There’s no questioning the commitment of a B Corp; it meets the “highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.” 
 
Now, certified B Corp companies active in the cosmetics space are bonding together to form a new alliance that marks a further commitment to collectively improving the sustainability and ethical standards of their industry: The Beauty B Corp Coalition.
 
This fledgling coalition was unveiled during B Lab’s virtual B Corp Global Climate Summit, which was held June 29-July 1.
 
The founding member companies are: Antica Erboristeria (Herbatint), Davines, Dr. Bronner’s, Expanscience, N&B - Natural is Better, Rudolph Care and Skandinavisk.
 
The coalition is calling other certified beauty B Corporations to join them.  
 
Specifically, the coalition will:
 
• encourage collaboration and exchange between companies;
• identify and share good practices and improvement actions;
• influence the beauty industry to trigger sustainable changes; and
• work together on high-level goals identified by the coalition related to sustainability
 
Executives from B Corp companies took part in the panel discussion that included the announcement of the new coalition. Those in the Zoom breakout room also discussed some of their current efforts to be more sustainable and ethical businesses. Speakers included Catherine D’Aragon, general manager, Mustela US; Darcy Shiber-Knowles, director of operational sustainability and innovation at Dr. Bronner’s; Noelia Souque Caldato, head of institutional and group affairs at Natura; and Davide Bollati, president, and Marie Charlotte Montaut, sustainability and transparency senior specialist, Davines.
 
According to Montaut, the founding brands of this new coalition wanted to “go a step further than B Corp. and focus our collective efforts on improving the sustainability standards of the beauty industry.”
 
Other companies are committed to joining the coalition, according to the speakers.
 
To be a member, companies must be:
• Certified B Corp
• beauty companies or in the supply chain
• willing to cooperate at pre-competitive level
• willing to change the industry.
 
In order to qualify as a member, these companies must be willing to exchange information at a pre-competitive level.
 
Beauty B Corp Coalition will initially focus on four main areas:  
 
1. Packaging: sustainable design, supply chain engagement, and performance
Identify solutions to plastic packaging and related climate and pollution issues; work on the footprint, traceability, quality and responsibility of packaging supply chains; design more circular production processes and final products that aim to zero waste; exchange of suppliers; joint primary research with suppliers.
 
2. Ingredients: supply chain engagement and sourcing practices
Define what a sustainable ingredient is; advance the traceability, quality, sustainability and ethical responsibility of the supply chain; build integrated and circular supply chains that aim to zero waste; identify solutions related to climate change issues; exchange of suppliers; joint primary research with suppliers.
 
3. Green Logistics
Elaborate a statement paper and collect best practices about distributing our products in the most sustainable way, both at the transportation and the packing level. Design more circular processes, aiming to zero waste and identify solutions related to climate change issues.
 
4. B Beauty positioning and promotion
Define a 'B Beauty' positioning in the global marketplace to challenge empty industry trends and promises, elevate all participating B Corp Beauty brands, and give beauty shoppers something tangible they can understand and embrace. On a practical level: agree a simple and enduring shared ‘B Beauty’ promise and visual mechanic; define a marketing/PR activation plan toward media, retail and end customers; consider shared assets and mutual promotional commitments that both protect the participating brand and reinforce the coalition.
 
These topics and the number of working groups can evolve in time and with the entry of new members, according to the coalition’s founding members. 
 
The group plans to have members vote on these elements at its first members assembly, which will be held in September.
 
Companies that are interested in joining or want more information can take part in this survey.
 
According to Montaut, since the coalition is in its very early stages, now represents a great opportunity for companies to get involved and “help build it.”