L'Oréal aims to become a fully climate-friendly company by 2020

Reinforcing its commitment to fighting climate change, L'Oréal announces its ambition to become a 'carbon balanced' company by 2020. Through its sustainable sourcing projects, the Group aims to generate carbon gains corresponding to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions linked to its activities. 

Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman and CEO of L'Oréal, said, 'Three months from the COP 21, this renewed commitment shows L'Oréal's will to taking part in the fight against climate change. This initiative demonstrates the Group's capacity to leverage its innovation power in order to address a major environmental challenge alongside its suppliers and communities. Companies must play a leading role in the quest for solutions to the challenges of our time.' 

Since 2005, L'Oréal has managed to reduce the CO2 emissions of its operations by 50% in absolute terms, while increasing its production by 22% over the same period.

By 2020, L'Oréal intends to continue its programme of reducing CO2 emissions, with an objective of a 60% reduction, and has decided to accompany this programme with an innovative plan for delivering carbon gains in cooperation with its raw material suppliers. 

Several projects have already been launched to transform the Group's sourcing programmes into lowcarbon models: improving energy efficiency in the supply chains, promoting productive low-carbon agricultural practices and forest management projects.

In the villages of Burkina Faso where almost 22,000 women harvest the nuts used to produce shea butter, L'Oréal will help them adopt improved cook stoves which require less wood consumption. This initiative will help reduce the activity's carbon footprint, contribute to fighting deforestation and result in economic savings for producers. It will be carried out in partnership with the Olvéa group, L'Oréal's historical sustainable supplier of shea butter.

In the Jambi province of Indonesia, where L'Oréal sources the patchouli used in the composition of perfumes, a partnership has been developed with Firmenich to create a unique and certified sustainable model, whereby patchouli and cinnamon plants are grown together. The aim is to optimise the use of agricultural land, by providing the producers with an additional regular source of income, therefore avoiding the extension of farmland and consequently limiting deforestation.

About L'Oréal and Sharing Beauty With All

L'Oréal has devoted itself to beauty for over 105 years. It is the world’s leading beauty company wiith its unique portfolio of 32 international, diverse and complementary brands. The Group generated sales amounting to 22.5 billion euros in 2014 and employs 78,600 people worldwide. L'Oréal's Sharing Beauty With All sustainability program announced by Jean-Paul Agon in October 2013 sets out four strategic commitments: - innovation, so that 100% of L’Oréal products have an environmental or social improvement; - production, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in absolute terms, water consumption and waste per finished product by 60%; - consumption, raise consumers’ awareness of the environmental and social impacts of their consumption; - developing sustainably to share growth to benefit collaborators, suppliers and communities around us.

Source: loreal.com