LIFESTYLE
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ARE YOU REALLY A CONSCIOUS BRAND? OR JUST JUMPING ON THE BANDWAGON? By Rechelle Coombes, founder of unitely
In a 2017 the Green barometer survey saw 75% of millennials say purchasing green beauty products is important to them. Since then we’ve seen hundreds of small and large beauty brands jump on the green bandwagon to capture the hearts (and wallets) of consumers industry demanding more sustainable beauty products. But how many of these beauty brands claiming to be ‘ethical’ and ‘sustainable’ actually are? Simply scroll through the bios of many beauty brands on Instagram and you will see them littered with phrases like “Eco-friendly” “Vegan” Cruelty free” “Sustainable” Recyclable” “Natural” amongst a range of other catchy alternatives. Brands know that customers are loyal to their favourite brands and getting them to switch is hard without a solid reason to - cue the start of the clean, sustainable and ethical beauty phenomenon. The problem with this is that while most brands are genuinely trying to do the right thing; there are a number of brands out there that haven’t done the proper research, received the proper certifications or even worse are knowingly deceptive. For brands that do want to jump on the “green bandwagon” for the right reasons; it’s important they invest time and money into ensuring the labels they use are accurate. If not, they risk huge brand damage and a long term loss of trust from their customers. Back in 2013 a number of beauty brands were exposed for claiming to not have tested on animals however their products were sold in mainland China which required testing of cosmetics on animals by law (this law was partially amended in 2019). Now we’re seeing some brands use tiny loopholes to make believe they are “cruelty free” or just don’t have the knowledge or experience to know what it takes to claim an ethical or sustainable status. Here are a few examples I’ve observed that should be avoided if you really want to do sustainable beauty authentically: 1. Faking certifications - this includes using visual cues like a bunny icon when claiming to be ‘cruelty free’ without acquiring the official certification. 2. Using words like ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ which naturally consumers think means products and/ 54
Beauty Biz Year 15 Issue 3
or ingredients are certified organic but are not. 3. Claiming bottles are made from recycled products however they are only partially recycled e.g. 10% made from recycled goods. 4. Changing words around - some good examples of this include saying ‘a product is not tested on animals’ however the ingredients were. 5. Made local - the product is often put together or packaged locally but the ingredients are sourced offshore. 6. Vegan - some products may be claimed as being vegan but may have additives or other ingredients used to stabilise them that means they are not entirely vegan. 7. Sustainably sourced - this is a hard one as people may think they know their full supply chain but it is important they know end to end where it has been travelled and the labour, resources, transport and wastage that has gone into the products full development and delivery. 8. Waterless - is often water responsible but not entirely waterless given the farming and sourcing of core products, the supply chain and more. So what is the path forward if you think you might be making a few mistakes. Well for starters it begins with the owners and founders having a sustainable and ethical mindset and committing to transparency and authenticity in their business and brand values. These should be shared and reflected with staff and be a part of the hiring and training process. Then it’s about ensuring the whole product development and supply chain is assessed (a Life Cycle Assessment or LCA); this may mean hiring outside assessors and contractors to help assess key areas. Things that businesses should be thinking about include can their entire production process be carbon neutral using offset tools and calculators. Asking questions of your suppliers and your suppliers’ suppliers. Many people are afraid to just ask given some manufacturers are so difficult to acquire and hold onto and don’t want to tarnish the relationship. The best way to ask is to be frank about how and why you want to know and that you want your customers to have complete trust in you and your manufacturers. Going through the BCorp assessment pre certification even just to see your current rating can be an eye opening exercise to help move you in the right direction. When it comes to packaging and shipping
consider everything you can even down to the labels. Some brands are now taking advantage of refill options as an alternative to simply having recycled packaging. Also asking what the % of contents in your packaging purposes are recycled. Look at your shipping providers; are they carbon neutral or do they allow you to offset the carbon. Even better can you source locally to reduce the total impact of travel. Then it comes down to your communication practices with customers; be transparent about changes or findings you have and how you’re working to address them. Don’t use catchy words or language until you have proper certifications or have completed the work on analysis your supply chain end to end. You also have the opportunity to educate your customers about how they too can recycle or do better when they buy from you like rinsing out the containers; knowing what types of containers or packaging can be recycled and where (for example soft plastics often can not be recycled in domestic waste but can be recycled at a special facility), turning the tap off while they are washing their face and even using special brush cleaners instead of using tens of litres of tap water trying to clean them. Lastly you should be choosing responsible partners and influencers to promote your brand. Choosing an ethical beauty influencer is going to increase the trust that you are committed to ethical and sustainable practices rather than partnering with others who simply have a big following but probably waste their products and couldn’t care less about recycling or sustainability. Using social impact led creators from purpose built ethical platforms like unitely can help you pair with diverse and ethical creators ensuring you are fully committed across your supply chain and marketing funnel in being committed to ethical suppliers. The time for a commitment to ethical and sustainable practices is here. Beauty is a $532bn industry that contributes 120 billion units of mostly non recyclable packaging waste per year plus huge CO2 emissions associated with the shipping of products - the time is now for brands and business owners to not just “jump on the bandwagon” but to systematically create real change. Your brand is no longer solely about the products you create or the service you provide but the causes you stand for and the legacy you will leave.
