Our thinking

A Beautiful Thing

1 October, 2021

Today’s consumers are more motivated than ever to shop sustainably. But when it’s impossible to tell the green from the greenwash, good intentions can only go so far.

Which is why we’re happy to welcome a new initiative by our friends in the beauty sector to develop an industry-wide scoring system for products. The cosmetics consortium – launched by the likes of Unilever, Natura & Co and L’Oreal – aims to co-design a ‘brand-agnostic’, science-based approach to assessing and scoring products’ environmental performance. The result? A harmonised scoring system that enables consumers to easily compare products across brands.

In a sector that is particularly prone to obfuscating descriptors, such a system will be a massive help to ethically minded shoppers. Done right, it will also be a catalyst for environmental improvement, with no brand wanting to see their products labelled poor performers. Critically, these improvements will be shaped by input from independent parties and expert stakeholders, all of whom the consortium has pledged to involve in the development of the scoring methodology.

It’s exciting to see businesses coming together to improve their industry, and even more exciting that they’re doing so in a way that empowers consumers. We look forward to a world in which cosmetic products proudly present their sustainability credentials, boosting brands and guiding shoppers. What could be more beautiful than that?

By Louise Podmore