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Bare Escentuals

OVERALL

Owned
JPN
Rating
Praises, some criticism

Cosmetics

Founded in California in 1999 and acquired by Japan's Shiseido in 2010 for US$1.7 billion.

Company Ownership

Bare Escentuals Inc   USA     website   email   facebook   twitter
  Shiseido Company Ltd   
   owns 100% of Bare Escentuals Inc  
JPN     website         

Cosmetics manufacturer

The world's fourth largest, and Japan's largest, cosmetics manufacturer. Founded in 1872. Shiseido operate factories in Japan, France and United States. Acquired Bare Escentuals for about US$1.8 billion in 2010.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Bare Escentuals Inc
Animals Cruelty free company
This company has either signed PETA's statement of assurance or provided a statement verifying that they do not conduct or commission any animal tests.
Source: PETA (2018)
Social Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: Modern Slavery Registry (2016)
Shiseido Company Ltd
Environment CDP Climate Change Score of A-
In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2019)
Environment Microbeads scorecard
In 2016 Greenpeace East Asia ranked the world's 30 biggest personal care companies on their commitment to eliminating microbeads from their personal care products. The scorecard was based on four main criteria: commitment & transparency, definition, deadline and global application. This company ranked joint second. Microbeads are not retained by wastewater treatment and end up in the ocean where they are a threat to the marine environment.
Source: Greenpeace (2016)
Social CDP Water Security Score of B
In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of B.
Source: CDP (2019)
Business Ethics 77/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 77/100 in the Personal Products category of the 2019 SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices. The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2019)
Environment Supply chain practices in China
This company received a score of 8.4/100 (retrieved 10-Oct-2020) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
Source: IPE (2020)
Animals Animal Testing
This company appears on PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, USA) 'Companies That Do Test On Animals' list, signifying that they manufacture products that are tested on animals at some stage of development.
Source: PETA (2020)
Environment 35% in Forest 500 Rankings
The Forest 500 identifies, ranks, and tracks the governments, companies and financial institutions worldwide that together could virtually eradicate tropical deforestation. Rankings are based on their public policies and commitments and potential impacts on tropical forests in the context of forest risk commodities (palm oil, soy, beef, leather, timber and paper). This company received a score of 35%.
Source: Forest 500 (2019)
Environment Unsustainable palm oil use
This company scores Ethical Consumer's worst rating for their use of palm oil, signifying they are using no or minimal certified palm products, and with no or minimal positive commitments.
Source: Ethical Consumer (2019)
Social Workers rights in China
A 2014 report by China Labour Watch found poor working conditions in a Chinese factory that mainly manufactures cosmetic brushes for multinational beauty companies, including this one. Labor abuses include excessive overtime and poor worker safety measures. Also, the factory has not purchased social insurance for workers as required by law. Hundreds of workers went on strike in Jan 2014 after a female team leader was slapped by a male manager.
Source: China Labour Watch (2015)
Environment Palm oil supply chain
This 2010 Greenpeace report documents Sinar Mas repeatedly breaking industry guidelines, Indonesian law and its own public statements, and razing rainforests to the ground in its race to produce palm oil. Some international companies, including Kraft, Nestle and Unilever, have stopped buying palm oil from Sinar Mas following these revelations. However Shiseido, listed as customers of Sinar Mas' palm oil division in June 2009, have not yet made a similar commitment. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: Greenpeace (2010)
Environment Use of plastic microbeads
This company uses microplastics (polyethylene microbeads) in some of its personal care products. These particles are not retained by wastewater treatment so end up in the ocean. While microplastics aren't thought to be a health hazard to consumers, they are a threat to the marine environment.
Source: Beat the Microbead (2014)
Social Secret ingredients
This company has reported to the state of California that some of their products contain a known carcinogen or reproductive toxin, but they have requested trade secret status for these ingredients so that they are not publicly revealed.
Source: Women's Voices for the Earth (2014)
Business Ethics Price fixing in France
In Jan 2012 a Paris appeals court upheld a 40 million euro fine imposed in 2006 by the French competition watchdog, which said the companies involved had reached illicit agreements on price fixing, enforced by procedures to monitor prices in outlets and backed up by commercial threats for non-compliance. Thirteen leading perfume and luxury goods companies were fined.
Source: news article (2012)
Business Ethics Responsible Mica Initiative member
This company is a member of the Responsible Mica Initiative, a Do-Tank which aims to eradicate child labour and unacceptable working conditions in the Indian mica supply chain by joining forces across industries.
Source: Responsible Mica Initiative (2020)
Environment CDP Forests Score of C
In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of C.
Source: CDP (2019)
Social Skin Deep product scores
Skin Deep is an online safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products and their potential hazards and health concerns, with over 75,000 products rated from 1 (low hazard) to 10 (high hazard).
Source: Environmental Working Group (2019)
Social Skin Deep hazard scores
Skin Deep is an online safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products and their potential hazards and health concerns, with over 75,000 products rated from 1 (low hazard) to 10 (high hazard).
Source: Environmental Working Group (2019)
Social Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: Modern Slavery Registry (2017)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Wholly-owned subsidiary

Contact Details

Address San Francisco, California, USA
Email customerservice@bareminerals.com
Website www.bareminerals.com

Products / Brands

Bare Escentuals
BareMinerals Cosmetics


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