Estee Lauder
OVERALL |
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Owned |
USA |
Rating |
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Personal care product manufacturer
Founded in 1946, today their products are available in over 135 countries. The founding Lauder family owns 87% of the company stock.
Estee Lauder Companies Inc. | USA | website |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
Estee Lauder Companies Inc. | ||||
This company received a score of 9 out of a possible total of 9 in the WWF Palm Oil Buyers' Scorecard 2016, which rates companies on what they are - and aren't - doing to prevent the negative environmental and social impacts of palm oil production.
[Source 2016][More on Palm Oil]
In 2018, 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 B.
[Source 2018][More on Climate Change]
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
[Source 2019][More on Workers Rights]
This company received a score of 61.9/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
[Source 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting] |
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 was one of the lowest ranked. Microbeads are not retained by wastewater treatment and end up in the ocean where they are a threat to the marine environment.
[Source 2016][More on Oceans]
Ethical Consumer has ranked companies' practices and policies in relation to their palm oil sourcing for the Rainforest Foundation/Ethical Consumer palm oil campaign. This company received a 'red' rating.
[Source 2016][More on Palm Oil]
As You Sow's 2018 report, Mining the Disclosures, is a deep analysis of 206 companies' human rights performance in relation to sourcing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This company's score was below 40% (Weak).
[Source 2018][More on Human Rights]
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 2018][More on Animal Testing]
Rank a Brand searches the websites of brands for the answers to carefully targeted questions. From this they calculate sustainability scores based on the themes of environment, climate, labor issues, and transparency. Brands owned by this company received an 'E', the lowest possible score.
[Source 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting]
The Union of Concerned Scientists' 2015 Palm Oil Scorecard scores America's top brands on their commitments to use deforestation-free palm oil. This company received a score of 28.3/100, signifying little commitment.
[Source 2015][More on Palm Oil]
Testing commissioned by Friends of the Earth Australia found nanoparticles in foundations and concealers sold by Estee Lauder.
[Source 2009][More on Product Safety]
In 2017 Greece's competition watchdog fined six leading cosmetics firms, including Christian Dior, Estee Lauder and L'Oreal 19 million euros for distorting competition. This company's Greek branch was fined 5.4 million euros.
[Source 2017][More on Governance]
As You Sow's 2018 report, 'The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs', reveals the 100 most overpaid CEOs from USA's 500 largest public companies (as determined by the S&P 500 list). This company's CEO, Fabrizio Freda came in at number 17 on the list, having been paid US$48,369,401 in 2017. According to the report, "Most CEOs have come to be grossly overpaid, and that overpayment is harmful to the companies, the shareholders, the customers, the other employees, the economy, and society as a whole."
[Source 2018][More on Finance]
This company scores Ethical Consumer's worst rating for the likely use of tax avoidance strategies, and has at least two high risk subsidiaries in tax havens.
[Source 2018][More on Finance]
This company received a SAM Rank of 23/100 in the Personal Products category of the 2018 SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment. The index is 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 2018][More on Sustainability Reporting] |
This company uses microbeads in some of its personal care products. These particles are not retained by wastewater treatment so end up in the ocean. While microbeads aren't thought to be a health hazard to consumers, they are a threat to the marine environment.
[Source 2014][More on Oceans]
In 2005, Estee Lauder and other major cosmetics manufacturers and retailers announced they would give away $175 million in products to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the companies of price fixing. [Listed under information due to age of court date]
[Source 2005][More on Governance]
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 2012][More on Governance]
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: commit to 100% renewable power.
[Source 2017][More on Climate Change]
This company claims to source less than 10 per cent of its mica from India, but was working with a local community organisation to eliminate child labour. Estee Lauder has partnered with Indian NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) since 2006, to promote access to education as an approach to work towards the elimination of child labour in mica-sourcing communities.
[Source 2014][More on Workers Rights]
This company was included in Bloomberg's 2019 Gender-Equality Index, a list of 230 companies committed to transparency in gender reporting and advancing women's equality in the workplace.
[Source 2019][More on Human Rights]
This company is a Bronze Member of the Sustainable Brands Network, the leading peer to peer, learning and networking group designed to support brands in meeting their sustainability goals and ultimately become those leaders of the next sustainable economy.
[Source 2018][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
This company is a member of the Circular Economy 100 (CE100) Network, a multi-stakeholder platform run by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The CE100 is the world's leading circular economy network, and facilitates market making by providing collaborative and pre-competitive opportunities which bring together business, innovators, cities and governments, universities, and thought leaders.
[Source 2019][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
This company is a member of the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council (GC3), a business-to-business forum that advances the application of green chemistry and design for environment across supply chains. It provides an open forum for cross-sectoral collaboration to share information and experiences about the challenges to and opportunities for safer chemicals and products.
[Source 2019][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
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 2017][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
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, soya, beef, leather, timber, and pulp and paper). This company received a score of 3/5.
[Source 2018][More on Forests]
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 2016][More on Human Rights]
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 2019][More on Product Safety]
Call to boycott by BDS due to involvement in Israel. [This assessment has not been used in calculation of ratings].
[Source 2009][More on Politics]
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
[Source 2014] |
Company Details
Company Structure | Public company |
Revenue | US$11 billion in 2014 |
# Employees | 42,400 in 2014 |
Subsidiaries | Aveda Corporation - Aveda Pty Ltd Estee Lauder Pty Ltd BECCA Inc Too Faced Cosmetics LLC Deciem Inc (28% owned) |
Contact Details
Address | 767 Fifth Ave, New York, NY, USA |
Website | www.elcompanies.com |
Products / Brands
Aveda AustraliaEstee Lauder Australia
Aramis Fragrances Bobbi Brown Cosmetics Clinique Cosmetics Clinique Skin Care DKNY Fragrances Estee Lauder Cosmetics Estee Lauder Fragrances mac Cosmetics |
Michael Kors Fragrances Missoni Fragrances Smashbox Cosmetics Tom Ford Beauty Fragrances Tom Ford Beauty Cosmetics Tommy Hilfiger Fragrances |
BECCA Cosmetics
Becca Cosmetics |
Too Faced Cosmetics
Too Faced Cosmetics |
Deciem (28% owned)
The Ordinary Skin Care |