Biodiversity Efforts Increase in the Beauty Industry
Beauty brands have started shifting their focus on sustainability by creating marketing campaigns focused on refillable and recyclable packaging, “clean” formulating, microplastics, carbon footprints, energy efficiency, and more. Companies that increase efforts to make their brands more sustainable lead the way in showing responsibility for their environmental impact, but much more can be done. Biodiversity is one of the least-discussed efforts that are just as important as sustainable packaging and products.
According to the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) Communications and Marketing Director Lara Koritzke, “Biodiversity is the variety of plants, animals, and other living creatures on earth. We rely on nature for the raw materials we need to sustain healthy lives. By caring for biodiversity, we’re caring for ourselves.”
Beauty brands typically discuss “clean” ingredients in their products and remain transparent about where they source their product's ingredients. Still, it’s common for companies to avoid divulging other information to the public because of harmful practices like wiping out forests and wildlife, boosting air pollution, and water waste. The UEBT encourages brands to minimize harmful practices and even instate processes that invest in their makeup ingredients’ local environment.
Raising the Bar in Supply Chain Sustainability
Some innovative brands recently updated their supply sustainability efforts with new programs that aim to protect regions that produce main “clean” ingredients. Big beauty brands plan to raise the bar for biodiversity conservation work in the corporate supply chain by partnering with environmental nonprofits to protect and restore hectares of land in ingredient-sourcing regions. Most of these regions are also biodiversity hotspots, meaning they are threatened by climate change and human activity.
With hopes to improve environmental conditions, the European Parliament passed a resolution to tackle environmental and human rights in EU supply chains this year. The new Supply Chain Act requires organizations to integrate sustainability into corporate governance and management systems and frame business decisions regarding human rights, climate, and environmental impact.
Even though The United States government hasn’t followed Europe in creating laws, organizations across the U.S. are starting to focus on their environmental impact through their supply chains. Studies show that companies wanting to improve their environmental and social performance can look to their supply chains to make cost-effective improvements.
The beauty space is behind the fashion industry in biodiversity, but the market is seeing more sustainable beauty brands prioritizing organic, regenerative agriculture. Programs created by brands can succeed when the company, for example, prioritizes collaborating and learning from local communities. Brands must be able to adapt to changes in the market as technology, product development, and consumer sentiment shape the industry. Whether it’s faster production methods, demand for new products, or desire for ethical and sustainable options, the companies’ ebbs and flows with the latest market trends will shape their growth.
Technology and solutions exist to help companies evaluate their operations, identify strengths, weaknesses, and pain points, and take corrective action. These include supply chain digitalization, cloud-based data systems, and real-time monitoring. In other words, beauty brands can find ways to optimize their products and lessen their carbon footprint.
Take steps to become a more sustainable company by tackling current climate issues and adhering to industry-leading and net-zero carbon manufacturing operations with Golden Arrow. We produce premium quality sustainable packaging; when we say sustainable, we mean it. Achieve a connection between your brand’s message and consumers and employees. Contact Golden Arrow for your product packaging needs today!