Five major cosmetics companies; Unilever, Henkel, L’Oreal, LVMH and Natura; are working together to co-develop an industry-wide environmental impact assessment and scoring system for cosmetics products.

The aim is to co-design an approach that is brand-agnostic, and which provides consumers with clear, transparent and comparable environmental impact information, based on a common science-based methodology.

The new assessment and scoring system will aim to meet growing consumer demand for greater transparency about the environmental impact of cosmetics products (formula, packaging and usage). The objective is to improve the information that is available to consumers and enable them to make more sustainable consumption choices. The ambition is for the overall score to inform consumers of the environmental impact of products, taking into account their whole product life cycle.

The global initiative is intended to be open to all cosmetics companies. The convening five companies will pool their experience and knowledge in developing environmental impact assessment methodologies and an environmental and social labelling system. All companies will benefit from this pre-existing work and are invited to contribute their own experience. The consortium will also be consulting with external experts, including scientists, academics and NGOs to ensure the ongoing integrity of the approach. The work developed by the consortium will be published and made accessible on a strictly voluntary basis by both consortium participants and all other interested parties.

Cosmetics Europe has been actively following the process; other industry associations are being contacted to join the consortium.

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