The new department for your ecological transition

Well known for its regulatory expertise, Cosmed has added a new global service to help companies manage their ecological transition.

A new department dedicated to the environment

The ecological transition is at the heart of the “France Relance” plan announced by the government. 30 billion is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 and supporting the development of green technologies. But for businesses, the concrete impacts are now being felt.

In 2019, Cosmed had answered 3,000 questions from industrialists, of which 350 were already related to the environment. In 2020, more than 1000 questions related to the environment were answered, 3 times more, in only 10 months. More than a signal, this figure is for Cosmed a powerful siren calling for action. Since the end of 2018, an “environmental watch” project was in preparation. Listening to and meeting the expectations of companies convinced us to move to a higher dimension.

Business needs

Cosmetics industry is not new to environmental and societal issues. The beginnings date back to 1974. Seven cosmetic companies were even named in 2012, among the most ethical and committed firms in the world, by Ethisphere Institute, an independent American NGO. According to the Cosmed Barometer of Key Industry Indicators* (4th quarter 2020), 76% of managers will direct their investments towards the ecological transition.

Above all, they are aware that the timing of change is now being imposed, both by the consumer and his representatives, and by the legislator. 83% of consumers want products to be designed and manufactured in an environmentally friendly way, and are asking for proof. Also, managers’ expectations are formulated in a very pragmatic way: what is the current state of my project? What actions should I start with? How can I finance it over the long term? How can I manage change on my industrial site? How can I enhance the value of my actions and investments for the consumer throughout the progress process, while complying with the various regulations? What certifications should I aim for in the long term?

Product developments (eco-design, LCA, limiting or replacing plastic, etc.) represent the first efforts and essential changes at the first level. Energy and water savings, improvement of the carbon footprint, waste reduction… logically follow the implementation of good environmental practices. In the medium term, it is in the interest of managers to follow closely the concept of the “mission-driven company”, initiated by the “loi Pacte” voted in 2019. A new virtuous legal status focused on environmental and societal values, but likely to profoundly change governance models, the relationship between general management and shareholders, the role of employees… Cosmed will accompany companies through all these stages.

Important resources

The Cosmed Environment service is built on five actions that are particularly expected by companies: a diagnosis, a recommendation for the definition of the strategy and action plan, an ongoing evaluation, the search for co-financing, and above all, assistance in coordinating the actions of stakeholders, whether internal or external to the company. The Cosmed Environment service was designed to prepare for ISO 14001 certification (environmental management standard).

It is clearly the first global environmental deptement dedicated to the cosmetics industry. This “business” knowledge facilitates the implementation of action plans adapted, in particular, to VSEs, SMEs and ETIs. A long-term collaboration has been established with Corinne Lepage, former Minister of the Environment. She and her team have a very sharp vision of technological, regulatory or legislative developments and of tomorrow’s opinion trends.

Contact:

Mathilde Guyader – Responsable Service Environnement – 07 48 72 32 83 – environnement@cosmed.fr