A 100 million innovation accelerator from L'Oréal

A new EUR 100 million start-up accelerator over five years for the development and implementation of sustainability technologies: this is part of the L'Oréal group's investment in the 'L'Oréal for the future' programme with a roadmap to 2030 on climate, water, biodiversity, natural resources and society. And when you consider that it is the world's leading cosmetics group with a turnover of over 43 billion euros, a presence in 150 countries with 90,000 employees and 37 international brands, it is easy to understand how significant its ethical and environmental impact is.

Targets to be achieved by 2030 include the use of 100 per cent renewable energy in all operations and 90 per cent organically sourced ingredients and packaging materials; 100 per cent water recycling for industrial use; 50 per cent reduction in virgin plastic use, 57 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and 28 per cent reduction in some Scope 3 emissions. The group's commitment also goes towards the communities in which it lives, works and operates. Objectives in this direction include helping 100,000 people from disadvantaged communities gain access to the world of work; ensuring that 100% of its strategic suppliers sign a commitment to a living wage with a time-bound action plan; supporting 10 million people through its brands' social engagement programmes; and improving the well-being and empowerment of 5 million women with the L'Oréal Women's Fund.

"For more than 40 years, the L'Oréal group has been committed to sustainability, and in 2020 it launched the 'L'Oréal for the future' programme," comments Ninell Sobiecka, president and CEO of L'Oréal Italia, a subsidiary that has been active since 1908 and employs around 2,000 people. "We are halfway along our path towards the 2030 goals. Sustainability for us is not a goal, but a path that evolves every day. Only together, companies, institutions and citizens can achieve a lasting positive impact'. And it is precisely Italy that confirms itself as a laboratory of innovation in the group's sustainability, as Simone Targetti Ferri, sustainability director L'Oréal Italia, explains: 'With our roadmap, we work to integrate circular practices in processes and products, promoting the active involvement of consumers. Just to give a few examples, the new administrative headquarters is eco-designed, Leed/Well Platinum certified and powered, together with the two production sites in Villanterio and Settimo Torinese, by 100% renewable energy. In addition, almost 90 per cent of our employees have undergone internal sustainability training and over 200 references are refillable. The ecological transition is a shared responsibility in which every gesture counts'.