The world’s largest cosmetics company has pledged to cut its 230.3 thousand tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in 2005 in half by 2015.
Green goals
L’Oreal will also cut waste generation and water use by the same amount over the same period. In 2005 the company consumed 0.72 litres of water per finished product and generated 32.2 grams of waste per finished product.
Steps have already been taken to achieve these goals. Since 2005 L’Oreal has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 11.5 per cent, water use by 13 per cent and waste per finished product by 10.1 per cent.
To develop an eco-responsible business model L’Oreal uses several different internationally recognized environmental, occupational, health and safety (EH&S) management systems including ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, and OSHA VPP.
Smelly energy
The company is also turning to some more surprising and smelly ways of going green. Later this summer, L’Oreal will be capturing methane from cattle manure at its Libramont plant in Belgium to generate electricity.
The biomass power system should provide enough energy for 85 per cent of the electricity requirements at the plant, said L’Oreal sustainable development director Pierre Simoncelli, speaking to BusinessGreen.com.
Commenting on the environmental drive at L’Oreal, CEO Jean-Paul Agon said: “At the dawn of the 21st century, the world’s leading beauty company needs to be an authentic example in terms of sustainable development. This long-term, self-imposed commitment sets the bar high and we intend to put all our forces behind it to ensure that we rise to the challenge.”