PLANET

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The first pillar is about the planet. How the planet is treated today is a big problem for the environment and living conditions. Fashion and cosmetics businesses are also a big part of this problem, but they try to work on this more and more. So, we are trying to move towards a circular economy. This kind of economy aims to minimize waste and make the most of resources. It’s a departure from the traditional linear economy, which follows a “take-make-dispose” pattern. In a circular economy, products, materials, and resources are kept in use for as long as possible through strategies like recycling, reusing, and remanufacturing. they also try to work sustainably. In relation to cosmetics, this refers to the efforts and practices within the cosmetics industry to minimize its environmental and social impact while producing and selling beauty and personal care products. The key aspects of sustainability in the cosmetics industry are environmental responsibility. in doing so, they reduce environmental impact, and they use natural and organic ingredients. A second key aspect is ethical sourcing. This means they ensure fair trade practices and a biodiversity conservation. The las key aspect is social considerations. Hereby they make sure animal welfare is their main point, together with community engagement. An example of a company working on sustainability is L’Oreal. It’s one of the biggest cosmetics companies in the world, who launched a “sharing beauty with all” program to improve sustainability. Their goals are to be carbon neutral by improving energy efficiency and using 100% renewable energy by 2025. By 2030, they want all used plastics in packages to be from recycled or bio-based sources, and compared to 2016, aim to emit 50% fewer greenhouse gases per product package by then. One of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that is highly relevant to cosmetics industry is SDG 12: responsible consumption and production. The impact on the cosmetics industry according to SDG 12 is first the reduction of waste, SDG 12 encourages reducing waste through eco-friendly packaging design, promoting refillable options, and minimizing over-packaging. Secondly Sustainable Ingredient Sourcing, responsible production under SDG 12 involves sourcing ingredients ethically and sustainably. Cosmetic companies can support biodiversity conservation and local communities by responsibly sourcing natural ingredients for their products. Also, Chemical Safety: SDG 12 calls for the safe management of chemicals throughout their lifecycle. And lastly consumer awareness, It encourages consumers to make informed decisions for products that adhere to ethical and sustainable principles. The cosmetics industry is aware of the problem and the change that needs to happen. But we can happily say that companies are acting, for further generations to live in a healthy environment.

REFERENCES:

  1. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2019). Circular Economy Overview.
  2. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2013). Towards the Circular Economy: Economic and Business Rationale for an Accelerated Transition.
  3. European Commission. (2020). Circular Economy Action Plan.
  4. Almeida, A. F., & Matos, J. S. (2017). Sustainable Packaging in the Cosmetics Industry: The Case of L’Oréal. Journal of Cleaner Production, 149, 574-587.
  5. Ribeiro, H. M., & Coutinho, J. A. P. (2017). Cosmetics as a Feature of Modern Life. In Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (pp. 141-162). Springer.
  6. de Oliveira, J. M., & Carvalho, I. S. (2020). Sustainable Sourcing in the Cosmetics Industry: A Case Study of Natura’s Supply Chain Management. Sustainability, 12(7), 2692.
  7. Knight, A., Bailey, J., & Balcombe, J. (2006). Animal Carcinogenicity Studies: 2. Obstacles to Extrapolation of Rodent Bioassay Data to Humans. Toxicological Sciences, 94(1), 1-3.
  8. Pagnamenta, A. (2018). The Role of Social Impact in the Business Models of Certified B Corporations. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 9(1), 50-75.
  9. https://www.loreal.com/en/nordics/pages/commitments/l-oreal-for-the-future/
  10. https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/what-the-cosmetic-industry-can-teach-us-about-sustainability/454053#:~:text=Cosmetic%20brands%20prioritizing%20sustainability%20often,who%20use%20energy%2Defficient%20processes.
  11. Singh, R. K., & Dhar, U. (2020). A review on “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) of Agenda 2030 and status of their implementation in Indian states. 3(3), 171-181.
  12. Simanorwa, A., Phan, T. H. H., & Nhuyen, D. N. (2021). Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Economy Practices in the Cosmetics Industry: A Case Study of the L’Oréal Group. Sustainability, 13(5), 2894
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