TAGS: Sustainability / Natural Cosmetics
36 cosmetics and personal care companies as well as professional associations have joined forces to form the EcoBeautyScore Consortium, aiming to develop an industry-wide environmental impact assessment and scoring system for cosmetics products.
With small and large companies and associations from 4 continents, the EcoBeautyScore Consortium is truly global and inclusive. It remains open for other companies and associations to join.
The 36 members so far include: 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, IKW Beauty Care, 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, Unilever.
Environmental Impact Assesment & Scoring System
The EcoBeautyScore Consortium is developing an industry-wide environmental impact assessment and scoring system for cosmetics products. The approach has a global scope and may help provide consumers with clear, transparent, and comparable environmental impact information, based on a common science-based methodology.
This will contribute to meeting growing consumer demand for greater transparency about the environmental impact of cosmetics products (formula, packaging, and usage). Indeed, a significant proportion of consumers (42%) is interested in buying brands that concentrate on circular and sustainable practices.
The Consortium is working with the experienced sustainability consultancy Quantis to ensure a robust and scientific approach to co-build an assessment methodology and scoring system that are guided by and articulated around:
-
A common method for measuring environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle of products, backed by the principles of the Product Environmental Footprint (the European Union’s PEF scientific method based on life cycle assessment (LCA) for quantifying the environmental footprint of products).
-
A common database of the environmental impact of standard ingredients and raw materials used in formulas and packaging, as well as during product usage.
-
A common tool that enables the assessment of the environmental impact of individual products, usable by non-experts.
-
A harmonized scoring system that enables companies, on a voluntary basis, to inform consumers about the environmental footprint of their cosmetic products. The methodology, data base, tool and scoring system will be verified by independent parties.
Next-steps and Future Plans
The 36 members of the EcoBeautyScore Consortium have started to work together with organized thematic working groups. A footprinting and scoring prototype is targeted for the end of 2022, providing the environmental scoring for a selection of product categories at first. It will then be verified by independent parties
The EcoBeautyScore Consortium is calling on cosmetics and personal care companies and professional associations to join this unique initiative. This Consortium is open to all cosmetics and personal care companies, regardless of their size or resources. Other stakeholders will be informed and consulted throughout the process.
All companies will benefit from the pre-existing work and are invited to contribute with their own experience. The Consortium will also consult external experts, including scientists, academics, and NGOs to make sure the process is as inclusive as possible. The work developed by the Consortium will be published and may be used on a strictly voluntary basis by both Consortium participants and all other interested parties.
Source: Henkel
