To be compliant with the RE100 Initiative, member companies “must match 100% of the electricity used across their global operations with electricity produced from renewable sources – biomass (including biogas), geothermal, solar, water and wind – either sourced from the market or self-produced,” explains the RE100 site.
The RE100 is a collaboration between 2 non-profit organizations: the CDP, which runs a global environmental disclosure system; and The Climate Group, which is dedicated to limiting global warming to 1.5°C. The RE100 global corporate leadership initiative aims to speed up the transition to zero-carbon energy grids.
According to the RE100 site, over 200 companies have become members so far, including several doing business in the beauty industry like AkzoNobel, DSM, The Estée Lauder Companies, Firmenich, Givaudan, IFF, Johnson & Johnson, Group L’Occitane, O’right, P&G, and Unilever.
Now that list also includes Symrise, which makes fragrance molecules, cosmetic actives, raw materials, and functional ingredients for its customers in beauty (operating labs, offices, and production facilities in 40+ countries around the world).
Corporate commitment
With this month’s announcement about RE100 membership, Symrise is updating its sustainability strategy.
“Symrise has been completely transparent regarding its energy goals and performance since 2006,” notes Helmut Frieden, head of corporate sustainability at Symrise AG, in the company press release.
“We were the first company in our sector and among the first 61 companies worldwide to fulfill the strict climate goals of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBT) in June 2017,” he says, adding that “we are not stopping there, because programs to achieve eco-efficiency today have the highest priority in society.”
And the company’s chief sustainability officer Hans Holger Gliewe emphasizes the objective of the RE100 membership saying, “Symrise wants to exclusively use energy from renewable sources around the world by 2025 – that is our clear goal. We are setting an example through our membership in the RE100 initiative.”
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.