Croda’s “Beauty of Zero” positioned to advance sustainable beauty
Key takeaways
- Croda’s Beauty of Zero platform embeds sustainability across sourcing, biotechnology, manufacturing, and formulation through six “zero-impact” pillars.
- Renewable feedstocks, lifecycle data, and biodegradable ingredients are becoming central to beauty formulation and sourcing decisions.
- As consumer and regulatory scrutiny intensifies, suppliers are balancing sustainability credentials with efficacy, transparency, and high-performing formulations.
Croda has unveiled Beauty of Zero, a new program that the company says underscores its strategy for science-backed sustainability initiatives within the beauty and personal care industry.
According to Croda, Beauty of Zero reflects its commitment to support the evolution to a zero-impact beauty industry through ingredient innovation, transparent data, and collaborative scientific expertise.
This supports the company’s long-term ambition for reducing environmental and social impacts across the beauty value chain while continuing to deliver high-performance ingredients demanded by global beauty brands and consumers.
Sandra Breene, president of Consumer Care, says that Beauty of Zero demonstrates how “sustainability and innovation are increasingly interconnected drivers of long-term growth.”
She says: “Customers are seeking high-performing ingredients that are backed by credible science, transparency, and measurable sustainability benefits. By combining our formulation expertise, biotechnology capabilities, and data-led approach, we are helping customers innovate with confidence while supporting the transition to a more sustainable beauty industry.”
“This program reflects the progress Croda is making across its sustainability agenda and highlights how smart science can help the beauty industry make meaningful progress toward ‘zero’ impact, addressing some of the most complex environmental and social challenges facing our industries.”
Sustainability pillars
Built around six pillars — Net Zero, Zero Waste, Zero Biodiversity Loss, Zero Water Impact, Zero Exploitation, and Zero Ambiguity — the program demonstrates how Croda is embedding sustainability considerations into product development, manufacturing, and customer collaboration.
Croda’s Beauty of Zero reflects its commitment to support the evolution to a zero-impact beauty industry.Biotechnology-enabled ingredient innovation is helping reduce dependence on resource-intensive feedstocks while supporting lower-impact manufacturing and more sustainable beauty formulations.
It is becoming clear that beauty companies are increasingly prioritizing renewable and responsibly sourced raw materials, supported by transparent lifecycle data and sustainability metrics to guide formulation and sourcing decisions.
Not only this, but circularity initiatives are accelerating across the beauty value chain, with greater focus on waste reduction, manufacturing efficiency, and biodegradable ingredient development to minimize environmental impact.
Beauty of Zero was first showcased at the In-cosmetics Global 2026 exhibition, where Croda presented innovations and insights aligned with the campaign’s sustainability goals.
Sustainability strides
At the recent NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2026 in New York City, US (May 19–20), Personal Care Insights spoke with Lauren Leonard, market development manager at Eastman, about its latest report highlighting sustainable skin care. Eastman’s Global Skin Care Report examines how sustainability, performance, and formulation demands are shaping future skin care development.
“Our report shows that while sustainability is now a baseline expectation in skin care formulation, adoption is being slowed by a set of very practical barriers,” said Leonard.
The report flagged that, globally, 85% of formulators say sustainability is important, but only 52% are satisfied with current options on the market. According to Eastman, the findings point to “a critical gap” between what formulators need to improve the sustainability profiles of their products and the solutions the market offers.
Meanwhile, it is clear that consumers’ growing sustainability expectations are reshaping the beauty industry.
Brands and suppliers are facing growing pressure to disclose ingredient origins and production means, and substantiate sourcing claims transparently. At the same time, consumers do not want to compromise on performance, and manufacturers are left having to balance sustainability, efficacy, and ethics.
“Ethical beauty is no longer a niche conversation — it is closely linked with quality of life,” Liki von Oppen-Bezalel, chief scientific officer and business development director at TriNutra, previously told us.
