Guerlain: a company committed to the environment and sustainability

To commemorate World Nature Day, we’re sharing the steps that the French firm, Guerlain, has taken for the conservation and preservation of it.

Since 1828, Guerlain has innovated with its fragrances, treatments, and makeup. Nature and art have been its main sources of inspiration, and as a form of giving back, they have been dedicated for 16 years to preserving biodiversity, innovating sustainably, acting for climate benefit, and generating a positive impact on society. Moreover, they have a fundamental goal, to protect bees, thus dedicating various collaborations and significant initiatives to them.

9 initiatives through which Guerlain has contributed to nature preservation

The Guerlain brand has committed to the preservation and care of the environment, which is why it has carried out various initiatives linked to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, to contribute to combating climate change and defending the environment. Here are these initiatives.

Reducing carbon footprint

In 2020, the company managed to reduce its carbon footprint by 50%, and the goal is to reduce it to zero by 2030. Additionally, their new packaging paper, non-laminated with pine cellulose padding, has already achieved a 55% reduction in carbon footprint.

Decreasing greenhouse gas emissions

Guerlain knows that transportation is the main source of emissions, and each year they prioritize maritime transportation. In Paris, supply deliveries to stores are made overnight aboard their electric truck Bourdon.

Incorporating renewable energies

La Ruche, one of Guerlain’s main production sites, is a good example. It is a 21,000 m² building that not only runs on solar energy but also has a ground-air heat exchanger, which eliminates the need for air conditioning (a major CO2 generator).

Material savings

The search for material savings is a constant challenge for the brand, and significant reductions are made each year. Since 2015, the packaging for Orchidée Impériale has been 60% lighter than before, and since 2018, the packaging for Abeille Royale is also 44% smaller than the original.

Embracing product refills

100% of their iconic bee bottles are refillable for life; all Guerlain fragrance stores have Perfume Fountains where they can be refilled. The Orchidée Impériale Black Orchid treatment, presented in a refillable porcelain container, is also refillable. Another example is Rouge G, as it remains one of the few 100% refillable lipstick brands on the market.

Recycling and facilitating recycling

90% of the glass used by the brand is recycled, and a new container called “Infinite Glass® NEO Lightweight” has been chosen. It is a glass composed of 25% post-consumer glass. The atomizers are unscrewable. This detail is crucial for encouraging consumers to recycle. In addition to this, they offer customers the option to return empty containers for reuse through CEDRE, an innovative recycling platform created in partnership with the LVMH Group.

Commitment to bee protection

Bees are under threat, and when the brand launched the Abeille Royale range, it created a Sustainable Development Sponsorship Fund with the Black Bee Conservation Association of Brittany. Measures include financial support for beekeepers and legal assistance to protect bees on Ouessant. Their latest action was to partner with UNESCO to train beekeepers to introduce hives into various UNESCO reserves and analyze their environmental impact in each area.

Rebuilding the rainforest

The brand gives back to orchids everything they give them and has created a unique research platform called the Orchidarium. Organized into three centers, it was created to protect and reintroduce wild orchids into their natural habitat. In 2009, a ten-year sustainable development sponsorship agreement was signed to rebuild and preserve the rainforest. Over 10,000 orchids have already been planted.

Transparency with customers

Guerlain is a pioneer in traceability. Through the digital platform Bee Respect, all their products can be thoroughly investigated by any consumer or organization, in terms of raw materials, packaging, production, transportation, points of sale, and recycling. To track, you only need to open the platform on their website and search for the specific product or enter its QR code. That way, the customer will have all the detailed information on the screen about the ingredients, packaging components, production location, suppliers, worldwide shipments, and recycling details at the end of each product’s life cycle.

Images provided by the brand and Pixabay