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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 with an explicit target
| Commitment | Target | Fiscal 2026 result | Status, per the company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water withdrawn at owned plants (vs. 2019) | Cut at least 50% by 2030 | −55% | Exceeded |
| Waste at manufacturing and distribution sites (vs. 2023) | Cut at least 15% by 2030 | −33% | Exceeded |
| RSPO-certified palm oil | At least 95% every year | 97% | Met |
| Philanthropy for women and girls | $50 million by 2030 | More than $16 million | In progress |
| Employee giving and volunteering | $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 introduces an additional target: evaluating every single proprietary formulation developed by the organization through life-cycle analysis and eco-design standards by the year 2030. According to the enterprise, this instrument adheres to ISO 14040 and 14044 specifications alongside the European Union’s Product Environmental Footprint methodology. Furthermore, the firm notes that multiple brands achieved GreenCircle certification, though they remained unnamed.
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.
On workplace safety, the company reports more than 350 site improvement projects and says it met its target for total recordable incident rate. Among its programs for women and girls it lists M·A·C’s VIVA GLAM; the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Fund, which has trained more than 600 leaders from over 80 countries; and BEAUTY&YOU India, which supports women entrepreneurs.
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.
