There is a level of sustainability that goes beyond recycled content and organic ingredients. Products are made by corporations, who continually make boardroom decisions regarding purchasing, research & development, carbon footprint and corporate growth. With the increasing impact of globalized business, how companies behave on this level can be as important as the products they put on store shelves.
One London Drugs product line recently came to my attention for their corporate practices. Clarins cosmetics, though not overly ‘green’ relative to other products in the category, appears to be setting their standards higher with corporate policy decisions. In a communications piece entitled ‘Responsible Development, The Group’s Commitments’, Clarins outlines a 10-step plan to make their business more responsible.
From the creation of safer and more environmentally-friendly formulas, to greenhouse gas emissions and an ethics charter for their suppliers, these steps offer a look into the world of cosmetics production and how it might be improved.
Some of the steps are a bit vague, such as #5 (Encourage Innovation) or #9 (Support members of staff and encourage their development within the group) but others cut right to the chase. For example, #6:
“Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and optimise the use of natural resources.
Following the Carbon Assessment carried out on all the Group’s French sites, the aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by the end of 2011. Indicators have been set to reduce the impact of packaging items and transport, reduce air freight, limit employee travel in favour of videoconferences, promote renewable energy, encourage high performance equipment for lighting and heating, reduce water usage and improve the quality of recovered water, etc” This sets a measurable goal and lists specific areas of focus to get there.
The web version of the commitments doesn’t seem to have as many specifics as the PDF version, so if you want to know more, contact me or visit the cosmetics department of your local London Drugs.
And now that you know a little more about Corporate Social Responsibility, you may want to Google some of your other favourite brands and see how they are doing.
