Caring for our ecosystem
Caring for our ecosystem
Sustainable development is a core commitment of Green Mission Pierre Fabre, which oversees the company's Naturalness and CS strategy. As the sole manufacturing group to be awarded the *outstanding" level of AFNORS Responsibility Europe Certification, the company acts responsibly at all levels, determined to reconcile economic growth, protection of the environment, local presence and humanism.
Pierre Fabre Laboratories unveiled the Green Impact Index in 2021 (a methodology for rating the environmental and social impact of cos- metic products), with the ambition of sharing it with other companies.
In 2023, the Green Impact Index Consortium* announced the publication of AFNOR Spec 2215, which pro- vides guidelines for developing responsible products towards the better management of environmental and social impacts** (based on common criteria endorsed by AFNOR).
This tool benefits consumers, to help them make informed choices about the products they buy.
As trailblazers in the distribution of this methodology, Pierre Fabre Laboratories is increasing the share of responsible products every year, for better management of environmental and social issues in its portfolio.By late 2023, 66% of our catalog had obtained a score of A or B (based on net sales), and that figure rose to 80% for dermo-cosmetics and oral health products.
88 %
of Pierre Fabre plant-based active ingredients are eco-designed (extracted using green solvents).
4 910
employees were involved in supporting an environmental or humanitarian association.
The company takes account of all the Green Impact Index criteria, to design more sustainable products (e.g., environmental criteria covering Packaging, Formulas, Manufacturing and Transportation) and social criteria. In 2023, 100% of tose extracts were produced from organic plants or plants farmed without pesticides. In addition, each brand has undertaken a social responsibility or biodiversity protection project. For example, in 2023 Eau Thermale Avène stepped up its efforts to preserve water resources by sharing water-saving practices, making borehole diagnoses and preserving the Avène impluvium in Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park.
*22 organizations are members of the Green Impact Index Consortium
**AFNOR Spec 2215 concerns cosmetic products, dietary supplements and family health and wellness products.
Eau Thermale Avène and Avène Hydrotherapy Center: active stakeholders in the preservation of the impluvium!
The impluvium, covering an area of 30 km² between Hérault and Aveyron, is where part of the rainwater replenishes the Avène thermal reservoir. The formation of Avène Thermal Spring Water is a long and complex process. The water follows a journey of 150 years on average, but some of this water (less than 10%) is more recent.
The soothing, anti-irritant and softening properties of Avène water depend heavily on the quality of this environment. It is therefore essential to protect this impluvium to preserve the quality of Avène Thermal Spring Water.
The impluvium is mainly made up of forests (>70%). It is divided into over 5,000 plots among private forest owners, local residents and farmers. Though it belongs to the Haut Languedoc Regional Park, there was no structure that harmonized or united all the stakeholders in the region for its protection.
API'A, Association for the Preservation of the Avène Water Impluvium, was therefore created in 2021 to bring together all the stakeholders involved.
API’A’s members include the Avène Brand, the Hydrotherapy Center, and the Avène Town Hall as well as the ONF (National Forestry Organization), the CNPF (National Forest Ownership Center), the Regional Park, the Orb & Libron EPTB (Local Public River Basin Authority) and private stakeholders (foresters and farmers).
Strategic challenges for the future of Avène Thermal Spring Water
API’A’s main missions are as follows:
- Harmonize interactions between all stakeholders in the area;
- Increase knowledge of the area in terms of biodiversity and water distribution (drinking, thermal and surface water);
- Protect the area from fire and pollution risks.
The actions carried out in 2023 have broadened the circle of discussions to include water stakeholders, in particular with the department’s certified hydrogeologist, the BRGM (the French geological survey) and the various drinking water utilities. This opening-up makes it possible to integrate API’A into surface water tracing programs in the impluvium to search for new drinking water catchments. Surface water tables, which influence soil humidity, river recharge and drinking water, also play an important role. One of API’A’s actions was to work with the department to implement recorded monitoring of these water tables to better understand their reactivity and changes.
Moreover, some agricultural waste was previously burned in the impluvium because the treatment chain was not suitable. API’A, the Avène town hall and the Community of Communes therefore found a solution to provide a collection bin and transport it to the urban chain, thereby reducing the pollution risks on the site by improving effluent management in particular.
Forest and agricultural diagnostics are under way with newly settled farmers to identify ways to improve usage.
Digital Responsibility Iabel
In 2023, the company embarked on a proactive mission to obtain the highest level of the official "Label du Numérique Responsable" (Digital Responsibility Label) for all its activities and subsidiaries. The mission brought together representatives from all of our business units and business partners, working hand in hand to promote a more sustainable, ethical and inclusive digital world.
Sustainable : Reducing our digital carbon footprint is a way of lowering CO2 emissions and preserving water and rare metal resources. Digital technologies account for 5% of Pierre Fabre Laboratories’ carbon footprint.
Ethics : Making digital technology an innovative tool that respects individuals’ privacy and improves quality of life for patients, and for healthcare professionals who support them throughout the care pathway.
Inclusive : Promoting the eco-social design of digital services, making sure that all employees, across all company business lines and functions, have access to and are included in digital services.
Organic lavender essential oil
In 2023, Naturactive acquired a new product containing an organic active ingredient: lavender floral water with a Cosmos Bio and Fair Trade certification.This 100% French-sourced lavender illustrates the company's commitment to protecting biodiversity and its determination to foster farming practices that preserve natural resources.
