“IN 2018 WE set the goal of becoming ‘Zero Waste by 2023* – The asterisk is important as we are a science-backed brand, and transparency is our first priority. There will be some exceptions for genuine functional reasons, but these will all be listed in our ‘Sustainability Roadmap,’ which will be available this year. We have been set back around six months due to COVID but have made significant progress, and we were thrilled to publish our roadmap this year.
We have wanted to make changes to certain packaging for some time, but speaking frankly had to wait for the consumer to be ready. Recent changes to our professional backbar line-up have been extensive. However, we will never compromise product efficacy. We will work in partnership with packaging engineers and recycling service providers to ensure we reach our goals without compromising the brand’s core promise of “results and experience.”
We have so many wins from carbon offset to 100% renewable energy. Some more obscure improvements have been using ‘slow boats’ in our supply chain. This strategy has massively reduced our CO2 output – however, it naturally puts a strain on inventory management. For visible improvements, we are delighted that our Professional Backbar products are 100% recycled or recyclable.
We are looking forward to a complete roadmap being published this year, which will include details of what we have achieved so far. We recently launched our first reusable pack in the global hit Press & Glow exfoliating toner.
Fans of Medik8 know we are obsessed with formula stability, which means we use airless packaging for functional reasons. This challenge exists for all brands who use active, efficacious ingredients and need their formulas to stay potent and fresh. But we are working with packaging suppliers on future solutions.
A key differentiator for the Medik8 brand has been addressing a needless dichotomy between ‘results’ and ‘experience’. Experience is not just about texture and scent, it is about the values of the brand, their policies around susainability, animal welfare and fighting injustice. For the most part, clinical brands can and should be as sustainable as ‘natural’ brands. The only exception is where a clinical brand is ‘forced’ to use a barrier and airless packaging to ensure the active ingredients are kept stable. But so much of the waste generated by cosmetic brands falls outside of packaging – this is where we can make up for challenges such as the non-availability of recyclable airless packaging with reduced water waste and decreased CO2 emissions.
In 2021 we look forward to the launch of our sustainability roadmap, where we will detail what we have achieved so far and what we are committing to by 2023. We intend to be the “World’s Most Sustainable Professional-Led Brand.”
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