Radar 5/8
Cosmetics
Estee Lauder and
Clarins vilified for use of
unsustainable palm oil
Two of the world's most famous skincare
brands, Estee Lauder and Clarins,
have come under fire for their links to
unsustainable palm oil and the resulting
damage its use has on tropical rainforests.
In a damning survey by the Rainforest
Foundation UK (RFUK) and Ethical
Consumer magazine, Estee Lauder
and Clarins, along with Superdrug
and 'ethical' brands Jason skincare and
Avalon skincare, have been named as
companies using palm oil, a key cosmetic
ingredient.
The companies' products were ranked
on a scoring system of one to 20, with
20 being the best score. Companies that
do not use palm oil or their derivatives
score 20, while those that use it but
make no substantial policy statements
and are not members of the Roundtable
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on Sustainable Palm Oil score zero.
Sitting at the bottom of the survey
rankings, Estée Lauder scored two,
while Clarins received a score of zero.
RFUK executive director Simon
Counsell, said: "Today we call on
these companies to face up to their
environmental responsibilities, reduce
their use of palm oil, and help ensure
the long-term survival of the Congo
rainforest, its people and unique
wildlife."
Ethical Consumer researcher Leonie
Nimmo added: "The ugly truth is that
whilst companies such as Clarins and
Estée Lauder are involved in the beauty
business, their products are implicated in
some of the biggest acts of environmental
destruction in the world."
In response to the criticism, an Estée
Lauder spokesperson told SB: "The
Estée Lauder Companies are committed
to the responsible sourcing of palm
oil. We are members of the Natural
Resources Stewardship Circle (NRSC),
which is a member of the Roundtable
on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
"The NRSC is working towards
finding sustainable sources of palm oil
and palm kernel oil derivatives for
