In February 2020 Ethical Consumer viewed the Weleda Annual and Sustainability Report 2018 which contained a section on the environment.
An environmental policy was deemed necessary to report on a company's environmental performance and set targets for reducing its impacts in the future. A strong policy would include two future, quantified environmental targets, demonstration by the company that it had a reasonable understanding of its main environmental impacts, be dated within two years and have its environmental data independently verified.
The report discussed regenerative farming, biodiversity, soils, sustainable packaging, palm oil, waste and recycling, energy, renewable electricity, water and the use of natural and organic ingredients as certified by Natrue. Weleda was considered to have demonstrated a reasonable understanding of its main impacts.
The report also had a number of targets. Including
By 2022: "renewable energy share of at least 80% for our own buildings and production facilities" (2018 level at 50%).
By 2022: "100% electricity from renewable sources in all associated companies as well as contract manufacturers and packaging manufacturers" (2018 level at 80% for associated companies, contract and manufacturers not fully known).
Reduction of energy intensity by 2.5 % per year.
Increase in waste recycling rate by 2.5 % annually.
Reduction of potable water intensity by 2.5 % per year.
Reduction of waste intensity by 2.5 % per year.
While the company was certified by the Union for Ethical BioTrade which "certifies all of our actions pertaining to the sourcing of natural ingredients for Weleda natural cosmetics" the company's overall environmental report did not appear to have been independently verified.
Overall Weleda received Ethical Consumer's middle rating for Environmental Reporting and lost half a mark under this category.
Reference:
www.weleda.co.uk (20 February 2020)