FROM NATURAL TO SUSTAINABLE, AN AMBITIOUS PATHWAY FOR THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY

The cosmetic industry strives to innovate with sustainable products both to respond to the challenges of the future and to meet consumers’ expectations. Companies are committed to having policies, objectives, initiatives and to measuring their impacts through the whole value chain. Actors of the industry collaborate to join their forces and share their experiences about different topics related to traceability, packaging or environmental impact assessment.

Use natural raw materials as a source of inspiration

Plants with their diversity and their incredible properties offer a reserve for natural raw materials. The authentication of natural raw materials is an indispensable step for guaranteeing their safety, quality and compliance with international cosmetic regulations and biodiversity legislation. In the meantime, transparency and traceability are challenges to be considered to master supply chains. Companies work to refine this level of traceabilityof plant raw materials and favor short supply chainswhenever possible, in a view to developing ambitious action plans to prevent and limit negative impacts and to reconciliate environmental and social perspectives to leverage benefits.

Using plants’ leaves, flowers, fruits or roots is common, but upcycling them is another path worth exploring in order to beneficially use all agricultural resourcesand contribute to limit the production of plant waste. With materials inevitably generated during the manufacturing process of a product, a more ethical and environmentally approach may be provided: create value rather than waste. It is a way to generate increased revenuefor the producer at the same time as limiting the environmental impact.

In addition, for several years, biotechnologies have offered a promising diversification to market players. These microorganisms offer an immense potential resulting from their diversity and their metabolism, providing access to unique molecules of interest in cosmetics. This is a sustainable and biodiversity-friendly path to produce reproducible, high-quality natural raw materials. It enables a large quantity of biomass or supernatant of interest to be obtained whenever needed. In addition, a traceable and secure supply chain can be totally assured, especially when the company decides to integrate on its site its own biotechnologies production unit.

Ensure sustainable sourcing with respect for people and planet

Applying criteria of sustainability to the choice of natural raw materials is a lever for companies to favor the development of culture methods more respectful of humans and nature, at the same time as providing the same conditions of safety, efficacy and quality of their products. These companies strive to have a positive and fair influence on each of their supply chains.

Suppliers are also required to play their part, by being committed to the utmost respect for human rights, for labor standards, for the environment and for the fight against corruption. The industry often requests CSR assessment of the supplier with different standards (e.g. EcoVadis, CDP…). In addition, cosmetic companies often conduct specific evaluation of their supply chains, regardless of the country providing the raw materials. Depending on the situations, this may also include a third party (UEBT, SEDEX, Fair For Life…) in the evaluation and in the implementation of a procedure for improvement of supply chains. Several labels are now available to address culture sustainability in its different aspects such as organic or fair trade.

Ultimately, when following this strategy, partners, suppliers, producers and customers should be able to observe concrete progress of the environmental and socio-economic markers related to jointly constructed supply chains. This collaborative force can extend even further the preservation of the richness of resources.

Produce respectfully to preserve resources

After sourcing natural raw materials, the industry specifically extracts and uses the molecules of interest before the formulation of the final product.

While producing products, companies should promote sobriety. Water is our planet’s primary natural resource and often the first raw material in cosmetics. Working on its water and energy consumptions with objectives and progress measurement to increase efficiency is therefore a winning commitment.

Consistent reductions can be made with a rigorous monitoring and control of consumptions. Simple actions with an immediate effect may be combined with more structural analysis to make significant long-term savings. Innovative projects to embrace circularity are emerging either to recuperate energy or to recycle and reuse water.

For the rest of energy consumptions, the industry may voluntarily opt for renewable energies options that guarantee the production of a quantity of renewable energy equivalent to its consumption. It is also possible through contract to offset the CO₂ emissions related to the consumption.

Measure the impacts to move towards eco-design

The cosmetic industry intends to use the Life Cycle Analysis to assess and measure the environmental impacts of products. This multi-criteria method based on all stages in the life cycle of a product measures its environmental footprint through 16 impact indicators on air, water, toxicity, resources and soil. The most well-known indicator is the carbon footprint, whose reduction should not compromise other indicators.

In addition, the ambition is to measure the environmental impact of the different natural resources used in cosmetics as well as the different processes. This approach can be helpful both for the industry and the consumers. Increasing the knowledge about the real impact of the industry will guide consumers in their choices and direct companies towards eco-designed cosmetic products, either by reducing the impact of existing products or by integrating new criteria in the development of products.