Sephora advancing sustainable sourcing and waste reduction

Sephora aspires to make a positive social and environmental impact through their Sephora Stands platform. The environmental sustainability efforts focus on strategies for suppliers, climate, and ecodesign.  The company established the ecodesign pillar because reducing waste and using sustainable materials are a priority. 

To make progress in ecodesign, Sephora North America looked to better understand its improvement opportunities.  Pure Strategies helped the company develop a baseline for packaging and in-store materials and waste, understand materials usage and environmental impacts across different business activities, and recommended next steps.

Packaging, distribution, and store material data was collected from internal business leads and suppliers, through a series of one-on-one conversations and a formal data request.  Engaging these stakeholders was key to not just getting the information for the project, but to also build their interest and alignment on the outcomes of the work since they would be involved in taking actions to make improvements. A detailed inventory of the types and amounts of materials for packaging (product and distribution) and store materials was developed.  This was coupled with life cycle assessment and literature data to understand environmental hotspots and overall priorities.   

Packaging rose up to be the primary source of materials for the business, so the company developed an internal guide with the aim of reducing extra packaging, increasing the amount of packaging that is made from recycled content and/or materials sourced more sustainably, and having it be recyclable. Further, the combination of cardboard and paper-based packaging and store items caused tree fiber to be the largest volume material and sustainable fiber sourcing a clear strategy to advance.  Sephora’s shopping bags include post-consumer recycled fiber and the company is integrating sustainable fiber sources into other parts of the business.  

The baseline inventory and hotspot assessment has been critical to engaging internal teams and external suppliers to reduce waste and source materials sustainably for the prestige cosmetics retailer.