Exclusive article for Personal Care Global Magazine

Experts gathered at the 2025 in-cosmetics Global Co-Lab at White City House in October to discuss sustainability in the cosmetics and personal care industry, where Nina Foster, Senior Communications and Research Manager, Net Zero Intelligence Unit, and Marta Iglesias, Director, at The Carbon Trust, led a session titled, ‘The Path to Net Zero: Unlocking Transformation Through Product Carbon Footprints’.

The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) takes place from 11 to 22 November in Baku, Azerbaijan. Every COP conference is an opportunity for international collaboration on climate change and given the cosmetic and personal care industry’s far-reaching impact on the planet’s climate, the gathering is particularly significant in driving direction and progress forward. While the industry’s contributions to greenhouse gas emissions – currently sitting at 1% – are smaller than some others, the personal care industry has a significant reach beyond what many outside the industry might realise. For context, the UK’s contribution to global emissions¹ is also 1%, highlighting the industry’s significance.

The global beauty and personal care market is projected to generate revenue of $648.60 billion this year². The largest national markets for cosmetics products within Europe include Germany (€15.9 billion), France (€13.7 billion), Italy (€12.5 billion), the UK (€11.0 billion), Spain (€10.4 billion), and Poland (€5.2 billion)³. Considering the market share, the industry’s responsibility to address environmental damage, specifically issues like ingredient sourcing, plastic packaging, waste pollution, and deforestation, cannot be understated. With COP29 on the horizon, it is crucial for the industry to grasp its role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Carbon Trust’s 2023 report, Greenhouse Gloss: Is the beauty industry’s commitment to tackling climate change more than skin deep?⁴ examines the credibility of Net Zero commitments made by the world’s ten highest-revenue beauty and personal care companies. It also highlights ways the sector can drive meaningful progress on Net Zero while ensuring sustainability claims meet high standards in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A key finding shows that nearly one in three beauty products is marketed as “clean,” reflecting the eco-friendly preferences of 76% of consumers.

The companies assessed in the report, including L’Oréal, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Estée Lauder, Shiseido, Beiersdorf, LVMH, Kao, Coty, and Johnson & Johnson. The Carbon Trust’s Net Zero Reality Check tool was employed to gauge climate action across the sector by reviewing the most recent annual, sustainability, and emissions reports from these companies. At the time of the report, none of the world’s ten largest beauty companies had set an independently validated Net Zero target, while three companies had not committed publicly to any Net Zero goals at all.

The clean beauty movement

“Clean beauty,” while still somewhat ambiguous in definition, has emerged over the last decade as a trend that loosely encompasses natural and or organic ingredients, cruelty-free practices, and environmentally friendly packaging, amongst various other criteria. A significant driving force behind this trend is the focus on climate change, with efforts aimed at reducing carbon emissions, minimising reliance on unsustainable processes, and mitigating environmental damage.

Marta Iglesias, Director at The Carbon Trust, observes that “clean beauty” is a concept “without a clear definition,” which can be interpreted in various ways to include natural ingredients, minimal processing, organic, vegan, and sustainable. She explains, “Beauty companies are becoming more aware of their impact on the planet, particularly the climate, and consumers are demanding greater clarity about the impacts of their beauty products and the steps companies are taking to minimise it. Claims of ‘clean’ need to be backed up by evidence of meaningful action, including climate action.”

Nina Foster, Senior Communications and Research Manager, Net Zero Intelligence Unit, at The Carbon Trust, says that the growing demand for clean beauty indicates consumers want brands to take more decisive action. She highlights that aiming for clean beauty is not “the most effective goal”; rather, specific actions on climate and sustainability are paramount. “It’s about linking products with higher aims and goals. If companies get the numbers right, they will gain real credibility. Initiatives like the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) provide validation and support,” she adds.

As of October 2024, the landscape of beauty companies has shown marked improvement since the original Greenhouse Gloss findings. Now, nine out of the top 10 global beauty companies have publicly committed to Net Zero, signaling a growing alignment with climate goals. Additionally, three of these companies have set science-aligned Net Zero targets and the majority are actively addressing emissions linked to the sourcing of raw materials, an essential area for impact given the environmental cost of ingredient production.

Top-down change

The challenge of meeting clean beauty criteria often stems from top-down legislation and regulation. Transforming a company’s entire operation and value chain to align with a decarbonised future is a significant hurdle for most sectors, including beauty. However, many companies are making great strides, with an increasing number setting science-aligned Net Zero targets and publishing transition plans. Key challenges include reducing emissions from sourcing, processing, and shipping raw materials, as well as addressing emissions from packaging. Supplier engagement and sector-wide collaboration will be crucial in overcoming these challenges, according to Iglesias.

Regulations and guidelines can be vital in combating greenwashing in the beauty industry. The Green Claims Directive⁵, for instance, aims to protect consumers from ambiguity and misleading terms like ‘climate positive’ and ‘carbon neutrality,’ which can create a false impression of environmental impact. Iglesias explains that achieving neutrality “often relies on offsets, instead of on prioritising emissions reduction measures”, but that “carbon offsetting is not guaranteed to deliver the necessary outcomes from an overall sustainability point of view.”

COP29 could help to raise levels of climate ambition and action globally. Foster highlights the two-pronged nature of its impact: formal negotiations among world leaders paired with active involvement from the real economy, including businesses, financial institutions and experts – a combination that drives positive feedback loops and is essential for meaningful change.

While the clean beauty movement reflects the good intentions of the industry, the absence of clear guidelines on its definition and implementation can pose some challenges. Establishing these guidelines in the first instance will provide direction for the beauty sector, ensuring that sustainable practices trickle down to all stakeholders. This would not only benefit the environment but also enhance product and industry standards.

Top-down regulation and legislation will be crucial in demonstrating how governments and the private sector can collaborate on global climate targets. The growing consumer demand for clean and sustainable beauty products offers a significant opportunity for the sector to take action on Net Zero and ensure sustainability claims reflect meaningful progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As The Carbon Trust states, without credible action, ambitious language risks becoming mere greenhouse gloss, where promises fail to deliver meaningful change.

For information on the in-cosmetics Global Co-Labs, please visit https://www.in-cosmetics.com/global/en-gb/lp/join-the-co-lab.html

in-cosmetics Global returns from 8-10 April 2025 at RAI Amsterdam, The Netherlands, bringing together top suppliers and manufacturers to inspire the future of cosmetics. For more information about the event, please visit the website here.

The Carbon Trust will open the Sustainability Zone Forum with a keynote session on Tuesday 8 April at 10:15. Speaker and session details will be confirmed soon.