It is estimated that the beauty industry alone is responsible for up to 120 billion units of packaging every year, including plastic, cardboard, paper, and microplastics. The ugly truth is that 11 metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year, having an impact on the wildlife and natural environment. While the beauty industry may not be reasonable for all of this, any effort made to reduce this is not a waste of time.
After launching the Make Up Not Make Waste campaign in September 2020 to help recycle makeup components by offering recycle drop boxes in selected locations, Maybelline New York is making another step in its efforts towards creating sustainable products. Introducing the Conscious Together initiative.
What is the Conscious Together Programme?
The Conscious Together programme aims to create a more responsible business model for the brand by transforming its processes, innovations, and mindset to reduce its impact on the planet, with four ambitions set to be achieved by 2030.
- Conscious Packaging: All Maybelline plastic packaging will be made from 100% recycled plastic.
- Conscious Disposal: Maybelline will invest to help develop makeup recycling technologies, in partnership with global sustainability consultancy South Pole.
- Conscious Production: By 2025, we will achieve carbon neutrality in all our sites by improving energy efficiency and using 100% renewable energy. By 2030, we will reduce carbon emissions from our full product lifecycle by 50%*
- Conscious Formula: 95% of ingredients will be bio-based, derived from abundant minerals or circular processes.
“All of us at Maybelline want to make progress and inspire the industry to make progress,” said Trisha Ayyagari, Global Brand President, Maybelline New York. “We looked at the key areas where Maybelline could make a positive environmental impact and set ambitious goals that will guide our actions until 2030. We recognize that there is still so much to do, and we are committed to concrete actions that will help us accelerate our sustainable transformation.”
Maybelline’s Corporate Social Responsibilities
Maybelline has already taken some key actions already, including:
- Packaging: Maybelline has replaced 600 tons of virgin plastic with recycled plastic since 2018.
- Disposal: the brand introduced in-store makeup take-back programs in several countries, to help prevent makeup from ending up in landfills. Through these programs, consumers can bring back any product from any brand to be recycled, making it possible for packaging to find a new life after their first use.
- Production: 73% of Maybelline-owned production facilities are already carbon neutral*.
- Formulas: the brand has announced the launch of its first high-performing makeup line committed to a better world, the Maybelline Green Edition range. Each product in the Green Edition make-up line contains a minimum of 70% natural-origin ingredients, as well as formulas that are clean and vegan. The Green Edition range is also certified by Cradle to Cradle, who assess products for environmental and social performance including all aspects of product design and manufacturing.
With such a big name in the beauty industry taking steps with CSR in mind, not only will this greatly reduce the waste of its own customers, but many other businesses are sure to follow.
