Body & Personal Care

Body & Personal Care | Credit: Hans Vivek on Unsplash

Includes brushes; makeup; aromatherapy and massage oils if the company is in product sales and not practice—for practitioners see Health Services, Yoga, Meditation

Company

Required:

  • Business core purpose includes a “green” business function.
  • Social and environmental mission and vision statement for your business on its website.

Preferred:

  • Banking with a community development, minority, or socially & environmentally responsible bank or credit union.
  • Protocols in place (e.g., trainings, HR policies, support group(s), statement of commitment, accountability mechanisms, etc.)  that advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) within the company.

Materials Used

Required:

  • Use of local sourcing when available
  • May not include any of the following:
    • phthalates such as DBP, DEP, DEHP, BBzP, and DMP;
    • chemicals ending or containing “sulfate” or “sulfosuccinate”;
    • parabens or paraben preservatives; (chemicals ending in methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl);
    • petroleum variations including: mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin;
    • nitrosamines (a group of potent carcinogens);
    • synthetic alcohols, fragrances, and dyes.
  • No animal testing and/or acquired Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certification.
  • List complete ingredients online where product is sold.
  • No nanotechnology, e.g. , particles below 100 nanometers. Green America is following Europe’s lead and using the Precautionary Principle until further research is complete on this topic.
  • Scented with only natural essential oils.
  • For body care, use of organic cotton balls, swabs, and tampons.
  • No chlorine bleaching.

Preferred

  • No animal-derived ingredients (lanolin, honey, milk, stearates, beeswax).
  • Use of Fair-Trade ingredients (shea butter, olive oil, sugar, essential oils).
  • Use of local sourcing of ingredients whenever available.
  • In formulating sunscreen, use only mineral ingredients.

Manufacturing Of Body & Personal Care Products

Required

  • Commitment to sustainable labor practices and continuous improvement and transparency in the process.
  • Country of manufacture(s) disclosed on all products unless everything comes from one country and it is stated clearly on the front page of the website.
  • Code of conduct in place that addresses social and environmental factory conditions with enforcement mechanism.
  • Owned factories have an established worker representation mechanism.
  • Owned factories pay a wage that ensures workers well-being.
  • Commitment to a transparent supply chain including sub-contracting.
  • Long-term contracts with contracted manufacturers.

Preferred:

  • Owned and/or contracted factories are certified fair labor or fair trade.
  • Owned/contracted factories are unionized.
  • Disclosed factory list publicly available.
  • Factory labor is paid a living a wage.

Product Packaging for Body & Personal Care Products

Required

  • Environmentally and socially positive packaging.
  • Packaging is recyclable or compostable.
  • Packaging components are from recycled sources and used at minimum.

Preferred:

  • Packaging can be taken back for reuse.
  • Offers opportunity for refills or receives containers such as bottles for reuse.

Product Shipping & Company Transportation

Required:

  • Program in place to reduce emissions from company vehicles.
  • Works with distributors that take steps to reduce emissions from vehicles and shipping.

Preferred:

  • Company is an EPA SmartWay partner or affiliate.
  • Company works with distributors who are EPA SmartWay partners or affiliates.

Company Employment

Required:

  • Employees have access to family friendly benefits including high-quality health insurance, sick days, paid parental leave and childcare help.
  • Offer a flexible workplace culture that encourages work/life balance and makes reasonable accommodations for telecommuting and flex schedules.
  • Pays a wage that ensures employees well-being.
  • Has an established non-discrimination policy and procedure, and ensures an inclusive workplace culture.
  • Governs fairly and in a transparent manner. Is open to employee input. Has a whistle blower protection policy in place.

Preferred:

  • Living wage is paid.
  • Has an established program that invests in employee growth and development.

Education

Required:

  • Educates consumers on how to properly dispose of product at end of life-cycle.
  • Use transparent and truthful marketing.
  • Advocate for green business practices in the body & personal care industry.
  • Established program for receiving input from both internal and external stakeholders.

Preferred:

  • Established take back program for end of product life-cycle.
  • Actively seeks feedback from industry peers and participates in industry associations and mentor programs.

Green Office/Facility

Required:

  • HVAC system well-maintained, building well-insulated, and smart and efficient climate control employed.
  • System in place for reducing electricity consumption from lighting and electronics.
  • Use of Energy Star rated appliances and CFL/LED light bulbs in office.
  • Use of 100% post-consumer recycled, Chlorine Free paper in the office and in all envelopes, marketing, and print materials.
  • Systems in place for reducing paper use such as electronic processes, printers set with double sided printing as the default, and more.
  • Use of only non-toxic cleaning and pest control products.
  • Maximum amount of waste is reused or recycled including paper, plastic, metals, glass, electronics, and printer ink cartridges.
  •  Action on clean energy such as purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) or use of on-site clean energy.
  • Compost all food waste.
  • Landscaping done with sustainability in mind, especially considering runoff and stormwater management.
  • Only fair trade and USDA certified organic coffee and tea served in the office.
  • Use of green or local caterers for events.
  • Use of a certified E-Steward for electronics recycling.
  • Proper disposal of hazardous materials (e.g., batteries, paint, motor oil, etc).
  • Knowledge of recycling/composting guidelines at your local recycling/composting facility.