EcoBeautyScore environmental impact scoring system
New environmental scoring system for the beauty industry, EcoBeautyScore, aims to build consumer trust with its “clear, transparent and consistent way to measure and communicate the environmental footprint of beauty products.”
Starting with four categories: shampoo, conditioner, body wash and face care, the not- for-profit EcoBeautyScore Association rates products from A to E according to their impact across 16 dimensions including carbon emissions, water usage and resource depletion.
The evaluation takes in the full lifecycle of the product and analyses everything from ingredient sourcing and packaging materials to how it’s used and disposed of by the consumer.
First brands to publish scores are L’Oréal Paris (L’Oréal), Neutrogena (Kenvue), Nivea Q10 (Beiersdorf) and Eucerin (Beiersdorf), while the organization’s wider membership includes global hardhitters Amorepacific, Beiersdorf, Cartier Parfums, Chanel, Coty, Hermès, Kering, L’Oréal Group, LVMH, Puig, Walgreens, Boots and Wella.
While there are, of course other beauty certification schemes in operation, including The Certified Carbon Neutral Global Standard, Climate Neutral and Cradle to Cradle Certified, these operate on different systems using different criteria. According to EcoBeautyScore, it is “the first global, science-based environmental scoring system for cosmetics and personal care products.”
The system has been three years in development in collaboration with over 70 cosmetics and personal care companies and associations and is rooted in the the EU’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology.
Laurent Gilbert, Scientific Director, EcoBeautyScore described how the platform has distilled complex calculations of environmental impact into “a scientifically robust, yet accessible scoring platform.”
“This level of detail gives brands and retailers a clear understanding of areas for improvement, while providing consumers with a simple, transparent score to guide more sustainable choices. It is both technically rigorous and easy to understand, and that combination is what makes it a powerful tool for driving progress in the beauty industry.”
Brands using the system will be regularly audited and certified by an independent third-party. Launching first in Europe, the system will gradually expand worldwide to cover a full range of beauty products. It is free to trial and comes with onboarding support for brands of all sizes.
“It’s encouraging to see pioneering companies begin publishing their scores, it marks an important milestone of collective openness and accountability across the sector,” Managing Director of the EcoBeautyScore Association Jean-Baptiste Massignon said in a statement.
While acknowledging change won’t happen overnight—indeed, half of European consumers remain sceptical of brands’ sustainability claims, suspecting they don’t accurately reflect the real environmental impact of products—he was adamant that the initiative’s “shared framework, honest data and commitment to informing better choices for the planet” are the way that progress starts.
The beauty industry can certainly benefit from a standardized scheme. It’s success will be measured by adoption.