also minimize costs and risks.

“For this to succeed, cosmetics manufacturers should integrate the issue of preserving and protecting biodiversity stronger into their business processes and strategies as an integral part of their corporate culture.”

In 2021, the FEBEA drew up the first guide of good practices centered on the initiatives of companies operating in France. Now, the second edition has been completed with the experiences of Germany-based cosmetic companies, providing concrete answers to questions relating to protecting biodiversity in growing areas, saving water, optimizing soil quality and training employees.

LVMH initiatives for biodiversity
LVMH is strengthening its partnership with UNESCO, initially formed in 2019, to improve the resilience of ecosystems and to measure and evaluate how programs dedicated to biodiversity conservation benefit local communities, particularly in the Amazon basin.Biodiversity is the source of a large part of the ingredients that make up cosmetic formulas, from personal hygiene products to perfumes, shares FEBEA and IKW.

In collaboration with Reforest’Action, the company also plans to restore forest cover in the southern Ecuadorian and the northern Peruvian Amazon while supporting and strengthening the development of a regenerative economy in indigenous Amazonian communities.

The company reiterates that its brands are practicing environmentally sustainable alternatives to promote biodiversity. Parfums Christian Dior is working locally to perpetuate flower cultivation in the region regeneratively and reintroduce them into agricultural ecosystems.

The Maison is collaborating with UEBT (Union for Ethical BioTrade) in particular and is committed to certifying 100% of its 42 gardens and partner gardens around the world as organic or regenerative by 2030, as well as progressively certifying field crops (notably beets, the source of the alcohol for its fragrances).

Moreover, Guerlain has deployed a program dedicated to preserving bees, mainly through the “Women for Bees” program in collaboration with UNESCO and the OFA (L’Observatoire Français d’Apidologie – The French Observatory of Apidology). Guerlain has also entered into a three-year sponsorship agreement with the French Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to produce the Red List of Threatened Species of wild bees in France.

Edited by Radhika Sikaria