The mission of EcoBeautyScore is to jointly develop a scientific methodology to assess the environmental impact of beauty products, and introduce a common rating system that scores the products’ impact on a scale from A to E. The consortium is working with Quantis, an experienced sustainability consultancy firm.The assessment and rating method will hinge around four elements, based on data sharing and an open-source approach: a common method for measuring environmental impact throughout the life cycle of products; a shared database recording the environmental impact of standard ingredients and raw materials; a common tool to assess the environmental impact of individual products; and a harmonised rating system that enables companies, on a voluntary basis, to inform consumers about the environmental footprint of their products.

A prototype of the foot-print measuring and rating system is expected to be available by the end of the year, initially focused on providing environmental score information for selected product categories.The consortium is open to all cosmetics companies and already ranks among its members the leading names in the mass-market and prestige beauty segments. In future, its methodology is likely to become prevalent in the industry, eclipsing other rating systems developed for example by industry associations.