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The Estée Lauder Companies, owner of labels such as Clinique, M·A·C and La Mer, published its fiscal 2026 Social Impact and Sustainability Report on Oct. 28, encompassing the timeframe from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. According to the corporation, it has successfully surpassed a pair of its 2030 targets—specifically, lowering water intake across its facilities and minimizing refuse at its production and logistics hubs—while continuing to advance regarding carbon output, product packaging, and philanthropic initiatives focused on women and girls.
The report tracks progress against a set of social and environmental goals for 2030 across the company’s brands, operations and value chain, according to the company’s announcement.
Goals featuring a clear objective
| Commitment | Target | Fiscal 2026 result | Status, per the company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water withdrawn at owned plants (vs. 2019) | Cut at least 50% by 2030 | −55% | Exceeded |
| Waste at manufacturing and distribution sites (vs. 2023) | Cut at least 15% by 2030 | −33% | Exceeded |
| RSPO-certified palm oil | At least 95% every year | 97% | Met |
| Philanthropy for women and girls | $50 million by 2030 | More than $16 million | In progress |
| Employee giving and volunteering | $10 million by 2030 | $2.5 million | In progress |
The company adds that it sent zero industrial waste to landfill across its manufacturing, distribution and innovation sites. The water baseline was recalculated this year to reflect the goal’s expanded scope, and palm oil is measured by calendar year and excludes ingredients the company does not buy directly.
Emissions and energy
Estée Lauder reports a 44% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions — covering direct operations and acquired energy — alongside a nearly 23% drop in value-chain Scope 3 emissions, measured against a fiscal 2018 baseline. Both baselines underwent recalculation in 2026 utilizing updated methodologies and data, rendering direct comparisons with previous disclosures more challenging.
The company says renewable electricity covered 100% of its direct operations for the seventh year in a row, through a mix of on-site generation, utility contracts, energy attribute certificates and a virtual power purchase agreement.
Packaging and products
Sixty-seven percent of packaging is designed to be recyclable, 21% of packaging material is post-consumer recycled, and 94% of the fiber in paper packaging is responsibly sourced and certified by FSC, SFI or PEFC. These figures partially exclude DECIEM and Dr.Jart+.
The report adds a new goal: assessing all of the company’s own-formula products with life-cycle analysis and eco-design criteria by 2030. The company says the tool follows ISO 14040 and 14044 standards and the European Union’s Product Environmental Footprint method. It also says several brands earned GreenCircle certification, without naming them.
Health, safety and philanthropy
The company’s Breast Cancer Campaign and its charitable foundation have funded more than $167 million for research, education and medical services, including more than $131 million for research through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Regarding workplace safety, the organization documents over 350 facility enhancement initiatives and notes that its objective for total recordable incident frequency was successfully achieved. Its initiatives dedicated to women and girls comprise M·A·C’s VIVA GLAM; the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Fund, which has provided training to upwards of 600 directors across more than 80 nations; and BEAUTY&YOU India, a project empowering female founders.
President and CEO Stéphane de La Faverie tied the results to the company’s 80-year history and its commitments to women, breast cancer and the environment. Chief Sustainability Officer Nancy Mahon said the aim is to turn these findings into product development decisions and more transparent claims to consumers.
