The Estée Lauder Companies Releases Fiscal 2026 Social Impact and Sustainability Report

Press Release, Oct 28, 2026

Today, The Estée Lauder Companies released its Fiscal 2026 Social Impact & Sustainability Report. This annual report outlines the company’s progress against its social impact and sustainability goals, reflecting The Estée Lauder Companies’ continued focus on transparency and accountability while supporting long-term business resilience and innovation.

“For 80 years, our company has been built on more than exceptional beauty products. We have believed in the power of beauty to inspire confidence, create opportunities, and make a positive difference in people’s lives,” said Stéphane de La Faverie, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Estée Lauder Companies, and President, The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation. “From our longstanding commitment to advancing women and girls globally, and our mission to create a breast cancer-free world, to our efforts to protect the environment, social impact and sustainability have long been part of who we are.”

“Our focus is on translating sustainability insights into action, understanding what matters most to consumers, informing product development and innovation, strengthening transparency and claims, and helping our brands deliver experiences that build relevance and trust,” said Nancy Mahon, Chief Sustainability Officer, The Estée Lauder Companies.

Covering the period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the report details progress and ongoing work across the company’s brands, operations, and value chain, including against a slate of 2030 social impact and sustainability goals. Key areas include employee health and safety, employee experience, climate, sourcing, product formulation and packaging, water, waste, and social impact philanthropic activities supporting women and girls.

Key highlights from the FY26 SI&S Report include:

Sustainability

• Continued progress on packaging sustainability¹: 67% of packaging designed to be recyclable, 21% post-consumer recycled material in packaging and 94% responsibly sourced forest-based fiber in paper packaging².
• Achieved GreenCircle certification across multiple brands: Extending the visibility of the Company’s sustainability efforts directly to consumers at the point of purchase.
• Launched a new 2030 goal to evaluate 100% of products with a life-cycle assessment and eco-design approach: This work is designed to help the company better understand environmental impacts across product life cycles and inform future product innovation, sustainability strategies, and supply chain decisions.^{3, 4}
• Advanced progress toward climate goals: Achieved a 44% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its fiscal 2018 baseline⁵ and a nearly 23% reduction in absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions from its fiscal 2018 baseline⁶.
• Maintained 100% renewable electricity across direct operations — for seventh consecutive year: Continued to source renewable electricity for our direct operations through a combination of on-site generation, utility contracts, energy attribute certificates, and our virtual power purchase agreement⁷.
• Exceeded the 2030 water withdrawal target: Achieved a 55% reduction in absolute water withdrawal at direct manufacturing sites from its fiscal 2019 baseline⁸, exceeding the 2030 target of at least a 50% reduction.
• Exceeded 2030 waste reduction target: Achieved a 33% reduction in absolute waste from direct manufacturing and distribution sites from its fiscal 2023 baseline⁹, exceeding the 2030 target of at least a 15% reduction. Maintained zero industrial waste-to-landfill across our global manufacturing, distribution, and innovation sites.
• Exceeded annual palm oil goal: Sourced 97% of our palm-based ingredients through RSPO-certified sustainable physical supply chains¹⁰, exceeding our annual commitment of at least 95%.

Social Impact and People

• Advanced social philanthropy projects supporting women and girls: Over $16 million toward its 2030 commitment to contribute $50 million in social impact philanthropy projects supporting women’s and girls’ health, education, leadership and entrepreneurship¹¹.
• Continued the legacy and impact of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign: Through the end of fiscal 2026, The Breast Cancer Campaign and The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation have funded more than $167 million for lifesaving research, education and medical services around the world, including more than $131 million for medical research through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
• Strengthened safety culture worldwide and achieved employee safety goal: Increased training, employee engagement, and safety improvement initiatives across our global operations, implemented more than 350 safety projects to enhance site safety, and achieved target Total Recordable Incident Rate¹².
• Enhanced employee volunteerism and giving program: Continued to engage employees in giving and volunteerism opportunities, raising $2.5 million toward the 2030 commitment of $10 million to nonprofits¹³.
• Strengthened philanthropic support for women and girls through corporate and brand-led initiatives: Building on Mrs. Estée Lauder’s legacy, the company continued its philanthropy supporting women and girls through initiatives including M·A·C VIVA GLAM’s mission towards healthy futures for all; the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Fund, which expanded its Beautiful Forces grants supporting women-led community initiatives and has trained more than 600 emerging leaders from over 80 countries; and the company’s BEAUTY&YOU India, India’s leading beauty entrepreneurship program that supports women entrepreneurs through its Visionary Women’s Award.

Read more in the FY26 Social Impact and Sustainability Report

Footnotes

1. Product packaging is defined as any item to be used for the containment, protection, handling, and presentation of products and delivery to ELC’s distribution centers that is included on the bill of materials. By 2030 means by the end of calendar year 2030. Partially excludes DECIEM and Dr.Jart+
2. Responsibly sourced forest-based fiber includes Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) certified materials. Our paper packaging includes carriers, cartons, dividers, liners, shippers, and sleeves on the bill of materials. Excludes labels, set boxes, tissue, and leaflets.
3. Our formulated product portfolio refers to products for which the formula is developed and owned by ELC
4. The LCA tool is aligned to the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards and EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology
5. Reduction is calculated from a fiscal 2018 baseline of 61.5 thousand metric tons CO2e and reflects scope 1 and scope 2 market-based emissions including renewable energy sourced from contractual agreements. This baseline was recalculated in fiscal 2026 using improved data and methodology. The target boundary includes land-related emissions and removals from biogenic feedstocks.
6. Reduction is calculated from a fiscal 2018 baseline of 1,741.5 thousand metric tons CO2e. Target boundary includes scope 3 categories 1,2,3,4,5,11, and 12. This baseline was recalculated in fiscal 2026 using improved data and methodology.
7. Electricity consumption for all global activities within ELC's operational control. Renewable electricity sourced reflects on-site solar electricity generated and consumed at ELC locations, renewable off-site generation (utility contracts), EAC purchases, and a VPPA.
8. Reduction is calculated from a fiscal 2019 baseline of 1.6 million cubic meters water. This baseline was recalculated in fiscal 2026 to reflect the expanded scope of the goal.
9. Reduction is calculated from a fiscal 2023 baseline of 28,000 metric tons. Excludes DECIEM.
10. Palm oil sourcing is reported by calendar year (CY) in alignment with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Annual Communication of Progress (ACOP) guidelines. Excludes
palm-based ingredients not directly procured by ELC, such as those procured by third-party manufacturers (TPMs) and directly procured and received by DECIEM.
11. This is measured cumulatively as of the beginning of fiscal 2026. ELC contributions are inclusive of ELCCF, brand, region, and corporate giving.
12. TRIR is the number of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable incidents per 100 workers. Excludes DECIEM.
13. This is measured cumulatively as of the beginning of fiscal 2026. Metrics reflect information self-reported to ELC’s employee social impact and sustainability engagement program, the ELC Good Works platform, which captures employee volunteer rewards, employee monetary donations, and ELC charitable matching gifts. The platform was available in 31 markets at the end of fiscal 2026. Eligible employees are those who meet certain criteria, which vary by market, and have access to the platform.