![L’Oréal Groupe’s UK & Ireland Sustainability Director Natalia Agathou](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/eip/loreal/sustainability/natalia-agathou-lead.jpg?imwidth=680)
UK beauty consumers ‘increasingly interested in sustainability’
![L’Oréal Groupe’s UK & Ireland Sustainability Director Natalia Agathou](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/eip/loreal/sustainability/natalia-agathou-lead.jpg?imwidth=680)
L’Oréal Groupe’s UK & Ireland Sustainability Director Natalia Agathou talks about L’Oréal Groupe’s approach to sustainability and how consumer thinking continues to evolve
How has consumer thinking on sustainability changed in recent years?
Consumer awareness and engagement with sustainability is evolving and increasing. Our L’Oréal Groupe research about UK beauty consumer attitudes tell us that sustainability is right up there on the agenda, with 41 per cent of people saying they spend more time thinking about sustainability compared to the previous six months and 51 per cent of people saying it is an important issue that they want to play their role in*.
A good example I can share of how we are helping consumers to play their role in the UK is our Maybelline recycling initiative working with one of the brand’s nationwide retail partners. The scheme aims to make recycling easier for non-widely recyclable items such as makeup and Maybelline have created marketing materials with influencers designed to help consumers understand what they can recycle and how.
Beyond consumers, we also look to support our business ecosystem like our Salon Partners with dedicated sustainability education programmes for salons and stylists, including partnerships with initiatives such as Green Salon Collective to help salons recycle things such as hair and packaging.
Can you talk about what else your survey data tells us about attitudes to sustainability?
Our recent data tells us that both younger and older demographics are engaged on the topic of sustainability; with 51 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds and 56 per cent of over 55 year olds saying that climate change is one of the things that is currently front of mind*.
Consumers are also actively looking at things like shopping more sustainably and brands with reduced packaging. For example, in another L’Oréal survey, specifically on UK skincare shoppers, 18 per cent said they shop more sustainably as part of their lifestyle than they did a year ago and 25 per cent said they look for brands with reduced packaging**.
Can you explain how L’Oréal Groupe, in the UK and worldwide, is approaching its sustainability commitments for 2030?
L’Oréal Groupe has been on a sustainability journey for over 40 years, and in 2020, the Groupe announced its most recent sustainability programme L’Oréal For The Future, sharing its sustainability ambitions towards 2030. At a macro level, L’Oréal Groupe as a company is continuing to transform itself, which includes looking at elements of our own: carbon emissions, types of packaging we use, types of ingredients we use, and our water consumption.
How do you think consumer attitudes will change going forward?
I think it really is about continuous progress, so I am expecting that attitudes will evolve to show us that more people are adapting their lifestyle choices (including in beauty) to help address what is front of mind for them, such as climate change. As ever, it is a journey that both consumers, brands and companies are on to continually strive to progress and take steps together.
How long have you worked at L'Oréal Groupe and what has it been like?
For around 18 months now and I love it. Being part of a leading global beauty company is an exciting place to be. Not only do I feel surrounded by people who inspire me, but I also feel that I can have a meaningful impact. My team has grown since I joined – testament to the emphasis the company is putting on sustainability and its commitments. And even though L’Oréal is such a big company, with more than 35 brands, it also has a very entrepreneurial mindset, seeking out alternative solutions and working with new partners or start-ups to co-create. I really enjoy my work.
What else can businesses think about?
In my experience, I have found an area that some businesses can sometimes overlook is their employees. It is so important to bring your teams on the journey with you when setting ambitions – through educating, engaging and asking for input.
One of the initiatives I led when joining the business was to set up ‘Sustainability Teams’ across all 35 of our brands. This meant we could come together as one collective group to look at what both we as a business and our consumers need, and how we implement new initiatives to address these needs. We have been rolling out upskilling programmes for our teams across all aspects to improve our overall sustainability literacy as we believe sustainability should be embedded into every role and function of the business.
SOURCES
*Report name: L’Oréal: Future of the Planet Report, Sept-Oct 2022
Research carried out by: Streetbees
Sample: n. 1535 aged 16+
** Report name: Skincare U&A 2022
Research carried out by: 2CV, Komal Sahni
Sample (sustainability module only): n. 475 female skincare users aged 16+