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Recognized by the UN, L’Oréal Aims for 100% renewable energy for its sites by 2050
During the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Summit in New York, L’Oréal was recognized as a Global Compact LEAD and joined an ambitious program that aimed to limit the global rise in temperature to below 1.5°C, in line with the Paris Agreement.
An International Recognition
L’Oréal’s sustained efforts to act as a responsible company earned us the title of Global Compact LEAD company during the UN Global Compact summit on September 23, 2019. This title, awarded by the UN, distinguishes companies whose commitments to improving the environment, working conditions, human rights and fighting corruption are exemplary.
“LEAD companies represent the highest level of commitment to the UN Global Compact. Now more than ever, the world needs companies of every size— like those named Global Compact LEAD— to continue to improve their performance in sustainable development and play a role in building a better world," says Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact.
A Constant Commitment to Ethics
"It is through sincerity and concrete initiatives that L’Oréal employees support the United Nations Global Compact Principles and Sustainable Development Goals. To be recognised by the UN Global Compact is a great source of pride," acknowledges Emmanuel Lulin, SVP and Chief Ethics Officer at L’Oréal.
The recognition is notably due to the company's involvement in two of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals Action Platforms: “Peace, Justice and Strong institutions” and “Health is Everyone’s Business”.
L’Oréal has also been a signatory of the Women’s Empowerment Principles since 2014, seeking to promote gender equality in the workplace. The company publicly supports the UN Global LGBTI Standards of Conduct for Business.
Long-term Mobilization
L’Oréal has long been mobilized to help the environment, but this commitment reached a new level on September 23, at the UN Climate Change Summit in New York. At the summit, our company joined the Business Ambition for 1.5°C initiative, a call to action against global warming launched by companies, civil society entities and the UN.
“We Should Go Much Further”
With this new step, L’Oréal commits to an objective of zero net emissions by 2050. The main aspiration is to contain the rising global temperatures below 1.5°C. “L’Oréal was one of the first companies to set its own ambitious goals to reduce the CO2 emissions of its industrial activity — and to meet these goals. But that’s not enough. We should go much further and reduce our impact according to what scientific experts recommend, and what our planet can take,” explains Alexandra Palt, Chief Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Officer of L’Oréal.
Scientifically Validated Goals
Concrete and ambitious goals have been fixed. Our company is committed to reducing our direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 25% between now and 2030, based on our emissions from 2016. To achieve this, we’re reducing the absolute value of all our industrial, research and administrative sites by 100% by 2025, based on the 2016 figures.
To ensure the numbers of these commitments respect the Paris Agreement on climate change, they were submitted in December 2017 to the Science Based Targets experts, who subsequently validated them.
10 Years of Effort
This scientific approach is part of our continuous effort to reduce our carbon footprint. The company has already lowered the emissions of our industrial sites to 77% of their absolute value between 2005 and 2018. At the end of 2018, 38 of L’Oréal’s sites had reached 100% renewable energies for its sites
This exceptional performance allowed us to obtain 6 consecutive years of the highest grade (A) of the CDP’s ranking, which measures the involvement of companies fighting climate change.
For more information: discover L’Oréal’s ethics and our sustainable development program, Sharing Beauty With All.