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The Estée Lauder Companies, parent of brands including Clinique, M·A·C and La Mer, released its fiscal 2026 Social Impact and Sustainability Report on Oct. 28, covering July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The company says it has already exceeded two of its 2030 commitments — cutting water withdrawal at its plants and waste at its manufacturing and distribution sites — and is making progress on emissions, packaging and philanthropy aimed at 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 withdrawal at company-owned facilities (compared to 2019) | Reduce by a minimum of 50% by 2030 | −55% | Exceeded |
| Waste generated across production and distribution facilities (compared to 2023) | Decrease by at least 15% by 2030 | −33% | Exceeded |
| RSPO-certified palm oil | A minimum of 95% annually | 97% | Met |
| Philanthropic investments focused on women and girls | $50 million by 2030 | Exceeding $16 million | In progress |
| Staff charitable donations and volunteer efforts | $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
67% of packaging is engineered for recyclability, 21% of packaging components stem from post-consumer recycled content, and 94% of paper packaging fibers originate from responsible sources certified by FSC, SFI or PEFC. These metrics exclude DECIEM and Dr.Jart+ in part.
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 organization’s Breast Cancer Campaign alongside its philanthropic foundation has channeled over $167 million toward investigation, educational programs, and healthcare support, which encompasses upwards of $131 million dedicated to studies via 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 attributed the performance to the company’s legacy of eight decades alongside its dedication to women, environmental preservation, and breast cancer awareness. Nancy Mahon, the Chief Sustainability Officer, noted that the objective involves translating these insights into actionable product creation and clearer communication with buyers.
