L’Oréal has re-confirmed its commitment to sourcing mica from India, in order to secure its supply chain of the highly-desired mineral in the country.
Often used in make-up due to its naturally-occurring sparkling pigment, mica is sourced from several regions around the world including the US and India.
However, in India the supply chain is not always transparent or traceable, and child labour and unsafe working conditions can pose serious threats.
Instead of pulling out of the country, L’Oréal has announced once again that it is committed to remaining in India and has implemented a responsible procurement policy to ensure a 100% secured mica supply chain in the near future.
As of 2015, 97% of L’Oréal’s Indian mica supply chain is secured.
To show the extent of its support for the eradication of mica supply chain issues, L’Oréal is a founding member of the newly-launched Responsible Mica Initiative.
The initiative builds on the summit held in India in February last year. A five-year action plan will be set up in order to ensure the full traceability of the supply chain.
It also aims to improve the living and working conditions of the Indian communities dependent on mica for income.
The cosmetics industry only accounts for less than 10% of the mica sourced in India, while other industries such as electronics, plastic and rubber, account for the remaining share.