B Corps form coalition to boost responsible beauty

By Julia Wray | Published: 10-Jan-2022

26 certified corporations will invest in ingredient sourcing, green logistics, responsible packaging and clear external messaging

Twenty-six beauty B Corps have banded together to form a new coalition to improve the industry’s sustainability standards.

The B Corp Beauty Coalition has been set up to enable collaboration and exchange between companies; identify and share better practices; implement improvement actions and publish their outcomes; help customers navigate the category; and influence broader changes to improve beauty’s social and environmental footprint.

The group’s manifesto is said to be ’beauty for good’ and it encompasses finished product players including The Body Shop, Rituals, Aromatherapy Associates and Dr. Bronner’s, as well as R&D firm Natural is Better and ingredient supplier Laboratoires Expanscience.

B Corp Certification is designated by non-profit organisation B Lab, and B Corp companies are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community and the environment.

Since B Lab's founding in 2006, 4,000 B Corporations have been certified in more than 70 countries across 150-plus industries.

“As Certified B Corporations meeting the highest standards of social and environmental impact, we have become increasingly uncomfortable with the social and environmental footprint of the beauty industry and concluded our respective solo efforts to enable positive change can be enhanced through a partnership of mutual commitment,” said Davide Bollati, President of hair care label Davines.

“So, we have decided to form a coalition to leverage our combined strengths and deliver tangible benefits to beauty customers, communities, and the planet we share.”

Shaun Russell, founder of Skandinavisk, a fellow co-founding member of the B Corp Beauty Coalition, added: “Specifically, we commit to invest our time and efforts to improve four key issues that affect everyone and everything: ingredient sourcing and sustainability; greener logistics; packaging responsibility; consistent and clear external messaging that customers can understand and trust.

“Work has already started, and we will be welcoming more certified B Corps to add their talent and contribution as we gather momentum.”

Kara Peck, Senior Director of Strategy & Partnerships for B Lab US/Canada, described the coalition’s formation as “heartening”, adding: “The work of the coalition is going to greatly accelerate the beauty and personal care industry’s – and our economy’s – shift to a just, regenerative, zero-carbon future.”

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