Earth Day: Industry’s two-year progress, #PlantForChange and petrichor fragrance launch

21 Apr 2023 --- For Earth Day tomorrow, the US trade association Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) is marking the occasion by celebrating industry’s sustainability progress. Canadian brand Attitude is launching essential lines with eco-innovative packaging. At the same time, Givaudan captures the scent of soil after the rain with the launch of fragrance Geogaia.

“Having worked within the beauty and personal care products industry for nearly two decades, I have seen extraordinary change when it comes to thinking – and acting – responsibly with our Earth,” observes Lisa Powers, executive VP of public affairs & communications at PCPC.

“Twenty years ago, issues like reducing packaging, increasing transparency and traceability in the supply chain and reducing biodiversity loss were not front and center. Today, they are integral to our member companies’ operations and mindset.”

According to EarthDay.org, this year’s theme is Invest In Our Planet. It emphasizes the importance of dedicating “time, resources and energy to solving climate change and other environmental issues. Investing in our planet is necessary to protect it and the best way to pave a path toward a prosperous future.”

Industry’s progress in two yearsCompared to 2021, nearly twice as many cosmetics and personal care companies report committing to science-based targets.
PCPC’s most recent sustainability report highlights the beauty and personal care industry’s “continued commitment” to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) initiatives over the past two years.

“Nearly twice as many cosmetics and personal care companies report committing to science-based targets (SBTs), designed to limit global warming to 1.5° C and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. The SBT Initiative requires reductions to scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions,” says Powers.

“Nearly twice as many companies report having made commitments to 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable for all plastic packaging by 2025,” she adds.

Moreover, more than twice as many companies are offering consumers retail collection or mail-in take-back for empty packaging.

“The number of companies reporting commitments to use 100% renewable energy and joining RE 100 has doubled. RE 100 is a global corporate renewable energy initiative that brings together hundreds of large businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity,” shares Powers.

For instance, L’Oréal reached an agreement with French state-owned Électricité de France to achieve carbon neutrality across all its sites in the next two years. Three quarters of the Mexican company’s energy sources are green and it has reduced emissions from transport by 30%. It also accelerated the development of “Waterloop” technology this year that will allow all the water used by its Xochimilco factory to be 100% recycled and reused.

“Multiple companies are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and have committed to zero deforestation and sourcing sustainable palm oil for their products. The RSPO promotes the growth and use of sustainable palm oil products,” adds Powers.

As the EU tightens its deforestation rules, Beiersdorf and World Wildlife Fund For Nature strengthened their partnership by aiding the conservation of natural forests on the island of Borneo until 2026.

Trees as an investment for future
According to EarthDay.org, one way of investing in the planet is to plant more trees. Attitude supports non-profit leaders in reforestation for the environment through the Reforestation Program.

Combining business with tree plantation, the brand is planting a tree for every product purchased online or in participating stores. This is in partnership with non-profit tree planters Eden Reforestation and One Tree Planted.

Moreover, the brand is calling on Instagram and TikTok communities to #PlantForChange by double-tapping the brands’ Instagram or TikTok campaign posts between April 19 and 22. For each ten likes, one tree will be planted.Attitude is partnering with non-profit tree planters Eden Reforestation and One Tree Planted (Image Credit: Attitude).

Product to eco-packaging
Attitude is also launching products with “clean, eco-innovative packaging” that are Environmental Working Group (EWG)-verified.

This includes the Oceanly Collection, comprising solid, 100% plastic-free and vegan skincare. This line comprises 19 products, such as cleansers, serums, creams, masks and sunscreens. These are packaged in push-up designs and made of biodegradable and FSC-certified cardboard from eco-managed forests.

The second collection is called Home Essentials, which is refillable, biodegradable, 100% vegan and cruelty-free. Products include Dishwashing Liquids, All Purpose Sprays, Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener in aluminum bottles.

Lastly, the SuperLeaves Collection is also refillable, biodegradable, 100% vegan and cruelty-free, consisting of Shower Gel, Hand Soap, Shampoo and Conditioner in aluminum bottles.Geogaia captures the smell that comes from the ground when rain falls after a dry period (Image Credit: Givaudan).

Capturing the scent of Earth
Geogaia by Givaudan captures Petrichor, “defined as the smell that comes from the ground when rain falls after a dry period.” The company recreates this complex smell providing green, earthy and watery tonalities to the fragrances.

The scent resulted from Givaudan’s Proprietary Mood Portraits 2.0 testing approach and InSituScanz brain imaging exploration, which allowed the company to understand the smell on an emotional level.

“Demonstrating the emotional dimension of this new creation, 81% of consumers observed an ‘after the rain’ olfactive effect in the compositions containing a significant level of Geogaia, describing a pleasant natural outdoor sensation,” shares Stéphanie Martin, home care category director at Givaudan.

“Being the most accurate translation of this universally evocative wet weather smell, Geogaia opens new creative perspectives across all product categories.”

In addition, Geogaia has a 100% biodegradable formula, providing a planet-friendly experience. It is an addition to the Gaia collection, which also features Phytogaia, capturing the well-being benefits of molecules emitted by forest trees, and Thalassogaia, mimicking the composition of the marine environment.

The launch aligns with the company’s 2030 goal of achieving a biodegradable fragrance palette.

In related news, Coty’s portfolio brand Gucci launched the “world’s first” globally distributed fragrance manufactured using 100% carbon-captured alcohol.EarthDay.org advises businesses to invest in Earth.

Too early to celebrate?
Taking an optimistic stance, Powers celebrates Earth Day as a moment to acknowledge the industry’s progress toward sustainability. “The progress over just two years is remarkable.”

In regulatory efforts toward greener futures, the European Commission recently presented the Green Claims Directive – a much-awaited law that seeks to crack down on greenwashing, while CDP Worldwide released its latest supply chain report stating that “this year’s data tells a stark story – change is not happening at the scale required.”

CDP found that only 1% of companies provide financial and technical help to support direct suppliers to reduce their deforestation impacts.

“The proliferation of greenwashing is hampering the green transition: it hinders consumers’ ability to make informed sustainable choices and makes it harder for the companies that strive to reduce their environmental impacts to differentiate themselves from free riders,” states Blanca Morales, senior coordinator for EU ecolabel at EEB.

Furthermore, UK industry giants, universities and NGOs initiated a two-year program worth £5.4 million (US$6.5 million) dubbed Flue2Chem, aimed at converting industrial waste gasses into environmentally sustainable materials for consumer products.

EarthDay.org advises businesses to invest in sustainable infrastructure, go paperless when possible, offer bike-to-work or work-from-home incentives, expand sustainable investment portfolio and mitigate the carbon impact of their business by planting a forest with the Canopy Project.

By Venya Patel

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