Our contribution to beauty and well-being
Hygiene and beauty are fundamental human needs and are important for a sense of personal well-being. Our cosmetics and toiletries, which are used daily by millions of people worldwide, make a valuable contribution to this.

The success of our cosmetics and toiletries owes much to our insistence on offering consumer relevant products with high levels of efficacy and compatibility. The safety and performance of our products are always demonstrated on the basis of scientific findings. We are always looking for new and better solutions. At the heart of our innovation processes is an ever better understanding of the needs of our consumers in different regions. By linking innovative ideas with contributions to our focal areas, we also support the trend toward environmentally aware and health conscious lifestyles.

Top priority: Product and consumer safety
Only cosmetic products that are well tolerated and safe to use can win the long-term trust of our consumers. This is why the highest priority is attached to health compatibility during product development. This includes consideration of the needs of people with allergies or sensitive skin. In 2009, we worked closely with the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF) and other external partners, including dermatologists of the Charité University Hospital in Berlin, to further improve this aspect of our products.

All cosmetic products and their individual ingredients are subjected to an extensive program of assessment and evaluation in order to ensure their compatibility. We employ non-animal in-vitro test methods (tests carried out in a test tube) and dermatological studies to assess the skin compatibility of our finished cosmetic products. Since the early 1980s, we have been working intensively to develop alternative test methods to make it possible to replace the animal tests that are still legally prescribed for some ingredients.

Responsible use of natural and renewable raw materials
We contribute to the conservation of finite resources by using renewable raw materials in our formulations. For example, we replace ingredients based on mineral oil by starch-based alternatives, provided this is possible and appropriate in the context of the overall development of the formulation. More than two-thirds of the ingredients of the product formulations of our soaps, shampoos and shower gels are now based on renewable raw materials. We are also committed to considering ecological and social aspects when we purchase renewable raw materials. Wherever possible, we pay close attention to their origin and production conditions, and strive to use ingredients from controlled organic crops to a greater extent. Furthermore, when we purchase raw materials, we seek opportunities of cooperating with suppliers and local stakeholders who support fair trade with the countries of origin. This is also reflected in our involvement in the Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

Overall improvement in eco performance
Over a period of many years, we have formulated our products that pass into wastewater after use for optimal biodegradability. Our aim, to increase the proportion of readily biodegradable ingredients in our soaps, shampoos and shower gels to 80 percent by 2012, has already been achieved. In the case of washing active substances – surfactants – the amount of readily biodegradable substances even exceeds 90 percent. The average amount of readily biodegradable substances in our products is 82 percent. In 2010, we reformulated our products to make them even more biodegradable. The new formulations are already being used for about 70 percent of our marketed shampoos, shower gels, liquid soaps, and bar soaps, as in our Schauma hair care brand, for example. In view of the progress already achieved, in the coming years we will align our specifications toward the consistent extension of our strategy.

Other key factors in improving the eco performance of our products are carbon dioxide emissions and packaging material. We plan to determine the carbon footprint of representative products for all relevant product categories by 2012. In 2010, we calculated the carbon footprint for another two product categories: toothpastes and deodorants/antiperspirants. These calculations will, above all, increase the transparency of our processes and reveal starting points for achieving reductions in emissions. To improve the eco performance of our products even further, we also work closely with our customers. In the USA, for example, Henkel and a number of competitors support our retail partner Walmart and scientists at the Global Institute of Sustainability of Arizona State University in the development of a sustainability index.

To reduce consumers’ packaging waste, we strive continuously to decrease the amount of material used in our product packaging as far as possible without compromising the quality and stability of the packaging. We also continue to seek suitable biodegradable alternatives that satisfy our high demands on packaging materials.

Safe to use thanks to professional advice
Comprehensive advice for consumers goes hand in hand with product safety. An advice hotline has therefore been set up in every country in which our products are sold, so that consumers can be provided competently and quickly with reliable information about product properties or ingredients, by telephone, mail or email. In Europe, for example, this results in about 130,000 customer contacts each year. Most queries are about the effects our products achieve and how to use them.

Comprehensive consumer advice also includes the obligation to advertise responsibly. We ensure that our advertising claims are based on proven properties of the products and scientific data on product performance, and that the information we make available is readily understandable for consumers. We also support our professional hairdressing customers with training courses and information on the proper use of our products. Through the international Schwarzkopf Academy (ASK), we offer an advanced vocational training program on cutting techniques, fashion advice, and management topics for hairdressers in 38 countries. In 2010, we provided support to 460,000 hairdressers worldwide through our Schwarzkopf Academies.