Coty has issued an update on its eco efforts in its latest annual sustainability report.
The beauty giant behind Rimmel, Lancaster and Gucci fragrances, detailed its environmental, social and governance (ESG) progress in 2025.
Under its ‘Beauty that Lasts’ strategy, Coty said it has taken steps to cut water withdrawal, enhancing ingredients transparency and secured new collaborations with suppliers and retailers.
“Coty continues to prove that sustainability and desirability co-exist and elevate one another,” said Sue Nabi, CEO of Coty.
"Change in our world is the only constant. We embrace it and turn it into progress in beauty and beyond, for people and planet.”
Refills and packaging
Refills have become a major focus for fragrance brands looking to reduce their impact on the environment.
Coty said it advanced eco-desirability with the introduction of a refillable glass bottle that is also 17% lighter for its Boss The Scent launch this year, as well as rolling out refillable fragrance across its portfolio.
The beauty giant has also introduced the first refillable mascara under its make-up brand Max Factor.
The company said it is also engaging with its retail partners, “to help shift consumer behavior towards our circular products – such as fragrance refill systems – that reduce carbon emissions by extending the life of our products and reduce material use and waste”.
Reducing packaging impact on the environment is part of Coty’s efforts at decarbonisation and moving to a circular beauty model.
This involved reducing the use of materials such as aluminium, glass, and plastics, which are resource- and carbon-intensive.
Reducing material use overall, lightweighting components and increasing the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) are some of the actions Coty has taken to achieve this.
Coty said it is working with organisations such as SPICE (Sustainable Packaging Initiative for Cosmetics) on innovative design solutions, as well as other industry initiatives to “overcome challenges such as limited availability of sustainable alternative materials and higher material costs”.
Coty said it has exceeded its target of achieving a 20% reduction in packaging by 2030, as it has already hit a 23% reduction.
In 2025, all products are made of 10% PCR materials. It has a target of 30% by 2030.
Meanwhile, from the 2026 financial year, Coty will start reporting on its goal of ensuring that 90% of all fibre-based materials come from certified sources by 2030.
Decarbonisation and water reduction
Coty has switched how it assesses its carbon impact as part of its ‘Becoming Carbon Kind’ strategy
Under this plan, Coty has set time-bound targets to cut emissions across its value chain, alongside clear commitments on water, biodiversity, and circularity.
Previously, it has used the Beauty that Lasts Index to guide innovation, which has been in place since 2020.
But now, Coty said it is “committed to assessing all new products using its Carbon Kind score, a quantitative eco-design tool that embeds sustainability criteria from concept to launch”
The company said this is a “more robust, quantitative measure of eco-design” and is currently refining its methodology, with plans to start formal reporting in the 2026 financial year.
Building on this strategy, the company has also launched decarbonisation targets for suppliers
Coty is also working on reducing the carbon impact of advertising and merchandising
After a trial in the UK with ClimatePartner, which provides businesses with solutions for corporate climate action, Coty reduced CO2e per unit for temporary merchandising by 16%.
It rolled this out globally in 2025, with the aim of recalculating its baseline on permanent, temporary and gift with purchase materials.
This includes redesigning point of sale materials to follow eco-guidelines, “which include lightweighting and switching to recycled, less emitting or mono-material content”.
Meanwhile, Coty said it has reduced water withdrawal by 16%, signalling it is on its way to hitting its target 25% reduction by 2030.
Ingredients
Coty has just launched a new online resource to help consumers access “clear, accessible information”.
Making its debut last month – ahead of schedule, Coty said – the move is designed to improve transparency around what goes into the company’s products.
The company said it has also secured 100% RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certification for palm oil sourcing, including third-party manufacturers.
Plus, Coty has identified five ingredient groups where it plans to investigate low-carbon alternatives: ethanol, fragrance oils, silicones, surfactants and propellants.
“For each of these, we are reviewing the carbon intensity of current and potential alternatives, as well as their performance and sourcing availability, to ensure that we continue to deliver high-quality products for our consumers,” Coty said in the report.
The company is working with carbon recycling experts LanzaTech to incorporate ethanol made from captured carbon into its fragrances, helping to reduce reliance on agricultural sources.
Coty is also reformulating products to phase out high-impact ingredients.
Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation has already been reformulated to remove D5 silicone (Cyclopentasiloxane).
Widely used in the beauty industry, the ingredients have been identified by regulators as both persistent and bioaccumulative, as well as a carbon hotspot.
Coty is working to remove D5 from products across its portfolio, spanning aerosols, body care, and colour cosmetics.