L’Oréal India has announced its operations including manufacturing plants in Baddi (Himachal Pradesh), Chakan (Maharashtra), Research & Innovation centres in Mumbai and Bengaluru, and offices in key metros have reached 100% renewable energy.
The milestone is in line with the Groupe’s L’Oréal for the Future targets to combat climate change and transition towards a more sustainable operating model as well as India’s Net Zero ambition outlined at the Glasgow COP 26.
For over a decade, L’Oréal has been working towards sustainable growth through energy-conscious decisions aimed at minimizing the environmental impact of its operations in India.
L’Oréal prioritises transparency and traceability in sourcing renewable energy by implementing systems that track the origin of its electricity, identifying the specific windmills or solar farms contributing to its energy mix.
By utilizing its proximity to river basins in Himachal Pradesh, L’Oréal has harnessed hydropower and capitalized on state-supported wind and solar installations in Maharashtra to fulfil its energy needs.
As of October 2023, L’Oréal’s Chakan plant in Maharashtra moved to wind and solar energy with long-term power purchase agreements and replaced natural gas with biomass boilers. The plant uses solar panels to ensure reliable energy supply even when weather-dependent sources are unavailable. In January 2022, L’Oréal’s Baddi plant transitioned to hydropower and electric boilers to reduce diesel consumption. In other locations where electricity is sourced directly from the grid, L’Oréal purchases certificates that verify the source of renewable energy.
Alongside reaching 100% renewable energy at the end of 2023, L’Oréal India has effectively brought down carbon emissions from owned sources to zero*, and reduced energy intensity by 23% across all locations for the period of 2019-2023.
Fostering a culture of responsible growth, L’Oréal India has been working towards reaching 100% renewable energy ambition through a multi-pronged strategy that includes:
1. Reducing energy consumption: L’Oréal cut energy across manufacturing plants and operated sites by upgrading to energy-efficient equipment, using renewable energy sources like solar water heating, and implementing energy-saving practices such as utilising waste energy from steam condensation.
2. Balancing environment and efficiency: In Chakan and Baddi plants, L’Oréal moved to renewable energy sourced from wind, hydro and solar power, to reduce the greenhouse gases produced during operations.
3. Expanding use of solar energy: As early as 2006, L’Oréal invested in solar technology at its manufacturing and distribution plants to meet its basic heating needs. In 2023, L’Oréal scaled up to more than 2000 photovoltaic solar panels.
Celebrating the milestone, Aseem Kaushik, Managing Director, L’Oréal India, said, “In our 30th year in India, this momentous achievement demonstrates our commitment to transform ourselves. It also represents the sustainability mindset and agility of the L’Oréal India workforce towards growing business, responsibly. Sustainability is a continuous journey encompassing every stage of the value chain. Reaching 100% renewable energy in India is one step of many in our sustainability journey. L’Oréal India will continue to transform our business activities in line with Science Based Targets and empower our business ecosystem to transition to a more sustainable world together.”
Globally, the L’Oréal for the Future program, launched in 2020, embodies the Groupe’s sustainability ambition built around three major strategic aspects:
1. Transforming business activities by limiting the impact on climate, water, biodiversity, and resources;
2. Empowering its business ecosystem transition to a sustainable world; and
3. Contributing to solving the challenges of the world by supporting urgent social and environmental needs. L’Oréal acts by supporting highly vulnerable women and communities who are most exposed to climate disasters, and by investing in the regeneration of nature and the development of the circular economy.
