50 cosmetics and personal care companies formed EcoBeautyScore. The Consortium's mission is to co-create an environmental impact assessment and scoring method. The approach may help provide clear, transparent, and comparable environmental impact information to consumers. 

The EcoBeautyScore Consortium was formed by 50 cosmetics and personal care companies, as well as professional associations, with the goal of developing an industry-wide environmental impact assessment and scoring system for cosmetics products.

The EcoBeautyScore Consortium is truly global and inclusive, with small and large companies and associations from four continents. Other businesses and organizations are welcome to join.

The EcoBeautyScore Consortium's mission is to empower consumers to make sustainable choices by utilizing an environmental impact assessment and scoring system.

The EcoBeautyScore Consortium is working to create a cosmetics industry-wide environmental impact assessment and scoring system. Based on a common science-based methodology, the approach has a global scope and may help provide consumers with clear, transparent, and comparable environmental impact information.

This will help to meet rising consumer demand for more information about the environmental impact of cosmetics products (formula, packaging and usage). Indeed, a sizable proportion of consumers (42%) are interested in purchasing brands that emphasize circular and sustainable practices[1].

The EcoBeautyScore Consortium's work plan is to co-create a scientific methodology for environmental impact assessment and scoring.

The Consortium is collaborating with the seasoned sustainability consultancy Quantis to ensure a solid and scientific approach to co-creating an assessment methodology and scoring system that is guided by and articulated around:

A common method for measuring environmental impacts throughout a product's lifecycle, based on the principles of the "Product Environmental Footprint" (the European Union's PEF scientific method for quantifying a product's environmental footprint based on life cycle assessment (LCA).
A centralized database of the environmental impact of standard ingredients and raw materials used in formulas, packaging, and product use. Non-experts can use this common tool to assess the environmental impact of individual products.

A harmonized scoring system that allows companies to inform consumers about the environmental footprint of their cosmetic products on a voluntary basis. Independent parties will validate the methodology, data base, tool, and scoring system. The EcoBeautyScore Consortium is also operationally supported by Capgemini Invent (project management) and Mayer Brown (legal counsel).

Next steps for the EcoBeautyScore Consortium

The 50 members of the EcoBeautyScore Consortium have begun to collaborate in thematic working groups. A prototype for footprinting and scoring is planned for the end of 2022, initially providing environmental scoring for a limited number of product categories. It will then be verified by third parties.

The EcoBeautyScore Consortium invites cosmetics and personal care companies, as well as professional associations, to join this groundbreaking initiative.

All cosmetics and personal care companies, regardless of size or resources, are welcome to join this Consortium. Throughout the process, other stakeholders will be kept informed and consulted. All companies will benefit from the previous work and are encouraged to contribute their own expertise.

The Consortium will also consult with outside experts, such as scientists, academics, and non-governmental organizations, to ensure that the process is as inclusive as possible. The Consortium's work will be published and used on a strictly voluntary basis by both Consortium participants and all other interested parties.

Cosmetics and personal care companies, as well as professional associations, interested in learning more should contact: contact@ecobeautyscore-consortium.org.

Source: L'Oréal News