Net Zero Now, a sector-based climate action platform, has collaborated with L’Oréal to support UK salons in implementing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Last year, the British Beauty Council’s Sustainable Beauty Coalition called on hair and beauty businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. This was particularly focused on barbers and hairdressers, where extensive gas and electricity continue to be used to perform key services.
The average salon appointment produces 3.1kg of greenhouse gas emissions due to the continuous whirr of hairdryers, spinning of washing machines, and blowing air-con.
L’Oréal unveiled its Net Zero Salons Programme this morning to help business owners implement simple strategies to reduce their carbon footprint.
The programme, which salons in the UK and Ireland can sign up for online, provides the service sector with expertise on waste management, renewable energy, water use, and employee incentives to reduce the industry’s carbon output.
Salons that enrol on the programme will work to a benchmark of 2kg of emissions per salon appointment. And, if all salons in the UK achieved this 2kg benchmark, the industry could remove approximately a third (33 per cent) of its greenhouse gas emissions.
Making the move to more legitimate planet-friendly practices is also becoming a unique selling point for many salons. In a YouGov survey carried out by L’Oréal, 43% of British women said they wanted to see their salon doing more to be sustainable, and nearly a quarter (23 per cent) said they now expect a beauty or wellness service provider to be committed to reducing their environmental footprint.
In the ideation phase of the programme, Sustainable Beauty Coalition provided feedback on the development of resources. Upon the launch of the initiative, Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council said: ‘Now more than ever – especially post-pandemic – salons play an essential role on our British high streets and local communities; with the power to not only inspire confidence and promote wellbeing but also to be an advocate for positive change – not only from a business perspective but extending to influencing consumer habits on important topics such as sustainability.
‘This new Net Zero Salons Programme, coupled with L’Oréal’s new educational offerings to help up-skill hairdressers on sustainability, is really empowering the salon sector to play its role and take action.’
Adam Reed, Hairdressing Committee member and one of the first salon owners to commit to the programme, said: ‘Sustainability is incredibly important to me as an individual and as a business leader – and it is something that both my team and clients actively asks about and want to see us taking action on. I have been embarking on my salon’s sustainability journey for some time and new tools like the programme protocol are invaluable for our sector.’
Find out more about the Net Zero Salons Programme here.
