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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 enterprise adds that no industrial waste was sent to landfills from its production, distribution, and innovation facilities. Furthermore, the water baseline was recalculated this current year to account for the broader reach of the target, while palm oil is tracked on a calendar-year basis and leaves out components that the firm does not procure directly.
Emissions and energy
Estée Lauder reports a 44% cut in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions — those from its own operations and purchased energy — and a nearly 23% cut in Scope 3 emissions from its value chain, both against a fiscal 2018 baseline. Both baselines were recalculated in 2026 using revised data and methodology, which makes direct comparison with earlier reports harder.
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.
