L’Oréal pledges 100% plastic packaging recycled or bio-based by 2030
30 Jun 2020 --- French cosmetics heavyweight L’Oréal has boldly pledged that 100 percent of the plastics used in its product packaging will be from either recycled or bio-based sources by 2030. The goal is part of the company’s new environmental sustainability program “L’Oréal for the future,” which lays down the company’s ambitions for 2030. L’Oréal says it is accelerating towards a model respecting planetary boundaries and reinforcing its commitment to environmental sustainability.
“Over the past decade, we have transformed our company, putting sustainability at the very core of our business model. With our latest commitments, we are entering a new phase of acceleration of that transformation: going beyond our direct environmental impact, helping consumers to make more sustainable choices, as well as generating positive social and environmental contribution. We seek to contribute to building an inclusive and sustainable society,” notes Alexandra Palt, L’Oréal Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer.
L’Oréal’s goals include:
By 2025, all of L’Oréal’s sites will have achieved carbon neutrality by improving energy efficiency and using 100 percent renewable energy;
By 2030, L’Oréal will reduce its entire greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent per finished product, compared to 2016; ;
Allocating €150 million (US$168 million) to address urgent social and environmental issues.
In order to empower its consumers to make more sustainable choices, L’Oréal has developed a Product Environmental & Social Impact Labeling mechanism, endorsed by independent scientific experts and verified by an independent auditor, which will be progressively deployed for all brands and categories.
A new era?
The challenges the planet is currently facing are unprecedented. According to Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman and CEO of L’Oréal, it is “essential to accelerate our efforts to preserve a safe operating space for humanity.”
“We do so in our own business operations and in our contribution to the society at large. We know that the biggest challenges remain to come and L’Oréal will stay faithful to its ambition: operate within the limits of the planet,” explains Agon. “L’Oréal’s sustainable revolution is entering a new era.”
L’Oréal’s brand La Roche-Posay recently achieved a global first by packaging its Anthelios sunscreen in a cardboard tube.True to its promise, L’Oréal’s brand La Roche-Posay recently achieved a global first by packaging its Anthelios sunscreen in a cardboard tube, starting from May in the French market. The cardboard tube solution reduces plastic usage by a reported 45 percent. The innovative tube is the result of L’Oréal’s collaboration with cosmetic packaging heavyweight Albéa and is the first in a long line of cardboard solutions to follow, according to the companies. Cosmetic specialist Kiehl is set to become the next brand to adopt the eco-friendly cardboard packaging solution in 2021.
Setting goals and boundaries
“Planetary boundaries” are limits, which, if crossed, will compromise the Earth’s capacity as a habitat for human development, L’Oréal explains. Therefore, the group has defined new quantifiable targets for 2030, to fight climate change as supported by the “Science Based Targets” initiative, but also goes further by addressing three other major environmental issues: preservation of biodiversity, sustainable water management and circular use of resources.
To ensure its business is respectful of a resource-limited planet, and fair for the communities it works with, L’Oréal says it will not only continue to reduce its direct environmental impacts but also reduce the impacts of its entire activity including those of its suppliers and consumers. A concrete example of what L’Oréal wants to achieve: by 2025, all of the group’s manufacturing, administrative and research sites aim to reach carbon neutrality by improving energy efficiency and using 100 percent renewable energy. Through this commitment, L’Oréal wishes to contribute to the green energy transition in countries where it operates.
Inspiring consumers’ sustainable choices
To help its 1.5 billion consumers make more sustainable choices, L’Oréal has developed a Product Environmental & Social Impact Labeling mechanism. The labeling will include a score on a scale from A to E, with an “A” product considered as “best in class” in terms of environmental impacts. The method was endorsed by independent scientific experts and data and verified by Bureau Veritas Certification, an independent auditor.
The labels and scores will be accessible on product web pages. The first brand to implement the new methodology as of 2020 is Garnier for its hair care products. This labeling will be progressively extended to other countries, L’Oréal’s brands and product categories.
L’Oréal is setting aside€100 million (US$112 million) for impact investing to act upon key environmental challenges. €50 million (US$56 million) will be used to finance damaged natural marine and forest ecosystems restoration projects through the L’Oréal Fund for Nature Regeneration, operated by Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, dedicated to impact investing. Another €50 million (US$56 million) will be directed to financing projects linked to the circular economy.
Edited by Kristiana Lalou
