SHANGHAI, July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

L'Oreal Group's North Asia Zone is the first of the company's zones worldwide

to achieve carbon neutrality across all operated sites, plants, distribution

centers, offices and research & innovation centers spanning five geographic

markets of Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. This

achievement marks a significant milestone in the company's efforts in fighting

against the pressing threat of climate change.

"With the United Nations warning that every country, city, organisation should

adopt plans for net zero – the call to act has seen L'Oreal North Asia Zone

rise to the challenge and show true leadership. As a company, we recognized the

gravity of the global environmental crisis more than 20 years ago and began

reducing our environmental footprint in our manufacturing plants and

distribution centers back in 2009. With the launch of our ambitious

sustainability commitment in 2020 - L'Oreal for the Future - which states that

all L'Oreal sites worldwide must reach carbon neutrality by 2025, the North

Asia Zone accelerated its efforts to achieve its goals, which we are immensely

proud of." said Mr. Fabrice Megarbane, President of L'Oreal North Asia and CEO

of L'Oreal China.

Mr. Megarbane announced the news at 2022 L'Oreal North Asia & China Indirect

Sourcing Supplier Day in Shanghai, where the company brought together around

100 strategic suppliers and key stakeholders to discuss collective efforts and

solutions on CO2 emissions reduction.

L'Oreal North Asia Zone has achieved several firsts on the company's CO2

emissions reduction roadmap.  Mainland China was the first market worldwide to

achieve carbon neutrality for all L'Oreal sites in 2019. Now with the Japan

market achieving carbon neutrality for its sites in July 2022, L'Oreal North

Asia became the first zone of the L'Oreal Group to achieve carbon neutrality

for all the sites L'Oreal operates.

In North Asia, L'Oreal have implemented dynamic measures and a variety of

strategic approaches across the different sites that have contributed to the

goal of reaching carbon neutrality for each of them.

Generating renewable energy onsite

In both Mainland China and South Korea, CO2 emissions reduction through

installing onsite renewable energy generating facilities has been an important

contribution to the overall effort.  At L'Oreal's BeautyCos plant in Suzhou,

onsite solar panels have been generating 1.2M kWh of electricity every year

since 2015. Similarly, the rooftop solar panels installed at L'Oreal's

distribution center in Suzhou provided 100% of its 4. 4M kWh electricity needs

since 2019.

Onsite facilities adopting diverse renewable energy solutions

L'Oreal's BeautyCos plant is a showcase of how diverse sustainable energy

solutions work together to achieve CO2 emissions reduction goals.  In addition

to its solar power generating system, a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system

was built onsite to use biogas to produce steam, electricity and heat with high

efficiency. The biogas is generated by a biomass energy project at Suzhou

Industrial Park, which uses kitchen and landscaping waste as raw materials for

energy generation. Combining solar power generation, CHP system installation

and sourcing renewable electricity nearby, BeautyCos achieved carbon neutrality

in 2019.

Sourcing local renewable energy in five markets

In addition to having onsite facilities generating renewable energy, L'Oreal

sites in North Asia pursued the best way to source local renewable energy.

In Mainland China, L'Oreal's Yichang Tianmei Plant achieved carbon neutrality

with 100% use of hydropower in 2018.  Other L'Oreal China offices and campuses

adopted solutions to reduce drastically their CO2 emissions through

partnerships with a renewable energy project in Jiangsu Province.

L'Oreal Korea started participating in Korea's RE100-system (a global

initiative on renewable power) in 2021 and received renewable energy

certification from Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) for the energy used

across all its offices and distribution centers.

In its Japanese plant in Gotemba, L'Oreal has installed new electrical boilers

using renewable electricity. L'Oreal Japan met its carbon neutrality goals by

participating in the Green Power and Heat Certificates initiative for its

research & innovation center, offices and plant. The initiative sponsors

renewable energy generation facilities that are validated by the local

authorities that encompass areas such as wind, biomass, hydro, and solar power

stations.

L'Oreal Taiwan is the first company in the market to channel its renewable

energy efforts through Power Purchasing Agreements with local authorities and

the landlord of the commercial building where it operates. This enabled the

organization to achieve its carbon neutrality status in late 2021.

Similarly, L'Oreal Hong Kong site achieved carbon neutrality in 2020 with the

implementation of energy efficiency measures the installation of LED lighting

to reduce energy consumption and sourcing local renewable electricity for its

office.

Mr. Pankaj Gupta, SVP of L'Oreal North Asia and China Operations, said: "From

today, in North Asia, each L'Oreal product is produced and stored in plants and

warehouses that are carbon neutral. Going forward, we will further collaborate

with our stakeholders to reduce CO2 emissions along the entire industry value

chain through product innovation and consumer empowerment programs,

transportation upgrading and collaboration with strategic suppliers."

The L'Oreal Group has set long-term goals to reduce all its greenhouse gas

emissions by 25% by 2030 in absolute terms compared to 2016, and aims to reach

net zero emissions by 2050. These goals were set in accordance with the Science

Based Targets, which aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C, according to climate

scientist recommendations, as set by the Paris Agreement.

About L'Oreal

For over 110 years, L'Oreal, the world's leading beauty player, has devoted

itself to one thing only: fulfilling the beauty aspirations of consumers around

the world. Our purpose, to create the beauty that moves the world, defines our

approach to beauty as inclusive, ethical, generous and committed to social and

environmental sustainability. With our broad portfolio of 35 international

brands and ambitious sustainability commitments in our 'L'Oreal for the Future'

programme, we offer each and every person around the world the best in terms of

quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility, while celebrating

beauty in its infinite plurality.

With 85,400 committed employees, a balanced geographical footprint and sales

across all distribution networks (e-commerce, mass market, department stores,

pharmacies, hair salons, branded and travel retail), in 2021 the Group

generated sales amounting to 32.28 billion euros. With 20 research centers

across 11 countries around the world and a dedicated Research and Innovation

team of over 4,000 scientists and 3,000 tech professionals, L'Oreal is focused

on inventing the future of beauty and becoming a Beauty Tech powerhouse. More

information on https://www.loreal.com/en/mediaroom

About L'Oreal North Asia Zone

L'Oreal North Asia Zone was established in 2021 as L'Oreal Group regrouped the

geographical scope of its zones to give greater coherence to consumer behaviour

and to create synergy within the region. The North Asia Zone comprises of five

geographically and culturally connected markets of Mainland China, Japan, South

Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

L'Oreal North Asia Zone is the second largest region within the Group,

accounting for 30.5% of the Group's global sales in 2021. Situated in the most

beauty intense region with more than one-third of the world's total beauty

consumers, L'Oreal North Asia shapes the future of beauty with its innovation

centers in Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul, while investing in beauty tech

transformation as one of the three beauty tech hubs globally. Here, our mission

is to strategize, create and activate a powerful ecosystem around the North

Asia Beauty Triangle as a competitive edge to unleash sustainable growth for

all and inspire the world.

Media contact:

Linda YAN / linda.yan@loreal.com

SOURCE: L'Oreal North Asia

Image Attachments Links:

   Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=425910

   Caption: Electrical boilers at L'Oreal Japan Gotemba Plant powered by 100% renewable

energy

   Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=425911

   Caption: Onsite solar panels at L'Oreal Suzhou plant with 1.2M KWH of electricity

generated every year since 2015