Measures to improve the working conditions of beauty advisors
L’Oréal works with beauty advisors to promote its products at points of sale. Depending on the markets, they may be L’Oréal employees, distributor employees or employees hired through temporary employment agencies. Predominantly women, these advisors are in direct contact with consumers and may sometimes be faced with consumer or management behaviour that does not reflect L’Oréal’s values. To improve their access to reporting tools, the Group has launched pilot projects in three markets.
For example, a mobile phone survey tool has been rolled out for all beauty advisors employed by a temporary employment agency as part of a pilot in a Group country. This revealed Human Rights issues, concerning working conditions, employment contracts and harassment, in particular. These topics were addressed in a dedicated action plan that included measures to improve contracts and to train beauty advisors, distributors and employers of these advisors on violence against women.
Other similar feedback tool projects are being considered, as the ultimate goal is to increase the coverage of this at-risk population.
Human rights actions – the rose sector in Turkey
In response to a Human Rights risk identified in relation to the rose sector in Turkey, L'Oréal joined the Harvesting the Future initiative launched by the Fair Labor Association (FLA). This initiative is aimed at improving working conditions and respect for Human Rights in the agricultural sectors in various countries, focusing on empowering seasonal agricultural workers and their families. Running until the end of 2026, the project in Turkey brings together various stakeholders, including the Turkish government, civil society organisations, processors, growers and companies in the beauty and fragrance sector, in order to provide support with establishing and strengthening systems for monitoring Human Rights in supply chains.
For further information about the results of the project to date, see the FLA website(1).
Human rights actions – the jasmine-growing sector in Egypt
Following an alert and a series of Human Rights impact assessments carried out by independent specialists in 2023 in various regions worldwide, the Group identified risks of Human Rights violations in relation to jasmine harvesting in Egypt, and in particular a problem regarding child labour.
In response to this situation, the FLA, together with the Egyptian office of the International Labour Organization and more than 15 national and international producers and buyers of jasmine derivatives and products are working together to promote better child protection and decent working conditions in the jasmine sector in Egypt. The Egyptian government and several civil society organisations are also active partners in the project, which forms part of FLA's Harvesting the Future initiative.
Joint efforts to improve labour rights and local working conditions in the jasmine supply chain include strategies to promote fair pay and build the economic resilience of families; strengthen child protection measures and improve children’s access to education and parents’ access to childcare; improve processors’ Human Rights due diligence systems; and generate governmental support for legal and policy initiatives, including social protection measures.
The FLA and ILO are actioning these measures on a local, on- the-ground basis in seven jasmine producing villages in the Gharbia region in Egypt, in collaboration with several local civil society organisations and jasmine suppliers.
The risk analysis covers generic risks related to industrial activities and specific risks related to Suppliers’ and Subsidiaries’ own business activities.
Generic risk analysis process
As is the case for any production (manufacturing and packing), distribution, research and general administration operations, the Group and its Suppliers are exposed to safety and environmental challenges.
Based on the risk prevention work on the Environment, Health and Safety at the workplace carried out by L’Oréal for many years, the major risks below have been identified. On this basis, the Subsidiaries and Suppliers must define at each of their sites the measures designed to prevent the risks identified in the Plan (the "Prevention System").
Specific risk analysis process for Subsidiaries
The Subsidiaries conduct their own risk analysis based on the list of risks set out below, particularly the fire risk, which is controlled by very strict fire prevention standards (such as those issued by the National Fire Protection Association).
In addition to the generic risks, the Subsidiaries identify the specific risks related in particular to cosmetics production. For example, physical risks are the subject of SHAP (Safety Hazards Assessment Procedure) studies, which identify the dangers, generally and for each workstation, assess the risks and show the necessary means of control to be implemented. Environmental risks are also analysed to assess the nature of the aspects and impacts of a site’s activities on its environment and to control any that lead to potentially serious impacts for the air, soil, water, biodiversity and resources.
This environmental analysis is updated regularly by each of the Group Subsidiaries’ sites and whenever a significant change takes place. If significant risks are identified or if L’Oréal’s standards or regulations impose specific requirements, a more detailed evaluation is carried out for the activities concerned. Appropriate action plans, with immediate action where necessary, are implemented to reduce significant risks to an acceptable level.
