EcoBeautyScore Consortium develops scoring system for cosmetic products

23 Feb 2022 --- The EcoBeautyScore Consortium that includes – but is not limited to – major industry players such as Colgate-Palmolive, Coty, The Estée Lauder Companies and Unilever will provide consumers with an environmental impact assessment and scoring system that will allow them to make sustainable decisions.

The EcoBeautyScore Consortium was formed by 36 cosmetics and personal care companies and professional associations.

By the end of this year, the EcoBeautyScore Consortium aims to have a footprinting and scoring prototype, which will first provide environmental scoring for a select number of product categories.

Other parties will subsequently verify it.

Cosmetics and personal care companies, as well as professional groups, are being invited to join the EcoBeautyScore Consortium.

This Consortium follows Henkel, L’Oréal, LVMH, Natura &Co and Unilever, urging the cosmetics sector to collaborate on an environmental impact assessment and scoring system.

Members of the consortium
The global Consortium spans four continents and includes small and major companies and associations.

The complete list of the 36 members so far includes: Amorepacific, Babor, Beiersdorf, Colgate-Palmolive, Cosmébio, COSMED, Cosmetic Valley, Cosmetics Europe, cosnova, Coty, The Estée Lauder Companies, Eugène Perma, FEBEA, The Fragrance Creators Association, Henkel and IKW Beauty Care.The EcoBeautyScore Consortium develops a cosmetics industry-wide environmental impact assessment and grading system.

Additionally, the members include: The International Fragrance Association, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., Just International AG, Kao, L’Oréal Groupe, LVMH, Nafigate, NAOS, Natrue, Natura &Co, NOHBA, Oriflame, P&G, Paragon Nordic, Puig, PZ Cussons, Shiseido, Sisley, Stanpa and Unilever.

Impact of the EcoBeautyScore Consortium
Based on a standard science-based methodology, the approach may assist customers with clear, transparent, and comparable environmental effect information.

This will help to address rising customer demand for more information on the environmental impact of cosmetics (formula, packaging and usage). Indeed, a sizable percentage of consumers (42%) are interested in purchasing brands that focus on circular and sustainable methods.

The Consortium is collaborating with Quantis, a sustainability consultant, to ensure a sound and scientific approach to co-developing an assessment methodology and score system.

Monitoring product lifecycle and environmental impact
Firstly, the system will be based on a standard approach for evaluating environmental impacts throughout a product’s lifecycle, based on the principles of the “Product Environmental Footprint” (the European Union’s PEF scientific method for quantifying a product’s environmental footprint based on life cycle assessment).

Secondly, the system will include a centralized database of the environmental impact of common substances and raw materials used in formulae, packaging and product use. Additionally, the system will follow a tool that non-experts can use to analyze the environmental impact of individual products.

Lastly, the system will be based on a standardized grading system that allows companies to voluntarily tell consumers about their cosmetic items’ environmental impact. Independent parties will verify the methodology, database, tool, and grading system.

Tracking personal care consortiums
The Estée Lauder Companies joined the Pulpex partner consortium to support the development of a recyclable paper bottle derived from the responsibly-sourced pulp.

Arcaea gained US$78 million to develop cosmetic ingredients using expressive biology. The financing was from a consortium of strategic and financial investors, including Olaplex, Cascade Investment, Viking Global, Chanel, Givaudan and Wittington Ventures.

By Nicole Kerr

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