Sustainability is no longer an afterthought in the world of global brands. Every year, the UN recognises global brands who have displayed excellent examples of sustainable business practices. The idea is to help brands improve their global strategies in the perspective of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria, environmental management, sustainable management, and social contribution.
This year businesses such as Tommy Hilfiger, Pandora and Mercedes-Benz were all listed for The Most Excellent Sustainable Global Brands. More notably in the world of beauty, L’Occitane en Provence also received this award for the first year. Their initiatives such as ‘Fill and Feel Better’ encourage individuals to limit their use of packaging by offering ‘Eco Refills’ which use 90% less plastic than a regular bottle!
Their recycling efforts don’t end instore either. L’Occitane’s partnership with the Plastic Odyssey sea expedition aims to give plastic a second life while fighting against poverty. The vessel not only runs on fuel from plastic waste but also serves as a ‘recycling laboratory’ which aims to educate communities along polluted coasts.
L’Occitane aren’t just sustainable because they care about the environment but because of the wealth of other commitments they strive to uphold. They believe in giving women their support so they can grow their business and pursue their dreams.
If we shift our eyes across the globe to Burkina Faso, Africa, we can truly understand this commitment. For the past 40 years, L’Occitane have been sourcing hand-made shae butter from women’s communities. The skill of making shae butter has been passed down through generations of women in the region who are called the “women gold”. L’Occitane’s commitment to these women goes beyond their skills and has seen 33,000 pass through various leadership, entrepreneurial-ship and literacy programs.
We look forward to other beauty brands joining the likes of Estée Lauder, L’Occitane and Yves Saint Laurent as a Global Sustainable Brand in the future!
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