Avon PH ramps up sustainability initiatives
Published Jul 28, 2023 08:00 am
Avon, the world’s leading beauty company, has ramped up its sustainability initiatives with its slogan “BeautyOfDoingGood”, saying the business of beauty is a reflection of the environment we live in.
In an interview with Razvan Diratian, Avon managing director APAC and general manager of Avon Philippines, stressed that with current climate change, it is important for the beauty industry to promote sustainability to help create a better world, not just from products but down to the way they manufacture and operate the business. “We believe that business can be a force of good. Our approach to sustainability roots from our belief that a better world for women is a better world for all,” said Diratian as he noted of its two pronged approach: Human-kind and Planet-kind. Human-kind, he said, is about supporting its communities around the world, from the Representatives and employees to supply chain partners and beyond. Its business model stands for opportunities for women to overcome the challenges they face and become the best they can be through its products. In fact, Diratian pointed out, that whenever one buys an Avon product, more than 20 percent of the sale help create better futures for women may it be through earnings opportunity or through the Avon programs to support the causes that matter most to women — breast cancer and gender-based violence. For the Planet-kind, Diratian said their initiatives are geared toward addressing the climate crisis, embrace circularity and regeneration and lower the environmental footprint of operations. “This includes reducing our carbon emissions and improving waste management, recycling, and water stewardship across our operations,” he added. As part of the Natura & Co family, Avon already met and even exceeded its 2020 environmental goals. It is now working to also meet the ambitious goals they have set to achieve under its 2030 Commitment to Life. Now, Avon has six sustainability targets by 2030: Operate with net zero carbon emissions; Contribute zero waste to landfills; Maintain a 95 percent recycling rate; Reduce to five percent less water intensity by 2025; and, Extend the paper promise on use of certified or post-consumer recycled content sources. Part of the target is to convert all packaging materials to reusable, recyclable, or compostable materials, and use 50 percent post-consumer recycled resin in its plastic packaging. So far, Avon is already 80 percent reusable, compostable and recyclable. In the Philippines, Avon has been encouraging its representatives to bring their own shopping bags and supporting plastic-free Philippines since 2021. All branches have removed plastic bags and, in partnership with local recyclers, it has recyclable bins in 12 of their branches, where the waste will be transformed into industrial-grade eco planks to build emergency shelters in the country. Customers may also turn over emptied Avon PET bottles and poly bags to a local Representative or the nearest collection site. In collaboration with Spectrum, a subsidiary of the Manila Electric Co., Avon inaugurated the solar rooftop project in its manufacturing plant in Calamba, Laguna. “We’ve started phasing out Ozone Depleting Substances used as refrigerants with sustainable alternatives which will not damage the Ozone Layer. We’ve completed 1005 units in 2021,” he added. Avon’s first biomass boiler is under installation, and this will generate steam without using fossil fuels. By the end of 2022 it has reduced 14 percent of Carbon emissions from Avon Philippines factory site. This year, Avon Care products have been refreshed with modern, handy, and eco-friendly packaging which uses 17 percent less plastic versus its old packaging and is recyclable like its other product lines. “When the bottle is empty, consumers can bring it to select Avon stores and we will turn it into eco-friendly construction materials. Alternatively, this new packaging can be upcycled,” said Diratian. Aside from that, Avon has also updated its formula to be dermatologically tested with no added triclosan, lanolin, phthalates, benzophenone across all variants. Unlike most of its local competitors, Diratian noted that Avon does not make use of sachets which have been found to be a contributor in the Philippines’ plastic waste crisis. Although sachets are preferred because of its value for money and accessibility, Avon considers the long term value its products can give to consumers. “This way, we still offer the same benefits through our top-rated and essential products without harming the environment further,” he said adding they are actively shifting towards recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging, improving its product manufacturing, and formulation of all beauty products—committing full traceability and/or certification. The BCorp-certified company said it will continue to contribute efforts in strengthening education and emphasizing the value of sustainable living to help create a better world through the #BeautyOfDoingGood. During the pandemic, most businesses had to be agile and adaptable to sustain business, and Avon was not last to transition to the new normal. “We have equipped our Representatives with digital tools that allow them to have a flexible working set up, allowing them to grow their business from home with the power of community despite the challenges presented by the pandemic,” he said. Today, Avon has over five million Representatives globally they have helped thrive not only socially and environmentally but also economically.
Razvan Diratian, Avon managing director APAC and general manager of Avon Philippines
In an interview with Razvan Diratian, Avon managing director APAC and general manager of Avon Philippines, stressed that with current climate change, it is important for the beauty industry to promote sustainability to help create a better world, not just from products but down to the way they manufacture and operate the business. “We believe that business can be a force of good. Our approach to sustainability roots from our belief that a better world for women is a better world for all,” said Diratian as he noted of its two pronged approach: Human-kind and Planet-kind. Human-kind, he said, is about supporting its communities around the world, from the Representatives and employees to supply chain partners and beyond. Its business model stands for opportunities for women to overcome the challenges they face and become the best they can be through its products. In fact, Diratian pointed out, that whenever one buys an Avon product, more than 20 percent of the sale help create better futures for women may it be through earnings opportunity or through the Avon programs to support the causes that matter most to women — breast cancer and gender-based violence. For the Planet-kind, Diratian said their initiatives are geared toward addressing the climate crisis, embrace circularity and regeneration and lower the environmental footprint of operations. “This includes reducing our carbon emissions and improving waste management, recycling, and water stewardship across our operations,” he added. As part of the Natura & Co family, Avon already met and even exceeded its 2020 environmental goals. It is now working to also meet the ambitious goals they have set to achieve under its 2030 Commitment to Life. Now, Avon has six sustainability targets by 2030: Operate with net zero carbon emissions; Contribute zero waste to landfills; Maintain a 95 percent recycling rate; Reduce to five percent less water intensity by 2025; and, Extend the paper promise on use of certified or post-consumer recycled content sources. Part of the target is to convert all packaging materials to reusable, recyclable, or compostable materials, and use 50 percent post-consumer recycled resin in its plastic packaging. So far, Avon is already 80 percent reusable, compostable and recyclable. In the Philippines, Avon has been encouraging its representatives to bring their own shopping bags and supporting plastic-free Philippines since 2021. All branches have removed plastic bags and, in partnership with local recyclers, it has recyclable bins in 12 of their branches, where the waste will be transformed into industrial-grade eco planks to build emergency shelters in the country. Customers may also turn over emptied Avon PET bottles and poly bags to a local Representative or the nearest collection site. In collaboration with Spectrum, a subsidiary of the Manila Electric Co., Avon inaugurated the solar rooftop project in its manufacturing plant in Calamba, Laguna. “We’ve started phasing out Ozone Depleting Substances used as refrigerants with sustainable alternatives which will not damage the Ozone Layer. We’ve completed 1005 units in 2021,” he added. Avon’s first biomass boiler is under installation, and this will generate steam without using fossil fuels. By the end of 2022 it has reduced 14 percent of Carbon emissions from Avon Philippines factory site. This year, Avon Care products have been refreshed with modern, handy, and eco-friendly packaging which uses 17 percent less plastic versus its old packaging and is recyclable like its other product lines. “When the bottle is empty, consumers can bring it to select Avon stores and we will turn it into eco-friendly construction materials. Alternatively, this new packaging can be upcycled,” said Diratian. Aside from that, Avon has also updated its formula to be dermatologically tested with no added triclosan, lanolin, phthalates, benzophenone across all variants. Unlike most of its local competitors, Diratian noted that Avon does not make use of sachets which have been found to be a contributor in the Philippines’ plastic waste crisis. Although sachets are preferred because of its value for money and accessibility, Avon considers the long term value its products can give to consumers. “This way, we still offer the same benefits through our top-rated and essential products without harming the environment further,” he said adding they are actively shifting towards recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging, improving its product manufacturing, and formulation of all beauty products—committing full traceability and/or certification. The BCorp-certified company said it will continue to contribute efforts in strengthening education and emphasizing the value of sustainable living to help create a better world through the #BeautyOfDoingGood. During the pandemic, most businesses had to be agile and adaptable to sustain business, and Avon was not last to transition to the new normal. “We have equipped our Representatives with digital tools that allow them to have a flexible working set up, allowing them to grow their business from home with the power of community despite the challenges presented by the pandemic,” he said. Today, Avon has over five million Representatives globally they have helped thrive not only socially and environmentally but also economically.