Responsibility

To learn more about L’Oréal’s progress and goals in sustainable development in 2018:

Download the Progress Report (PDF)

L’Oréal has been recognised for the third year in a row as a global leader in sustainable development by CDP  , achieving an “A” score for carbon emissions, managing water consumption in a sustainable way and protecting forests in its supply chain – the three themes covered by CDP’s rankings. Every year, CDP assesses the performance of almost 6,800 companies in these three areas, awarding them a score of “A” to “D”. “L’Oréal’s teams, committed on a day-to-day basis all over the world, can be proud of this recognition, which demonstrates L’Oréal’s strong commitment on the path to transformation towards a more sustainable model. It encourages us to go further and faster in tackling the major environmental challenges that the world faces today“, said Jean-Paul Agon, President and CEO of L’Oréal, about the honour.

A range of diverse initiatives are being implemented in the L’Oréal group to reduce, offset or optimise employees’ travel. In September 2018, “Sustainability Week”– its key event mobilising employees around sustainable development issues – was dedicated to mobility, with staff encouraged to use more environmentally friendly forms of transport. In some countries, internal staff travel rules have changed, for example in China, where the teams have decided to take the train between Shanghai and Beijing rather than flying. Fleets of electric vehicles are now made available to employees at certain sites, such as the head office of the Operations Department at Saint-Ouen, in France. In South Korea, L’Oréal has replaced its entire fleet with hybrid cars, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions by 37% and fuel consumption by 51%.

All these initiatives are helping to make L’Oréal a business on the move, in a sustainable way!

Which bin should shampoo bottles go into? Can the glass pots used for skincare products be recycled with other glass? Are stick deodorants recyclable? In France, 49% of users of cosmetic products recycle the packaging from their bathroom. L’Oréal brands in France, such as L’Oréal Paris, Garnier and Roger&Gallet have launched a campaign called “Trions en beauté” to help them recycle and encourage other consumers do the same.

The website trionsenbeaute.fr helps consumers to sort their waste items, explains the importance of recycling and encourages everyone to get involved. The site promotes recycling by providing consumers with detailed information so that they know what to do with each type of product. More than a one-time campaign, the initiative is intended to make recycling a lasting, regular habit for an increasing number of consumers. The impact of this awareness-raising campaign conducted in partnership with Citeo – a key player in the circular economy in France – will be assessed each year.

In 2018, L’Oréal Mexico significantly reduced its environmental impact and positively impacted society as it moved steadily towards fulfilling the Group’s major sustainability goals. For example, investing in renewable energy and installing solar panels has led to a 26% reduction in CO₂ emissions at L’Oréal Mexico’s manufacturing sites, compared to 2017. This achievement relates to two plants – one in Mexico and the other in San Luis Potosí, as well as the distribution centre in Mexico, which has been a carbon neutral site since 2017. The subsidiary also achieved the Group’s zero waste to landfill goal across all its production activities.