FLOSLEK for the environment

Green Deal - Best Practices

Overview of pro-environmental measures as of 01/2024

We are aware that the decisions and choices we make today will have a major impact on the kind of world our children and grandchildren will live in. Environmental challenges are one of the most important areas in which companies implement their own sustainability strategy. The mission of the cosmetic industry is to keep everyone looking good and beautiful. To fulfil it, the state of the environment in which we live and work is extremely important, as it has a huge impact on human health and, consequently, beauty. Therefore, we are always looking for solutions to minimise the environmental impact of our production and products.

We have developed a strategy we call

#floslekecosteps

It is an integral part of the mission which defines the main directions of our business activities. The implementation of this programme is only possible thanks to the involvement and cooperation of all stakeholders (no company operates alone) - from the actions taken by our suppliers, through our own and with the active support of consumers. We are convinced that success can only be ensured by putting the Sustainable Supply Chain and Green Deal principles into practice.

#floslekecosteps

1.  YES to a Sustainable Supply Chain!

As a cosmetics manufacturer, we are both the recipient of goods and services and a supplier of finished products, thus we form one of the links in a complex supply chain. We understand how important it is today that every part of this chain functions to protect the climate and the environment.

For cosmetics, we choose ingredients and packaging which have the least environmental impact when sourced and manufactured. We involve our partners in the implementation of the objectives we set, guaranteeing the highest standards while respecting the environment. What do we do? Every year we evaluate our business partners and update the List of Qualified Suppliers of raw materials, packaging and services. We select those who maintain quality systems and ensure ethical business conduct.

2.  YES to environmentally friendly packaging!

Cosmetic products, due to their specific nature, require appropriate, safe and hygienic packaging.  With this in mind, we are constantly looking for new packaging solutions, not only of the highest quality and aesthetics, but also more ecological ones.

Right now, we can proudly say that:

Our dermocosmetics and cosmetics are put into environmentally friendly packaging made of glass (100% recyclable), plastic (including up to 50% recycled content), reusable packaging with replaceable refills, and boxes and collective packaging made of FSC® certified paper.
From 2021, most newly purchased packaging is 100% recyclable: jars, bottles, tubes and boxes. Exceptions are some very sensitive products which require barrier protection, e.g. with UV filters.
From 2020, our tube packaging will contain up to 50% recycled materials, meaning we will once again be using plastic which has already been manufactured. In 2023, up to 98.6% of the tubes used to package FLOSLEK cosmetics contained up to 50% recyclate.
We use ecological fillers for packages, taking into consideration limiting the use of paper materials - we choose recycled ones, allowing protection of forest resources.
When printing packaging, we use inks which are not included in the EuPIA exclusion list, which allows us to maintain the highest safety standards – both for people and the environment.

3.  YES to reducing plastic! 

In 2019, we signed the Declaration of the Polish Association of the Cosmetics Industry on “Plastic Strategy”, thus committing to improve actions to reduce the amount of plastic entering the environment.

We use the REset Plastic principle:

REduce

We give up plastic wherever possible, but we do so responsibly. We were the first Polish company to introduce cosmetics in packages with refills, i.e. replaceable inserts. Refills are 100% recyclable and can reduce plastic consumption by 80%! This is because the outer jar can be used multiple times – you just replace the cream insert.

We reduce the amount of plastic we put into the environment by going with lighter packaging made from less plastic.
In 2022, we started the unification of bottles (2 volumes, 2 types of closure). We reduced their weight by 11.2% and 15.3% respectively..
We have already reduced, and continue to reduce, the use of cellophane as a product tamper-evident material in favour of seals, which results in a significant reduction of the amount of plastic entering the environment.

80% - that is how much less plastic goes into the environment when we choose seals!

Starting in 2019, we have abandoned buying bottled drinking water in the company in favour of installing a system for filtered mineral water, available to all employees in the company’s social spaces. As a result, we introduced nearly 19,000 fewer one-litre plastic bottles into the environment in one year alone. This means almost 95,000 bottles in five years which will not end up in landfills and harm nature!

19,000 pcs. - the number of plastic bottles which are now not thrown away each year!

REdesign

We design our packaging to be recyclable. We said NO to black packaging. Black plastics present unique challenges in the recycling process as they cannot be detected or are poorly detected by the optical sorting technology used in traditional recyclers. In addition, coloured plastics greatly reduce reusability because the colour cannot be removed during the recycling process. Therefore, we decided to replace the black packaging elements with identical white, ones.

REsearch

We continuously invest in the research and development of our products so that they are as environmentally friendly as possible. We also engage in information activities – we use all available communication channels to educate our customers about recycling – from information placed on packaging to publications on social media, in blogs and the press.

REmove

We feel responsible for the state of the environment, so we support the reduction of waste, among other things, by collecting, segregating and recycling it. In 2002, we already signed an agreement with the Packaging Recovery Organisation - we financially support the construction and functioning of the waste recovery system (which is confirmed by the “green dot” on our packaging).

REcycle

Recycling reduces the use of new materials and instead uses those plastics which already exist in the recycling cycle. In the cosmetics industry, packaging must meet stringent standards and we cannot always use recycled packaging. However, this does not discourage us. We have chosen a path which fits our business – our plastic packaging contains up to 50% recycled material. We try to make sure that after emptying and segregation the packaging is 100% recyclable. We minimise waste in the production process. If any waste is still generated, we sort it and have it recycled, so that it may get a “second life”.

As much as 97% of all our cosmetic packaging is recyclable.

4.  YES to recyclable packaging!

Packaging is harmful to the environment when used only once. That is why we look for solutions for our products which allow the packaging to be reused or, when this is not possible, to be recycled. To meet such demands, we must make informed and responsible choices. We make decisions thanks to which:

  • 1. we use mono-material packaging for our cosmetics, so-called virgin material, which facilitates recycling;
  • 2. we abandoned the use of the so-called “disruptors” of recycling in packaging, e.g. black elements, metal elements (springs) in airless packaging, strong adhesives which make it impossible or difficult to remove the labels;
  • 3. we increase the share of glass packaging for our cosmetics.

5.  YES to protecting forest resources!

Starting in 2021, we will gradually introduce FSC® certified paper unit boxes for packing cosmetics.

In 2023 100% of our paper packaging is made of certified raw material.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international organisation founded in 1993, which aims to promote the sustainable development of forests and ensure that environmental, social and economic issues are taken into account in their exploitation. According to the guidelines adopted by the FSC, forests must, as much as possible, be preserved in their natural state, i.e. as mixed forests where both young and old trees grow and dead trees are present, providing habitats for animals. And of course you can cut only as many trees out of them as can naturally grow back.

Our suppliers hold an FSC® CoC origin control certificate. It is intended for companies in the paper and wood industry, traders, printing houses or publishing houses. In order to use this certificate, they must source FSC® certified wood or paper products for their production or trade.
We are constantly reducing the printing of advertising and commercial materials in favour of their electronic versions, for example product catalogues distributed as pdf files. We have introduced an electronic system for trade document exchange, electronic registers for production documentation - all this to limit the amount of paper used. We do not print – we choose electronic versions.

6.  YES to natural origin ingredients!

While developing the compositions of our cosmetics, we have been basing them on plant origin ingredients from all over the world. We consciously want to use only ethically sourced ingredients, with care and respect for the environment, for the benefit of future generations. Therefore, our suppliers are subjected to a process of verification, classification and periodic evaluation. We indicate the percentage of naturalness on packaging, and we highlight ingredients in the INCI with an asterisk to help consumers identify them.

As many as 80% of our formulations contain over 90% ingredients of natural origin, and nearly 95% of FLOSLEK cosmetics are vegan!

7.  YES to reducing our carbon footprint!

Almost every activity we do affects climate change because it contributes to the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. We can all fight global warming by making climate-friendly choices in our daily lives. Even seemingly small changes in habits can produce visible results.

Awareness of climate change led us to analyse the company’s operations and its carbon footprint. We are facing a time of ambitious challenges, some of which we are already implementing.

We are reducing CO2 emissions in the production process. We have changed technology and invested in renewable energy sources in our company. The photovoltaic panels installed in the first phase will meet 10% of our annual electricity needs.
We minimise packaging weight and optimise collective packaging, which allows us to transport more products at one time.
For example, the bottles used to package our dermocosmetics have 2 volumes, 2 types of closures and are up to 15.3% lighter than their predecessors.
We monitor and verify fuel consumption in company vehicles and when transporting our products. We optimise routes, we aim to reduce fuel consumption. The measures taken are aimed at reducing CO2 emissions.
-17.98% - this is how much we reduced fuel consumption (2023 vs 2022)
We monitor and verify the amount of electricity consumed, comparing data from successive years.
In 2023, we reduced our electricity consumption by 38% (2023 vs 2022)
We are reducing and optimising gas use. In 2023. vs 2022 we reduced its consumption by 14%.
We save water! In recent years, we have stabilised its intake. In 2023, we reduced consumption by 1% (vs. 2022).
We use energy-efficient LED lighting, when buying new equipment and making investments we pay attention and assess their energy consumption, choosing the most environmentally friendly solutions.
We no longer buy new printer cartridges. In line with Recycle principle, we remanufacture and refill already owned cartridges with ink.

8.  NO to environmental degradation!

Preserving the biodiversity of our planet and all its natural resources for future generations is one of the most difficult challenges humanity has to face. The intensity with which humans interfere with the environment in which they live leads to its progressive degradation. A spark of hope is the growing public awareness of the need to protect the nature around us.

Concern for the environment, for the future of our planet, has led us to take a number of actions, described above, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste production and polluting and wasting water. However, in order to achieve the intended effect, we cannot act alone, we need cooperation, which we invite our partners and customers to join.

We know how important communication and education are. We segregate all waste at our company, and we encourage our customers to do the same - we place labels on our cosmetics packaging identifying the material, indicating appropriate handling and recyclability. We strive to build consumer awareness.

We prefer to surround ourselves with greenery and live closer to nature!

We care about the closest surroundings of our company – the areas around the building have been carefully planned and planted with vegetation which not only has a soothing and relaxing effect, gives shade and the possibility for living organisms to develop, but also produces oxygen and absorbs CO2.
We built an artificial pond, which serves as a retention basin specifically designed to collect and store rainwater. We are pleased that it attracts numerous birds.
We also said NO to littering - we gave up billboards and large-format advertising. Thus, we do not introduce the plastic materials from which they are made into the environment. We prefer to surround ourselves with greenery and live closer to nature.

9.  NO to wasting water!

Clean water means life, and its limited resources should be especially protected, used sparingly, with care, and with future generations in mind. Acting in accordance with these principles, we have set up our own water purification and treatment plant thanks to which we do not have to store water and we can reuse it many times, and the purification systems allow us to put water back into the environment in a clean form. We keep in mind that as much as 20% of Earth’s water resources is consumed by industry (the remaining 80% by agriculture and family farms).

We feel responsible for that.

10.  NO to animal suffering!

We focus on ethics at every stage of production. Our cosmetics are certified by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and are not tested on animals. The certificate is also a guarantee that if we use selected ingredients of animal origin in our formulas (e.g. beeswax, collagen, snail mucus), they are obtained without harming animals.

We are CRUELTY FREE!

Let’s join forces. TOGETHER WE CAN DO MORE!

At FLOSLEK Cosmetics Laboratory, we make every decision in the spirit of responsibility for the environment, and all our initiatives are meant to be an impulse which triggers similar actions in our environment. We want to grow, but in a responsible way, within the framework of the Principles of Sustainable Development. We will only achieve this by constantly paying attention to the quality of our products and their impact on the environment, preventing the waste of resources, combatting climate change and reducing plastic waste. We respect our consumers, employees and business partners. We provide good and safe working conditions. We care about dialogue with all stakeholders. We support organisations working for the benefit of local communities. We firmly believe that these values are our shared values.

Our goals for the future - the next #floslekecosteps

The paramount objective for us in the near future is to reduce our carbon footprint. Achieving this requires us not only to consistently implement the actions described above, but also to move towards energy transformation, increasing the efficiency of energy use and not wasting it. This is a huge challenge, requiring full commitment not only from us, but also from our partners.

We have divided the implementation of the key objectives into 2 stages in which:

- we will strive to reduce our consumption of non-renewable energy sources,

- we plan to further increase the proportion of packaging based on virgin-wood – wood from sustainably managed forests (FSC® or PEFC certified) – and by 2025, all our paper packaging will be made from certified raw materials.

- we will calculate and analyse our company’s carbon footprint in terms of 1 (direct emissions) and 2 (indirect energy emissions);
- we will continue working on reducing the weight of FLOSLEK cosmetics packaging;
- we will focus on increasing the recyclability/compostability of all our packaging - with a priority on mono-material solutions which guarantee product safety and avoid recycling “disruptors”.

We also aim to further promote recycling on a large scale – we will raise awareness among our customers on how to handle packaging, leading to its recycling in accordance with local recycling schemes. Helpfull information and guidelines will be published on the packaging and on the website www.floslek.pl