L’OCCITANE Group’s new Biodiversity Strategy: Leading the way towards a Nature-Positive future

As global biodiversity loss reaches alarming levels, forward-thinking businesses are stepping up to take on the role of ‘Nature Stewards’ to protect the planet’s natural ecosystems. While no business can address this alone, the L’OCCITANE Group recognises that it has its part to play, and as such, it is actively transforming its operations and moving towards nature-positive value chains. The L’OCCITANE Group presents today, 24 October 2024, its updated Biodiversity Strategy at COP16 in Cali, Colombia. This new strategy builds on the company’s existing efforts: it integrates sustainable sourcing practices into the business model, supports regenerative agriculture, extensive certification programmes and conservation partnerships, and positions the L’OCCITANE Group as a trailblazer in sustainable business practices, all while reaffirming its commitment to nature.

What is biodiversity and why does it matter?

Biodiversity – short for biological diversity – is the remarkable variety of life on Earth: it encompasses plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms, as well as their intricate ecosystems and interactions. It is the foundation of life itself, providing critical services such as clean air and water, fertile soil, and pollination, all of which are crucial to human survival and economic prosperity.

In today’s world, where climate change and environmental degradation threaten these delicate systems and the valuable functions they perform, protecting biodiversity is key. For the L’OCCITANE Group, it is not just a moral obligation but a business imperative. The company passionately believes that prioritising biodiversity not only contributes to a healthier planet but also future-proofs business operations. The Group firmly believes that by working with nature, all businesses can reduce risk, foster resilience and unlock long-term value for stakeholders.

L’OCCITANE’s journey to protect biodiversity

The L’OCCITANE Group has been an eco-pioneer and champion of sustainability since its foundation in 1976, and its new Biodiversity Strategy represents a bold step forward, setting further ambitious biodiversity goals. Since 2016, when the company conducted its first biodiversity impact assessment with the French Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and entered into a three-year partnership, the L’OCCITANE Group has made significant strides. Indeed, the assessment, which resulted in the launch of the company’s first formal Biodiversity Strategy in 2021, proved a major milestone.

A strategy built on progress and science

The updated strategy, while building on the original framework from 2021, goes further, serving as a comprehensive roadmap for addressing biodiversity loss, embracing nature-positive business practices and catalysing change in the corporate world.

The new Biodiversity Strategy combines the latest scientific research with on-the-ground know-how from local communities, producers, L’OCCITANE Group experts and farmers to design ways of supporting nature stewardship. This strategy is rooted in the understanding that climate action, nature conservation and equitable practices are interconnected. By integrating all these elements, the L’OCCITANE Group aims to lead by example, actively participating in the process of regenerating and restoring ecosystems to benefit all stakeholders and local communities.

In alignment with Business for Nature’s ACT-D (Assess, Commit, Transform, Disclose) framework, the new Biodiversity Strategy is more targeted and measurable than ever before. The L’OCCITANE Group has developed a more precise system for assessing its biodiversity impact and reliance on products that drive biodiversity loss, using this to set clear targets and develop action plans to shift from doing ‘less bad’ (simply avoiding, reducing, preserving and protecting) to doing ‘more good’ (actively contributing to restoring and regenerating ecosystems).

Key goals and commitments

The Group’s strategy presents several ambitious targets that set the standard for biodiversity preservation and regeneration. Some of the key goals include:

• 100% of L’OCCITANE en Provence’s iconic ingredients must be produced using organic, regenerative practices and fair-trade certification by 2025. 
• 100% of plastic packaging must be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2026.
• 90% of all new raw materials must be traceable by 2031.
• 100% of L’OCCITANE’s land footprint must be managed to support biodiversity preservation and regeneration, either directly or indirectly, by 2040.

These targets build on two decades of decisive action, which has seen L’OCCITANE launch organic and sustainably managed Immortelle flower cultivation in Corsica in 2004 and then sustainable shea butter production in Burkina Faso through fair-trade-certified female cooperatives in 2009. In addition, L’OCCITANE Group brand Melvita is currently supporting 270 women in Morocco who sustainably harvest organic, fair-trade argan oil.

A catalyst for industry-wide change

The Group’s Biodiversity Strategy extends beyond its own operations, aiming to inspire and encourage other companies to join the nature-positive movement. By acting as a reference point for like-minded businesses, the L’OCCITANE Group hopes to contribute to a future where stakeholders throughout the business world position themselves as Nature Stewards, working collectively to support communities and regenerate nature while maintaining economic buoyancy and profit.

The L’OCCITANE Group’s products are powered by countless ingredients that come directly from nature, many of them from the Mediterranean Basin, which is one of the richest ecosystems in the world. The Group is committed to protecting this ‘biodiversity hotspot’ and championing its heritage. To achieve this goal, it has committed to developing regenerative and organic agricultural practices in its own supply chain via long-lasting partnerships with its producers. With this in mind, in 2023 the Group developed a Regenerative Agriculture Framework. This helps track outcomes for biodiversity, water, productivity and livelihoods.

In addition, via its advocacy work with the One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B) coalition, the company supports global efforts to mainstream regenerative agriculture, reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint and transform farming systems.

Through initiatives like the Agroecology and Fair-trade Collective in Provence, the L’OCCITANE Group is helping to scale up sustainable farming practices, demonstrating that businesses can drive positive environmental outcomes, all while supporting local communities for the good of the business.

A future built on nature

As we move towards a nature-positive economy, the L’OCCITANE Group’s Biodiversity Strategy offers a roadmap for the future. The company’s approach is founded on the idea that nature is not just a resource but the bedrock of business success. As such, the company will only thrive by recognising that its business model depends on a thriving natural world and the value provided by a functional and rich biodiversity.

In a world where biodiversity is everybody’s business, the L’OCCITANE Group is proving that sustainable, nature-positive practices are not only achievable but essential. This is the future of business, and with COP16 on the horizon, the company is showing the way forward – towards a world where businesses, nature and people all thrive and work in tandem for the betterment of the planet.