SUSTAINABILITY
Between 2005 and 2022, L’ Oréal Groupe reduced the water consumption of its plants and distribution centres by 54 %. In 2024, more than half of the water used in its industrial processes came from recycled and reused water.
L’ Oréal’ s Waterloop factory concept only uses mains water for human consumption and production high-quality water as a raw material. This means that water needed for utilities, like cleaning equipment and steam production, is recycled or reused in a loop on site. Its Burgos plant in Spain became the first Waterloop facility in 2017.
Why L’ Oréal is focussed on water From the cultivation of agricultural raw materials to manufacturing processes, the formulations of products themselves and even when consumers rinse them off, water is vital to L’ Oréal’ s business.
According to the WWF, 60 % of global GDP is tied to water and its related ecosystems. Manufacturing and industrial processes account for approximately 16 % to 20 % of global freshwater withdrawals according to the United Nations( UN).
In January 2026, a UN report declared the beginning of an era of global water bankruptcy.“ For much of the world,‘ normal’ is gone,” said Kaveh Madani, Director of the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, on the report’ s release.“ This is not to kill hope but to encourage action and an honest admission of failure today to protect and enable tomorrow.”
“ This is not to kill hope but to encourage action and an honest admission of failure today to protect and enable tomorrow”
Kaveh Madani, Director, UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health
L’ Oréal’ s Responsible Water Use Policy To address growing water stress across its value chain, L’ Oréal created its Responsible Water Use Policy. For manufacturing operations, the company aims to achieve water management excellence by adopting innovative technologies, maximising water recycling and reusing water for industrial processes.
L’ Oréal focuses on reducing water withdrawals and adhering to strict wastewater quality standards. The policy extends upstream, requiring strategic suppliers to manage their water impacts and undergo performance audits.