Very early on, L’Oréal became aware of the urgent need to address the challenges arising from the global environmental crisis. As an industrial company, we decided that tackling the environmental impact of our plants and distribution centres was a necessary first step to begin our transformation.
Since 2005, we have reduced our industrial sites’ CO2 emissions by 78% – exceeding our initial target of -60% by 2020 – while our production volume increased by 37% over the same period. To achieve this, we implemented a three pillar strategy: we reduced our energy requirements by improving energy efficiency across all our facilities (buildings, equipment, etc.), increased local renewable energy use wherever possible and achieved the targets set for our sites without carbon offsetting projects.
Now, with our new sustainability programme, L’Oréal for the Future, we want to build on our accomplishments and aim for a more radical transformation, to reflect the scale of global challenges and ensure our activities are respectful of the planet’s boundaries.
On climate change, our overarching objective is to align to the 1.5°C scenario, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions of all scopes by 50% per finished product (25% in absolute terms) in 2030, and reaching net zero emission in 2050. To achieve this, we have set numerical targets for every aspect of our activities to include not only our production and distribution facilities, but also the raw material supply chain and the indirect impacts associated with the use of our products by their final consumers.
- First, we will pursue the extensive work carried out on our sites, which will all achieve carbon neutrality by 2025 (industrial sites but also laboratories and administrative buildings).
- We will innovate so that our consumers can reduce, by 2030, the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of our products by 25% compared to 2016, on average and per finished product.
- By 2030, we will reduce by 50% on average and per finished product, the greenhouse has emissions linked to the transport of our products, compared to 2016.
- By 2030, our strategic suppliers will reduce their direct emissions (scopes 1 and 2), by 50% in absolute terms, compared to 2016. At L’Oréal, we see sustainability as the only possible way forward and the condition inherent to the company’s long-term success. With our new targets, we hope to be a catalyst of change in the beauty sector and to inspire our customers and all people to take action with us.
Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, L’Oréal
