Sustainability in Travel Retail
Inspiring initiatives
A round-up of selected sustainability initiatives from leading brand owners within and beyond the travel retail space.
L’Oréal Group hosts first-ever virtual transparency summit
L’Oréal Group hosted its first-ever Virtual Transparency Summit on 4 March and outlined the company’s renewed commitment to creating products that are more effective, safe, and respectful for the environment. The group announced that it will transition 95% of all ingredients to renewable plant sources, abundant materials or circular processes; and ensure that 100% of all product formulas are respectful to the aquatic environment by 2030. To achieve these goals, L’Oréal Group has committed to adopting more Green Science practices. Green Science uses cutting-edge technologies to enable the sustainable sourcing of natural ingredients. As of 2020, 80% of L’Oréal Group’s raw materials are already easily biodegradable, 59% are renewable or plant-based, 32% are natural or natural-origin, while 29% were developed using Green Chemistry principles. L’Oréal Deputy Chief Executive Officer Nicolas Hieronimus commented, “With Green Sciences, we are entering a new chapter for L’Oréal Research & Innovation, which has been a key driving force behind the company since its creation. Our ambition is that by 2030, we will be able to offer women and men around the world increasingly effective, safe cosmetics that respect the environment. “Our goal is to reshape the beauty industry by leveraging science and technology, increasingly inspired by nature, to create beauty that moves the world.” Click here for the full story.
Respecting the environment: L’Oréal Group reveals ambitious targets for 2030
Saveurs & Nature promotes ‘sustainability with every piece of chocolate’
French organic chocolate company Saveurs & Nature’s mission is to promote ethical and sustainable chocolate production. The company is currently available in France and in 20 countries worldwide. Saveurs & Nature’s travel retail-exclusive ‘Le Chocolates de Pauline’ brand — originally launched as a dedicated product for Business Class passengers in Air France — is now expanding its footprint in the channel and has secured listings with Lagardère Travel Retail. Le Chocolats de Pauline is now led by former Valrhona executive Eric Carlier as Travel Retail Director. Saveurs & Nature claims that it sets itself apart from other players in the confectionery category thanks to its complete dedication to environmental and ethical cocoa farming. All of the company’s chocolate products are 100% organic and made with certified cocoa beans that are free from lecithin, palm oil, gluten and preservatives. Saveur & Nature’s chocolates are also packaged in materials sourced from sustainably-managed forests. Commenting on the company’s mission, Founder Jean Michel Mortreau said: “My aim is to promote sustainability in every piece of chocolate, with the utmost respect for the people and resources of our planet. Saveurs & Nature has also committed to promoting sustainable cocoa farming methods in agricultural communities in the Dominican Republic, Madagascar, Tanzania and Cameroon. Mortreau said, “By creating a direct producer link, I made a commitment to better remunerating growers enabling them to improve their living and working conditions. We are also committed to ensuring that their mode of production is respectful of the environment and is part of a logic of sustainable development.” Click here for the full story.
Jean Michel Mortreau continues his sustainability project in the Cameroon village of Bandoum. Here he is with the local sovereign, Fokoua Moses Edgar II
Smarties adopts fully recyclable paper packaging
Nestlé-owned children’s chocolate brand Smarties has successfully converted to 100% recyclable paper packaging for its entire product portfolio. It is the first global confectionery brand to completely shift to recyclable paper packaging, reducing its plastic footprint by 250 million plastic packs annually. The new Smarties paper packaging is made using sustainably-sourced coated paper, paper labels, and carton boards. Information on its sustainability credentials are also printed on the label. Smarties’ transition to recyclable paper packaging is part of its wider ‘SMART Initiatives’ CSR-programme, which aims to support sustainability and overall product experience. “Shifting Smarties packaging to recyclable paper is one of our key sustainable packaging initiatives in the confectionery category,” commented Nestlé Global Head of Confectionery Alexander von Maillot. “It is a further step in realising Nestlé’s ambition to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 and to reduce its use of virgin plastics by one third in the same period.” Nestlé is moving fast to deliver its ambitious sustainability commitments. The group has pledged to transition to 100% recyclable or reusable packaging and reduce the use or virgin plastic by one-third by 2025. To date, Nestlé has successfully shifted 87% of packaging (66% for plastic packaging) to recyclable and reusable alternatives. In 2019, it reduced 142,000 metric tons of packaging materials. In line with these sustainability goals, Nestlé has made significant investments into upgrading its factories, particularly its main factory in Hamburg, Germany. The company also opened the doors to the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences — a first-of-its-kind facility in the industry — dedicated to creating a strong pipeline of sustainable packaging solutions. Click here for the full story.
Nestlé Global Head of Confectionery Alexander von Maillot communicates the vision for Smarties
The Estée Lauder Companies reveals ambitious sustainability goals for travel retail division
The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has revealed a travel retail-specific sustainability framework as part of its commitment to ‘embed citizenship and sustainability’ across every aspect of its business. The sustainability roadmap covers The Estée Lauder Companies’ entire travel retail network including airports, downtown duty free stores, airlines, cruise and border shops. Travel retail has historically been one of the company’s most important growth channels, reaching over 1 billion consumers annually. The Estée Lauder Companies Travel Retail division identified emissions, waste and energy as the key sustainability targets based on industry need and potential impact. It has committed to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions in transportation to travel retail customers and for all corporate travel retail worldwide business air travel by end of fiscal year 2023.
In terms of packaging, it has committed to transition all travel retail-exclusive paper cartons to responsibly-sourced FSC-certified board by 2025. The company has also announced that it will be removing plastic film-wrap for all travel retail-exclusive products by 2023. The Estée Lauder Companies Travel Retail Division will also be incorporating sustainability practices in new store design and visual merchandising across all brands, beginning in fiscal 2021. It will also deploy sustainable building operation practices across all travel retail locations by the end of fiscal year 2023. “The Estée Lauder Companies and its brands have made great strides to ensure we continue to be a company rooted in values and it is important that we do our part in travel retail to uphold this vision,” commented The Estée Lauder Companies Global President Travel Retail and Retail Development Olivier Bottrie. “By implementing sustainability goals for travel retail, we are furthering the company’s commitment to the environment and demonstrating to travellers how we are making a positive impact in this space.” Click here for the full story and see our interview with Olivier Bottrie elsewhere in this edition.
Shiseido launches Sustainable Beauty Actions campaign
Shiseido Group — through its flagship Shiseido brand — has launched its Sustainable Beauty Actions (SBAS) global initiative. The programme deployed a range of sustainability projects with the aim of creating social and environmental value in the beauty industry. The SBAS programme is built on three key pillars: mottainai, harmony and empathy. ‘Mottainai’ is a unique Japanese concept that expresses a reverence for the environment. It is used to encourage people to reduce, reuse, recycle and replace with respect. Harmony symbolises the company’s commitment to engaging in community-focused activities with people and nature. Finally, Empathy covers Shiseido’s #ALIVEwithBeauty inclusivity ethos, which highlights the beauty of all people regardless of age, race, gender or nationality. Shiseido has also committed to shifting to 100% sustainable packaging by 2025. Last November, Shiseido installed its first-ever ‘Ultimune Fountain’ refill station at its flagship store in Ginza, Tokyo. It also unveiled the AquaGel Lip Palette which is the world’s first marine-biodegradable lip palette. The palette is made with 100% plant-derived polymer, which biodegrades in sea water. Shiseido held a virtual summit called the SBAS Ginza Summit last October to mark the beginning of the Sustainable Beauty Actions campaign. It also launched a dedicated website to serve as a transparency platform and inform audiences of its latest sustainability campaigns, activities, products and events.
Click here for the full story.
“Caring for the world we live in” — Aveda transitions to 100% vegan products
The Estée Lauder Companies-owned hair care brand Aveda has transitioned to 100% vegan hair care and personal care products. As of 1 January, all 500 of the brand’s hair, hair colour, body, makeup and aroma products are now produced with 100% vegan formulations. To reach the milestone of being a 100% vegan brand, Aveda had to eliminate the use of silk, keratin, glycerin, non-vegetal squalene, lanolin, collagen and carmine across its vast product portfolio. Aveda is available in worldwide travel retail. Aveda’s 100% vegan milestone was three years in the making and builds on the company’s founding mission of ‘caring for the world we live in.’ Aveda was one of the first to sign the Ceres Principles for corporate responsibility in 1989. “Behind the Aveda brand is a team of people that are passionate and energised by our mission to care for the world we live in,” commented Aveda Global Brand President Barbara De Laere. “Our transition to 100% vegan formulations is a testament to the hard work of this team as they embarked on reformulating and repackaging our products. Click here for the full story.
Aveda: Transitioning to 100% vegan hair care and personal care products
Victorinox ramps up environmental protection and sustainability initiatives
Swiss lifestyle brand Victorinox is ramping up environmental protection and sustainability initiatives across its internal operations and supply chain. Victorinox has launched a number of innovative projects to help it minimise the environmental impact of its products. This includes the development of a recycling factory to process grinding sludge, a by-product of Swiss army knife manufacturing. The company’s steel recycling plant also recycles 900 to 1,000 tons of steel residue, while an integrated waste disposal plan helps recycles over 50% of its factory waste. Victorinox’s closed-loop cooling systems minimises water-use, while photovoltaic systems help compensate for 125 tons of CO2 annually. This is equivalent to the carbon-offsetting of 10,000 trees. In addition, the company’s new European Distribution Centre in Ibach, Switzerland has been equipped with 2,600 solar panels that can produce enough renewable energy to supply 180 households. In terms of sustainable production, Victorinox only uses 100% recycled steel which takes less energy in the processing stage. Up to 90% of the company’s cardboard packaging is also made from recovered paper, while 100% is made from choline-free bleached paper. 80% of Victorinox’s suppliers are also based in Switzerland to minimise the carbon footprint of its supply chain. Victorinox has also partnered with Nespresso to release four Pioneer Nespresso limited-edition pocket knives made with aluminium casing from 24 recycled coffee capsules. The company is also the main sponsor of ‘Top to Top’ a global climate expedition that aims to raise awareness about climate change.
Victorinox CEO Carl Elsener holding the “briquet” made from grinding sludge and below the Victorinox Nespresso Multi Tool
L’Occitane recognised for sustainable leadership
French wellness company L’Occitane has been recognised for its leadership in sustainability initiatives at the EcoVadis Sustainable Procurement Leadership Awards.
L’Occitane was hailed for its #NotJustSuppliers global sustainable procurement programme and for the noteworthy contributions of L’Occitane Head of Responsible Purchasing Katia Michieletto in achieving the company’s sustainability goals.
EcoVadis is a third-party body that assesses companies’ sustainable and ethical initiatives. L’Occitane claimed the Best Value Chain Engagement Award, which celebrates excellence in engaging trading partners in sustainability initiatives. It also recognises best-in-class examples of internal company engagement to drive the implementation of sustainable procurement programmes. L’Occitane scored very highly for its #NotJustSuppliers campaign. The campaign incorporated a CSR risk-mapping exercise that involved 1,5000 of the company’s global partners in monitoring the CSR performance of strategic and critical suppliers. The EcoVadis jury said that the French wellness company stepped up its game in the last two years and has been recognised by peers as a ‘fast-tracker’ in responsible sourcing. For the full story click here.
L’Occitane was recognised for implementing sustainable procurement initiatives
“Sustainability has always been at the heart of the L’Occitane business strategy,” said L’Occitane Chief Procurement Officer Elvire Regnier-Lussier
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The Moodie Davitt eZine Issue 292 | 15 March 2021
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 15 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (Moodie International Ltd). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please e-mail sinead@moodiedavittreport.com