7 December 2023, BRUSSELS – One year after the launch of the unprecedented industry-wide initiative Commit for Our Planet,  which aims to reduce the environmental impact of the cosmetics and personal care industry in Europe, Cosmetics Europe hosted today a virtual conversation with Xinqing Lu, Community Lead, Champions for Nature at the World Economic Forum, about the role of the cosmetics industry in restoring nature and protecting its ecosystems.

“The cosmetics industry is dependent on nature at various points throughout our value chain, from the ingredients in companies’ products to the water used in their operations. At the same time, we know that all businesses have an impact on the environment around us. It is therefore vital that we focus on nature positive business models and prioritise actions that reduce the risk of nature loss across four key areas of freshwater, biodiversity, land and ocean,” said Emma Trogen, Deputy Director General of Cosmetics Europe.

Commit for Our Planet encourages companies across the industry to commit to actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve packaging solutions, and act for nature. By equipping companies with the necessary resources, the initiative aims to empower the entire sector to take concrete steps toward sustainable supply, manufacturing and distribution.

Discussed during the event was the close alignment between Commit for Our Planet and guidance provided in the World Economic Forum’s Nature Positive: Role of the Household and Personal Care Products Sector, a recently released joint report with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Business for Nature that presents priority actions for the household and personal care products sector to reduce its impact on nature.

“Nature loss is highly intertwined with climate change, and nature-based solutions are crucial for us to achieve the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold goal. Our reports provide ambitious, practical and widely accepted actions specific to the household and personal care products sector. Companies should first conduct an assessment of their impacts and dependencies on nature and then set science-based targets and make commitments, such as joining initiatives like Commit for Our Planet that bring together sector expertise,” said Xinqing Lu, who also leads the World Economic Forum’s Nature Positive: Role of the Household and Personal Care Products Sector work.

In synergy with the Forum report, Commit for Our Planet offers tools and guidance to businesses to leverage the opportunity to lead in sustainable practices, manage nature-related risks, and capitalise on early commercial opportunities in this transition.

A Year of Progress

Since the launch of Commit for Our Planet in December 2022, 35 companies have committed to a range of efforts, from reducing carbon emissions to improving packaging solutions and acting for nature. In addition to the individual commitments, 13 associations representing the cosmetics and personal care industry have joined to actively support the initiative and promote its goals.

Building on its three themes of climate, packaging and nature, Commit for Our Planet partners are delivering on their pledges:

1. Striving for the Paris Agreement climate goals, they are measuring their GHG emissions to help implement programmes within their operations to reduce impact.
2. Following the Science-Based Target for Nature guidance, they are collaborating to reduce risks arising from ingredient sourcing, including water and deforestation.
3. Aligning with the principles of circular economy and sustainable packaging, they are upholding broader packaging measures and building meaningful partnerships.

An initial update on Commit for Our Planet partners and commitments across the three themes will be released in June 2024.

For more details on Commit for Our Planet, visit www.commitforourplanet.cosmeticseurope.eu.

Commit for Our Planet Initiative Partners to date:

ADA Cosmetics, AVA Cosmetic Laboratory, Babaria, Beiersdorf, Bella Aurora Labs, Börlind, Bruno Vassari, Colgate Palmolive, Cosnova, Costomise, Coty, Cura Cosmetics Group, Dalli Group, Floslek, Gardiner Family Apothecary (Elave), Global Cosmed, Henkel, Keune, La Biosthétique, L’Occitane, L’Oréal, LVMH, MartiDerm, NAOS, Natura Bissé, PUIG, Rituals, Salerm Cosmetics, Schwan Cosmetics, SK UV Gele, SystemKosmetik, THG/Labs Acheson, Unilever, WALA, and Weleda.

Commit for Our Planet Initiative Supporting Partners to date:

Bulgarian National Association Essential Oils, Perfumery and Cosmetics, Cosmetica Italia, Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA), Dutch Cosmetics Association (NCV), Fédération des Entreprises de la Beauté (FEBEA), Finnish Cosmetic and Hygiene Industry Association, German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association (IKW), Natrue, Polish Association of Cosmetic and Detergent Industry (PACDI),  Polish Union of Cosmetics Industry (Kosmetyczni), Romanian Union of Cosmetics and Detergent Manufacturers (RUCODEM), Spanish Cosmetics, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (STANPA), Swedish Cosmetics, Toiletries and Detergents Association (KoHF).

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About Cosmetics Europe

Cosmetics Europe is the European trade association for the cosmetics and personal care industry. For nearly 60 years, Cosmetics Europe has been the voice of the cosmetics and personal care industry in Europe. Our members include cosmetics and personal care manufacturers as well as associations representing our industry at national level, right across Europe. For more information, please consult Cosmetics Europe website.

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