HONG KONG, April 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A few days ahead of Earth Day on 22 April, L'Oréal publishes the 2017 Progress Report on its sustainability programme Sharing Beauty with All. The report shows significant progress, as much on sustainable innovation as on the company's commitment to fighting climate change.
"In 2017, we have once again shown that economic success and environmental performance go hand in hand," says Alexandra Palt, the Group's Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer. "We want to show that responsible growth is not just possible but necessary, and that sustainability shapes a desirable future for everyone."
The SPOT evaluation tool: a first of its kind in the beauty industry
In 2017, L'Oréal has implemented its Sustainable Product Optimisation Tool (SPOT) across all its brands. SPOT is the first of its kind in the beauty industry. Since 2014, L'Oréal's teams, with the support of international experts, have worked to develop a methodology of this tool to measure all the environmental as well as social impacts of a cosmetic product and to identify avenues for improvement. SPOT is also instrumental in achieving L'Oréal's goal of improving the social or environmental profile of 100% of new products by 2020. SPOT was used to evaluate 100% of new or renovated products in 2017 and 76% of the products launched in 2017 have been improved. Learn more about SPOT.
A recognised low carbon performance
In 2017, L'Oréal reduced by 73% the carbon emissions of its plants and distribution centres in absolute terms, compared to 2005, while increasing its production volume by 33% in the same period. In addition, by the end of 2017, 24 of the Group's industrial sites achieved carbon neutrality.
This exceptional result was recognised by CDP. In 2017, for the second year running, L'Oréal was one of two companies worldwide -- and the only French business -- among more than 3,000 companies evaluated, to receive three 'As', the best possible score, in CDP's ratings on three major issues: fighting climate change, managing water scarcity and reducing deforestation. https://www.cdp.net/en/scores-2017
L'Oréal's performance has also been highlighted by the US publication Newsweek. L'Oréal topped its 2017 Green Ranking with a score of 89.9%, the best score among 500 global companies. http://www.newsweek.com/top-500-global-companies-green-rankings-2017-18
L'Oréal renews its climate ambition in line with the Science Based Targets initiative
Within the framework of the Science Based Targets initiative, L'Oréal has undertaken new commitments towards 2030 to fight climate change and reduce its carbon footprint. L'Oréal's goal is to reduce by 25% in absolute terms, compared to 2016, all its greenhouse gas emissions, i.e. those emitted directly by L'Oréal as well as those generated indirectly, for example, those emitted via its suppliers' activities or through the use of its products by consumers. http://sciencebasedtargets.org/2018/04/17/over-100-global-corporations-using-science-based-targets-to-align-strategies-with-paris-agreement/
Download the Progress report and discover all the 2017 results: sharingbeautywithall.loreal.com
Follow @LOrealCommitted, the Twitter account dedicated to L'Oréal's sustainability commitments.
About Sharing Beauty with All
The Sharing Beauty With All programme was launched in 2013. Completely integrated in the entire value chain of the Group, it summarises L'Oréal's commitments in terms of sustainable development by 2020 and addresses all its impacts: from the conception of products to their distribution, including the production process or the sourcing of ingredients. Every year, L'Oréal communicates transparently, providing figures, with regard to its progress. Today, the Group is one of the companies of which the ambition and the seriousness in terms of sustainable development are the most recognised on an international level.
About L'Oréal
L'Oréal has devoted itself to beauty for over 100 years. With its unique international portfolio of 34 diverse and complementary brands, the Group generated sales amounting to 26.02 billion euros in 2017 and employs 82 600 people worldwide. As the world's leading beauty company, L'Oréal is present across all distribution networks: mass market, department stores, pharmacies and drugstores, hair salons, travel retail, branded retail and e-commerce.
Research and innovation, and a dedicated research team of 3,885 people, are at the core of L'Oréal's strategy, working to meet beauty aspirations all over the world. L'Oréal's sustainability commitment for 2020 "Sharing Beauty With All" sets out ambitious sustainable development objectives across the Group's value chain.
"This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy L'Oréal shares. If you wish to obtain more comprehensive information about L'Oréal, please refer to the public documents registered in France with the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, also available in English on our Internet site www.loreal-finance.com.
This news release may contain some forward-looking statements. Although the Company considers that these statements are based on reasonable hypotheses at the date of publication of this release, they are by their nature subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated or projected in these statements."
