How The L'Occitane Group is Championing Responsible Sourcing

The L'Occitane Group is a retailer of high-end products, with a focus on wellness and natural beauty.

It is a certified B Corporation, committed to responsible production, from ingredient sourcing to product crafting. 

In a new campaign, The L'Occitane Group encourages its consumers to evaluate ecosystems, producers and innovations that make the products they enjoy. 

Biodiversity regeneration: a four-part series

The Group aims to help consumers make more sustainable decisions, thinking about responsibility from sourcing to product design.

In a series of recently published videos, the L'Occitane Group highlights biodiversity regeneration, showcasing how simple steps can have a huge impact.

The four-part video series examines the sustainable sourcing and design practices behind the brands within The L'Occitane Group.

Each one explores a different brand and a key element within its regeneration efforts, from sourcing to waste.

Adrien Geiger, CEO of Maison L’Occitane en Provence, says: ‘We depend on nature and must take responsibility as its stewards, both individually and collectively.

Together, we are leading the transition from conventional practices to sustainable farming models that restore and give back to nature. It’s not just about preserving our resources but also about securing the future viability of our entire ecosystem.’

An examination

Water: The Laboritoire L'Occitane ensures it responsibly sources water from the Réotier spring in France, conversing with naturalists and hydrogeologists to ensure it preserves and protects the spring.

In a 2022 study, The L'Occitane Group found that 58% of its water use occurs within the supply chain, particularly within agriculture.

To combat this and to preserve the natural world, L'Occitane en Provence and Melvita have developed partnerships with NGOs and producers in order to set guidelines about water use and sustainable sourcing. 

Since the 2022 study, production sites have achieved a 25% reduction in water use and the Lagorce site aims to be L'Occitane's first circular water factory. 

Immortelle: Immortelle, also known as helichrysum arenarium is a plant with naturally occurring anti-aging properties.

L'Occitane en Provence use advanced eco-extraction processes to capture molecules from the plant without using synthetic solvents in order to preserve the natural plant.

Moreover, it ensures the group uses organic cultivation programmes, with all plantations using 100% wild seeds (as opposed to manufactured ones) with 100% organic fields with manual weeding and no pesticides. 

As a result, only high-quality immortelle is used and the L'Occitane Group supports local communities by relying on farmers and manual labour.

Shea: At the L'Occitane Group, nature stewardship is the heart of everything they do throughout their supply chain. That's why they use science-backed data and the knowledge of local producers to guide their sourcing.

With L'Occitane en Provence's, its shea butter is sourced directly from Burkina Faso and Ghana, helping the L'Occitane Group be fair trade certified since 2009.

Part of their procurement strategy includes conducting life cycle analysis on products and packing to ensure only high quality and environmentally-friendly materials are used throughout their companies. 

Packaging: The L'Occitane Group encourages the innovation of alternative packaging solutions as a way to integrate eco-sustainable solutions into every aspect of the production process.

The Dr. Vranjes Firenze company within the group uses local artisans to create elegant and sustainable packaging designs. It also champions refillable glass diffusers and 100% recycled PET refills.

In using local artisans, the group ensures high quality and responsible sourcing for its products. 

Leaders in responsible procurement

In dedicating itself to long-term collaboration with local communities, the Group shows that responsible procurement can be embedded throughout.

The campaign shows how every element of the company celebrates eco-conscious decisions, from sourcing plants using manual labour and no pesticides, to using re-usable packaging.

The L'Occitane Group say: "By integrating sustainability into every stage, we demonstrate that responsible stewardship of nature by corporations is achievable."

The Group and its brands are clearly leaders in responsible procurement, demonstrating how biodiversity regeneration is embedded from the ground up.