CSR ANNUAL REPORT FY2014

The L'OCCITANE Group consists of five brands: L'OCCITANE en Provence, L'OCCITANE

au Brsil, Melvita, Le Couvent des Minimes and Erborian. It has 2,572 stores, of which
1,295 are company-owned. The information provided in this report relates mainly to the
Group's French entities.
This CSR report covers the 2014 fiscal year (April 1, 2013 March 31, 2014). When
information does not relate to this period, this will be indicated.

CONTENTS
P4

THE GROUP AMBITION

P5

S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T P O L I C Y

P6

THE GROUP IN FIGURES

P8

GOVERNANCE

P9

&

B U S I N E S S

P12

&

S U S TA I N A B L E

P16

THE ENVIRONMENT

P17

&

F O R M U L A S

P20

&

PA C K A G I N G

P22

&

P R O D U C T I O N

P25

&

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

P27

&

S T O R E S

P28

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

P29

&

H R

P31

&

Q U A L I T Y

P34

&

D I V E R S I T Y

P36

PHILANTHROPY

P37

&

P41

APPENDIX
&

T H E

E T H I C S
I N G R E D I E N T S

M A N A G E M E N T
O F

G R O U P ' S

L I F E

AT

W O R K

C O M M I T M E N T S

L A B O R AT O I R E S

M & L

S O C I A L

I N F O R M AT I O N

A MESSAGE
F R O M

T H E

M A N A G I N G

D I R E C T O R

THE GROUP
AMBITION

e are driven by a mission to develop and

market products that are increasingly
respectful of man and the environment.
From the very beginning, this mission has led us to
work continually to limit the environmental impacts
of our products and our activities, and also to be
an employer and an economic player with a keen
awareness of its responsibilities.
We are making progress in this direction one step
at a time, working as a team. Through this CSR
report (produced for the fourth year running), we
are pleased to share the fruit of this rigorous, collective and continuous work. You will find examples
of concrete achievements, progress indicators, and
accounts from highly motivated teams that illustrate how we express, on a daily basis, our social and
environmental responsibility.
This report is also an opportunity for us to reaffirm
our ongoing support for the ten principles of the UN
Global Compact, which we officially joined in 2011.
Making our contribution to the application of these
principles, not only through our practices, but also
through our sphere of influence, is a source of great
satisfaction for all of our employees. We are also
very proud that L'OCCITANE has been recognized
by the UN as an exemplary company for its actions
in Burkina Faso.
Emmanuel Osti

INTERVIEW

SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
POLICY
What are the main objectives with regard
to Sustainable Development?
The L'OCCITANE Group has been built on solid foundations. These foundations are the values that continue to drive all the men and women who make up this
organization: entrepreneurship, a spirit of teamwork
and mutual support, and respect for man and nature.
We are very aware of what nature gives us and
are constantly striving to limit the environmental
impact of our activities, our buildings and our products. Thus our priorities include consuming the
fewest possible natural resources, recycling more
and more, and working to protect biodiversity.
One of the most valuable assets of the L'OCCITANE
Group is its motivated, committed teams. As a responsible employer, we are dedicated to developing
the skills of our employees while maintaining a sense
of well-being at work and respecting employee
diversity.
Finally, the LOCCITANE Group interacts with the
community by fully assuming its responsibilities.
Our business relations are based on strong ethical
foundations and we have developed a philanthropic
programme that is in keeping with our long-standing
commitments.

What have been the highlights of the year?

Our Sustainable Ingredients department has received several distinctions, including one from the
French Ministry of Ecology. These distinctions give
recognition for the continuous work of our teams
to strengthen sustainable, fair trade links with our
partner producers and to protect biodiversity.
Our eco-design approach has also gone one step further, with a particular focus on the naturalness of our
formulas. For example, this year a Green Technology
Laboratory has been set up a laboratory dedicated

to making our formulas even more natural. The ISO

14001 approach, adopted in 2011 to limit our environmental impact, continues to gain ground. Our company-owned stores in France, administrative site
in Paris, head office in Geneva and industrial site in
Lagorce have all been awarded ISO 14001 certification. Now it is the turn of the production and logistics
sites in Manosque to prepare to meet the certification
standards. 2013-2014 was also marked by the deployment of the Employee Commitment Programme,
which has enabled over 100 people to get involved
in community projects that are consistent with our
commitments. Many employees have taken advantage
of the one day's paid "leave" that is granted specifically to work on these projects. Finally, there is our
partnership with the sheltered work environment,
which lies at the crossroads of our Responsible
Purchasing policy and a social policy that embraces
disabilities. This partnership is demonstrated
through our support for the work of the "ESAT Hors
Les Murs" team, made up of workers from a vocational centre who have come to work alongside our
teams.

What are the objectives for the year to

come?
Our objective for this year is to sustainably anchor,
in our practices, all of the approaches we take to
be more responsible: respect for the environment,
responsible purchasing and social involvement.
Another of our major objectives is to increase the
impact on consumers of our communications about
our commitments, with the aim of getting them
more involved in our efforts towards Sustainable
Development.
Katia Michieletto
Sustainable Development

THE GROUP
I N

F I G U R E s

Over

A presence in

employees in the world

countries

Net global growth

Consolidated turnover

7000

1.1%

90

1.055

billion euros

Growth (local currency)

Group quoted on the Hong Kong

stock exchange since

2,572

115

9.4%

outlets

2010

new stores*

* Comparable net stores opening

G R O W T H B Y
G E O G R A P H I C A L R E G I O N
( I N

L O C A L

+8%

C U R R E N C Y )

+17%
Russia

United Kingdom

+6%

+11%

France

United States

+21%
Brazil

+20% +2%
China

Japan

%
+4% +6
Taiwan
Hong Kong

+13%

Other countries

GOVERNANCE
Governance is at the heart of the company's actions. By
maintaining a constant dialogue with its stakeholders,
from suppliers to consumers, L'OCCITANE has been able to
develop lasting relationships built on trust and respect. It
is these relationships that give strength to a Group whose
players move forward hand in hand, to build the world of
tomorrow.

GOVERNANCE
&

B U S I N E S S

E T H I C S

2 Questions

fOr Katia Michieletto

SUSTAINABLE
dEVELOPMENT

The achievement of the year?

The Responsible Purchasing training and the Corporate Social Responsibility Charter for suppliers.

Objectives for the future?

To apply Responsible Purchasing to more areas and to integrate this theme into the control
criteria of the internal audit on an international level.

With the aim of managing our environmental and social impacts as well as possible,
and to maintain ethical practices, we have opted for a comprehensive approach.
To do this, the Group is engaged in an ongoing dialogue with all of its stakeholders,
internal and external. This choice requires us to remain attentive and open to exchange.

FORMALIZING VOLUNTARY COMMITMENTS

The Group's commitments to sustainable development are illustrated through concrete and
formalized actions throughout the organization.

THE GLOBAL COMPACT

In October 2011, the industrial sites made a voluntary commitment to the United Nations by
signing the Global Compact. With a focus on continuous improvement and transparency, each
year, they publish a "Communication on Progress" on the United Nations' website so that others
can see the progress made relating to the ten principles of the Global Compact and so that good
practices can be shared with all other participants.

GOVERNANCE
&

B U S I N E S S

E T H I C S

A RESPONSIBLE GENERATION
Keen to keep progressing in terms of its responsible practices, L'OCCITANE is a
founding member of the "Gnration Responsable" club, the members of which are
mainly distribution companies. By sharing good practices with other businesses, the
Group has been able to challenge its own actions and make progress.

A CSR CHARTER FOR BUSINESS NETWORKS

L'OCCITANE is a signatory of the CSR Charter for business networks. By signing
this charter, we must report to a supervisory committee, made up of members of
the association, and keep them informed of our ongoing progress with regard to
meeting the charter's commitments.

THE PURCHASING POLICY:

A LEVER FOR CHANGE
As a responsible player in the economy, the Group has identified Purchasing as a
significant challenge and a means to contributing to sustainable economic and social
development.

IN-HOUSE TRAINING SESSIONS

70

There are many parties involved in the Purchasing process, from defining needs
to working with the approved supplier. Since 2012, the Purchasing department in
collaboration with the CSR department has arranged cycles of in-house training
sessions. The aim: to ensure that all teams concerned are familiar with the relevant
knowledge, tools and the Group vision of Responsible Purchasing. By the end of this
year, 70 employees had taken this training.

94%

A CSR CHARTER FOR SUPPLIERS

people trained in
Responsible Purchasing

of corporate purchasing
turnover covered by the
CSR charter

With the aim of sharing its values, and to further strengthen its commitment to
the Global Compact, the Purchasing department asks each supplier to show its
commitment by signing the CSR Charter before any new commercial partnership can
begin. This charter is based on the themes of the UN Global Compact: compliance
with labour, health & safety and environmental standards, and respect for business
ethics. In 2013-2014, the results compiled showed that 94% of turnover in the areas
of Raw Materials, Components, Merchandising and Furniture for the L'OCCITANE
and Melvita brands were covered by the charter.

A PARTNERSHIP WITH KEDGE BUSINESS SCHOOL

Finally, for the past four years, the industrial sites (Laboratoires M&L) have been
a partner of the Sustainable Sourcing in the Network Environment chair, piloted
by Kedge Business School, alongside other companies, NGOs and players from
the world of research (SNCF, Sodexo, ERDF, Max Havelaar, WWF, Extramuros). The
objective of this chair is to share and communicate the knowledge and experience of
the partners involved with a wider public (researchers, students, companies). It also
enables us to develop the skills of our own teams in this field.

10

GOVERNANCE
&

B U S I N E S S

E T H I C S

DIALOGUE WITH STAKEHOLDERS

Stakeholders are key players that must be involved if we are to achieve our Sustainable Development objectives.

INVOLVING SUPPLIERS AND GIVING PRIORITY TO LOCAL PRODUCERS

With the aim of getting our suppliers on board to help us fulfil our commitments,
the Purchasing department asks them to sign the Corporate Social Responsibility
Charter for suppliers. This ensures, in particular, that they meet labour, health &
safety and environmental standards. The Purchasing department also audits suppliers periodically, with a particular focus on social audits in those countries where
this is justified. The objective is to verify whether suppliers are complying with the
SA8000 standard (for decent working conditions) and to help them develop good
practices.
Local producers represent a large proportion of our suppliers. The L'OCCITANE
Group also gives priority to short supply chains, with long-term partnerships built
on mutual respect, so that it can have control over the traceability and quality of
raw materials right up to delivery. For example, the Group has built up, over the long
term, a true fair trade shea butter industry in Burkina Faso. L'OCCITANE also gained
recognition from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for all of its
actions in that country.

GETTING CUSTOMERS INVOLVED

Our brands are keen to listen to their customers and adapt to their needs. To make
this possible, we engage in dialogue with our customers through our stores, e-mails,
customer services, social networks, etc. By getting involved at different points
of contact, we have been able to build a close relationship of trust. For example,
L'OCCITANE customer services in France ranked first in the 2014 Qualiweb awards,
which give points for excellence in online customer relations.
The L'OCCITANE brand also wants its customers to adopt a more sustainable
approach. They are able to get involved in fund-raising initiatives by purchasing
our fund-raising products, which are sold twice a year, with all the profits going to
community projects supported by the L'OCCITANE Foundation.

GETTING EMPLOYEES INVOLVED

Every year, employees are given several opportunities to express themselves during personalized interviews with their managers. With the aim of linking employee
development to the performance of the company, the Group has internationalized
these performance interviews, which now take place in 15 countries, with some 2,000
people.

N1

in the 2014 Qualiweb

awards, which give points
for excellence in online
customer relations

2,000
employees from 15
countries have had
performance interviews

In addition, when new employees join the sites in France and Geneva, they take part
in an induction/orientation day, during which they attend information sessions about
the Group's values and missions.
Breakfasts are also regularly organized at several of the Group's sites. These meetings
enable employees to have discussions with members of senior management.

11

GOVERNANCE
&

S U S TA I N A B L E

I N G R E D I E N T S

2 Questions
FOR MAUD REBOUL

SUSTAINABLE
INGREDIENTS

The achievement of the year?

The innovative and sustainable nature of our immortelle programme, which was rewarded
by the "Coup de Cur du jury" award for biodiversity within the framework of the "Prix
Entreprises & Environnement" business and environment awards, organized by the French
Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy.

Objectives for the future?

To commit to an ambitious and coherent biodiversity action programme so that we can take
our raw materials purchasing policy to a new level.

12

GOVERNANCE
&

S U S TA I N A B L E

I N G R E D I E N T S

The L'OCCITANE Group supervises and secures its plant supplies. To do so, we work
directly with producers, focusing on the continuous improvement of the plant supply
chains. We forge long-term partnerships with them, built on trust and respect.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SUSTAINABLE

INGREDIENTS DEPARTMENT
Our policy

- Take a responsible approach to the use of plants, to respect the biodiversity

of ecosystems and their fragile balance.
- Implement ways for all players in the industry to work together fairly and
transparently, and thus promote a win-win partnership.
- 4 principles: local, sustainability, traceability and equity.

Our results

As a result of the efforts made, we have set up over 60 traceable supply

chains, representing 400 hectares of cultivation, of which two thirds are
certified organic. We have also developed partnerships with over 120 farmers
and 15,000 pickers.
Our commitments with regard to our plant supply chains have received
recognition from the French Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. On May 12,
2014, it awarded Laure Pierrisnard in charge of Sustainable Ingredients for
the Group with the Order of Agricultural Merit medal (an order bestowed for
outstanding contribution to agriculture).

STRENGTHENING THE IMMORTELLE

SUPPLY CHAIN
To avoid putting too much pressure on natural areas and to secure supplies of
immortelle, L'OCCITANE set up the very first large-scale organic immortelle plantation
programme in 2004. This makes it possible to guarantee both quality and traceability
from harvesting to distilling, and to offer producers contractual agreements covering a
period of five to seven years.
The entire approach taken with regard to the immortelle supply chain was rewarded
in 2013, when L'OCCITANE received the "Coup de cur du jury" award for biodiversity
from the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, within the
framework of the "Prix Entreprises & Environnement" business and environment awards.
During the year 2013-2014, the immortelle supply chain was strengthened, with the
arrival of two new producers, who joined our six long-standing producers-distillers. The
ambitious programme to replant the initial plots of land continues: in just two years,
80% of the land has been replanted. In parallel, through a partnership with CRIEPPAM(1) ,
a system of assessment has been established for the distilleries that produce the
immortelle essential oil, in order to further reduce the environmental impact of this
supply chain.

pickers and distillers

working in partnership with
L'OCCITANE

50ha

of organic immortelle
planted

(1) Centre Rgionalis Interprofessionnel dExprimentation en Plantes Parfum, Aromatiques et Mdicinales a research centre
for testing fragrant, aromatic and medicinal plants.

13

GOVERNANCE
&

S U S TA I N A B L E

I N G R E D I E N T S

OVER

SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIPS FOR PDO

LAVENDER

of PDO fine lavender

essential oil purchased

The Group has set up local, long-term partnerships. Multi-year contracts

guarantee producers a minimum purchase volume and ensure that they have a
reliable, lasting outlet for their produce, at a price that is agreed by all parties
and revised upwards every year.

4 tons

The partnerships with the lavender industry are backed by unique, 5-year
contracts with more than twenty producers. These contracts, which are now
entering their second year, contribute to maintaining the cultivation of fine
lavender on the plateaux of Haute-Provence. L'OCCITANE purchases over
four tons of PDO fine lavender essential oil each year, making it the biggest
purchaser of the lavender produced.

GOING EVEN FURTHER WITH THE FAIR

TRADE SHEA BUTTER SUPPLY CHAIN

In the past 10 years, the

volume purchased
has multiplied

by

OVER

15,000
direct beneficiaries
in Burkina Faso

For decades, the L'OCCITANE Group and women's unions in Burkina Faso have
been working together in a sustainable, fair trade partnership. The Group has
gradually increased its involvement, deepening this partnership, with positive results locally each year. In the past 10 years, the volume purchased has
increased seven-fold and this directly benefits over 15,000 women. Moreover,
L'OCCITANE donates 3% of the price of the shea butter to a community development fund, which helps to finance social and technical development initiatives.
The business model developed was praised by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), which recognized L'OCCITANE as an exemplary company in
2013.
With the objective of continuous improvement, assessments have been carried out with our partners and made it possible to identify the priority actions
for the next three years. Our ambition for 2017 is to have 100% of production
certified organic, to reduce the amount of water and wood used for processing, and to make good use of 75% of residual waste. To go even further, the
L'OCCITANE Foundation has signed an agreement with the NGO RONGEAD,
which is specialized in sustainable development.

OUR COMMITMENTS WITH REGARD TO

THE PALM OIL INDUSTRY
Since 2011, Laboratoires M&L have been a member of the RSPO(1) a
not-for-profit organization that develops global standards for the
production of sustainable palm oil.
OUR AMBITION FOR 2015
By the end of 2015, our aim is for 100% of L'OCCITANE and Melvita soaps
sold in stores to be formulated with RSPO-certified palm oil.
(1) Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil

14

GOVERNANCE
&

S U S TA I N A B L E

I N G R E D I E N T S

STRONG DEVELOPMENT OF THE FAIR

TRADE ARGAN OIL SUPPLY CHAIN IN
MOROCCO
In the region of Essaouira, in Morocco, grows the argan tree. From its fruits, a
precious oil is extracted: argan oil. Since 2006, the Group has sourced the organic argan oil used in Melvita products from a family business that forges close
links with the women responsible for gathering and shelling the fruits of the argan
tree. 2,000 hectares of organic argan forests are used exclusively for Melvita.
Over 250 women are involved in this activity, which indirectly benefits some 1,500
people. In order to encourage local added value, we work with the producers to
obtain Fair Trade certification from ECOCERT Environnement in accordance
with the ESR(1) standard.
This year, a multi-year production contract was signed with our long-standing
supplier in order to guarantee a minimum yearly purchase volume and a fair
price over a three-year period. The women earn a salary that is higher than
the minimum wage in Morocco: double for the women who gather the nuts
and 20% higher for the women who shell them. In parallel, to keep pace with
increasing demand, a second partnership has been established.
An in-depth assessment of our argan oil supply chain has allowed for a precise
evaluation of environmental, social and economic aspects and identified the
challenges that need to be addressed over the years to come.

Economic

Social

Environmental

impacts

impacts

impacts

Salaries higher than the

Moroccan minimum wage:
double for the women who
gather the nuts
+20%for the women who
shell the nuts

250 women involved and

approximately 1,500 indirect
beneficiaries
24 jobs in the processing
units

2,000 hectares of organic

argan forest

BUILDING THE SUPPLY CHAINS OF THE

FUTURE
The L'OCCITANE Group is always looking for new, natural and effective
ingredients. This work is carried out in partnership with the Research &
Development and Quality departments, to ensure that raw materials are both
safe and effective. This year, three new supply chains were established in the
Grasse region. They will provide some of the star ingredients for our Collection
de Grasse fragrance range. 19 other prospective supply chains are currently
being explored.

19

prospective supply chains

identified

(1) ESR standard available at www.ecocert.com

15

T H E environment
The L'OCCITANE Group strives to limit the environmental impact of its
activities at every stage in the life of its products. To do this, all departments
have a contribution to make, with a focus on developing new methods
of production. From formulating products to designing eco-friendly
packaging and from production to distribution in stores, the Group is
committed to continually improving its environmental performance.

16

the E N V I R O N M E N T
&

F O R M U L as

2 Questions

FOR BNDICTE LE BRIS

research &
development
and quality

The achievement of the year?

Setting up a laboratory dedicated to "Natural Innovations", which will enable us to have more
ecologically designed formulas (as measured by progress indicators) that continue to be as
sensorial and effective as ever.

Objectives for the future?

To find new ways to preserve formulas using natural ingredients, innovative processes and
protective packaging, in order to reduce consumers' exposure to conventional preservatives.

The L'OCCITANE Group is committed to constantly bringing out new innovations to make its
products even more natural, while continuing to maintain the highest standards with regard to the
performance and sensorial properties of its formulas. For example, the Group limits the number of
ingredients in its formulas and selects them in accordance with a strict set of environmental criteria.

THE CREATION OF A GREEN TECHNOLOGY

LABORATORY
To continue to innovate in the natural cosmetics sector, a laboratory dedicated to naturalness was
created. It opened in September 2013. The mission of this laboratory is to introduce "natural" innovations into all new products and to encourage development teams to "think and formulate green".
As a result of the creation of this new structure, changes are being made to the formulation of our
products. The percentage of naturally derived ingredients is increasing, while any ingredients suspected of being harmful are immediately removed. The product is also looked at within its ecosystem, with priority given to environmentally friendly and biodegradable processes.
17

THE ENVIRONMENT
&

F O R M U L A S

PRODUCT SAFETY
The textures and scents of our products are inspired by the Mediterranean art de
vivre. Using a L'OCCITANE product is all about enjoying a moment of pleasure and
well-being, but there is also the highest guarantee of safety and effectiveness.
Every ingredient is carefully studied to ensure that it is gentle on the skin (and/or
eyes) immediately after application and is safe over the long term, with no risk of
a reaction, mutagenic effect or toxicity for the user. The products are then tested
by volunteers, under dermatological supervision, in our new Clinical Evaluation
Laboratory, which opened this year in Marseille.

95%

naturally derived
ingredients in the
Precious Cream

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CLINICAL

EVALUATION LABORATORY
During the product development phase, all of the brands in the L'OCCITANE
Group carry out a series of tests. One of the main objectives of these tests is
to evaluate the tolerance (risk of reaction, etc.) and effectiveness of a product
in real conditions of use. Starting this year, these tests have been carried
out in our Clinical Evaluation Laboratory in Marseille, in partnership with
experienced dermatologists and ophthalmologists. This enables us to have a
more in-depth knowledge of our products and to adjust them, if need be, so
that they are perfectly tailored to our consumers' needs.
Our products are also evaluated in various countries across the world, so that
they can be tested on different skin types.

ECO-DESIGNED FORMULAS
IMPLEMENTING INDICATORS (PERFORMANCE-MEASUREMENT
AND MONITORING)
The L'OCCITANE brand has implemented indicators to monitor the eco-design of
formulas, so that it can continue to make them more consumer- and environmentally
friendly. Naturally derived ingredients are given preference over chemically derived
ingredients (mineral oils) or raw materials that do not biodegrade easily. The brand
limits the amount of silicones used in formulas, as these synthetic substances, derived from silicon, are not readily biodegradable. We do not use silicones suspected
of being toxic (D4): the brand is working on ways to replace them with plant-derived
alternatives, with the aim of obtaining textures that offer excellent sensorial qualities and are a pleasure to apply. When the methods used to extract or obtain raw
materials have a negative impact on the environment (such as ethoxylated products
and PEG compounds), every effort is made to avoid using these ingredients. The Precious Cream, which is one of L'OCCITANE's star products, is now composed of 95%
naturally derived ingredients by integrating new, natural emulsifiers.
18

THE ENVIRONMENT
&

F O R M U L A S

OPTIMIZED MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

The L'OCCITANE Group works on the processes used to manufacture raw materials
and finished products in order to reduce their environmental impact. Emulsions are
produced using eco-friendly processes that have been optimized with regard to
water and energy consumption. A pilot facility has been created, dedicated to the
small-scale industrial production of formulas, before manufacturing them in higher
volumes.
We also strive to limit our environmental impact by focusing on biodegradability.
For example, all of the L'OCCITANE shampoos and shower gels are over 98%
biodegradable.

NATURALLY DERIVED ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

LOCCITANE systematically gives priority to natural ingredients. Nevertheless,
to ensure that a product provides the highest level of effectiveness, synthetic
molecules may be used when no reliable and effective natural alternative is
available, while always erring on the side of caution. L'OCCITANE also selects active
ingredients that have the lowest environmental impact (low water consumption,
minimized waste and respect for biodiversity). The brand uses innovative and
clean processes that make it possible to obtain extracts that contain the highest
concentration of active molecules. Over 300 plant-derived ingredients are used, of
which over 25% are certified organic. These ingredients are rigorously selected for
their effectiveness and incorporated into formulas at an optimal concentration.

L'OCCITANE shampoos
and shower gels are

biodegradable

OVER

300

plant-derived ingredients, of which 25%

are certified organic

a closer look at THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF MIT AND PET
STOPPING THE USE OF METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE

MIT is a preservative, i.e. a molecule that prevents the microbiological contamination of cosmetic formulas.
Preservatives are needed in cosmetic products so that they can be used in normal conditions (stored in a
bathroom, daily contact with the hands of the user). As studies recently showed that MIT could cause contact
allergies, the EU Scientific Committee is currently considering banning the use of this preservative in leave-on
products and using it at a maximum concentration of 100 ppm in rinse-off products by the end of 2015. In order
to meet the Ecocert certification standards, Melvita does not use MIT. As for the other Group brands, they
do not use MIT in leave-on skincare products and it is found in fewer than 5% of the rinse-off personal care
products. Ever since warnings have been issued regarding its use, MIT has not been included in newly developed
products, and the Group is working on ways to replace this preservative in older formulas that contain it.

PLASTIC MICROBEADS

The plastic microbeads frequently used in exfoliating products are currently accused of being harmful to the
environment and the ecosystem as they are not biodegradable and can enter the marine environment. The
L'OCCITANE Group gives priority to natural ingredients such as crushed almond shells and powdered apricot
kernels, and very rarely uses these microbeads. It has banned their use in future products and is committed to
removing them, as quickly as possible, from the few products that do contain them.

19

THE ENVIRONMENT
&

PA C K A G I N G

2 Questions
fOr Aline Abergel

Packaging AND
Eco-DESIGN

The achievement of the year?

The roll-out of new renewable or recycled materials and the launch of new eco-refills.

Objectives for the future?

To implement an approach consistent with the ISO 14001 standards for the design of our
products.

The L'OCCITANE Group is determined to keep doing more for sustainable development and
looks for ways to reduce waste production upstream by adopting an eco-design approach to
packaging. The Group is also a driving force in raising awareness among its employees and
customers of the importance of sorting and recycling.

17.7%

recycled materials
or materials of
renewable origin
in L'OCCITANE
packaging

ECO-DESIGNED PACKAGING
The Marketing, Development and Purchasing teams have received training in the Group's ecodesign policy, and environmental design recommendations are communicated to all developers
via the "eco-design guide". The eco-design approach applied to L'OCCITANE and Melvita
products is based on a principle of continuous improvement and is supported by eco-design
tools and monitoring indicators.

ECO-DESIGN TOOLS
To ensure that environmental factors are better taken into account for each product launch
(L'OCCITANE and Melvita), all new packaging is evaluated using a scoring tool: the "Eco-Pack
score". It is used to evaluate or compare different design scenarios before committing to the
final product design, taking into account criteria such as weight, materials, carbon footprint,
recyclability, etc. To take this further, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies are conducted on
L'OCCITANE and Melvita products.
20

THE ENVIRONMENT
&

PA C K A G I N G

MONITORING INDICATORS
Monitoring indicators have been implemented to track the eco-design of packaging
for the L'OCCITANE and Melvita brands. Calculated yearly, they provide a factual tool
to monitor the results of our efforts and set objectives for the future.
These indicators cover:
The tonnage of materials used,
The number of eco-refills available,
The percentage of recycled or renewable material used in the packaging,
The percentage of recyclable packaging,
The CO savings made as a result of our eco-design efforts.
The packaging used for L'OCCITANE products is made up of 17.7% recycled materials
or materials of renewable origin (16.9% for Melvita). This is a real achievement when
compared with the usual practices in the beauty industry.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MATERIALS

PACKAGING MADE FROM RECYCLED MATERIALS
Without compromising on the aesthetics and quality of its packaging, the
L'OCCITANE brand has succeeded in integrating recycled materials into some of
its bottles and tubes. For example, within the personal care category, the shower
gels in the Verdon range and the hair care products in the Aromachologie range
are made from 100% recycled and recyclable PET plastic. The skincare bottles
used in the Immortelle range are also made from recycled plastic. For its glass
bottles, the L'OCCITANE brand regularly uses partially recycled glass. Melvita
products are eco-designed whenever possible: for example, the blue bottles
used for its floral waters were developed using 100% recycled and recyclable
PET.

PACKAGING MADE FROM RENEWABLE MATERIALS

To limit its use of petroleum-based materials, the L'OCCITANE brand continues to
develop bottles and tubes made with 95% sugar-cane based plastic (Shea Butter and
Almond ranges).
The L'OCCITANE Group continues to conduct research aimed at extending its range of
more environmentally friendly packaging materials and solutions, and works closely
with partner suppliers to do this.

DEVELOPING ECO-REFILLS
For the past five years, L'OCCITANE has offered customers a wide choice of ecorefills, aimed at giving a second life to packaging. 14 eco-refills have been developed
so far, with up to 90% less plastic used to make them, compared with the standard
bottle.
This year, there were in-store actions to make these eco-refills more visible to customers. They've also been given a new identity.
This is based on:
Giving visibility to our eco-design actions,
Echoing the design of the original product, so that customers can intuitively and
rapidly identify what they're looking for.
Through this initiative, L'OCCITANE hopes to attract more eco-aware customers, so
that they, too, can be involved in the efforts made to limit our environmental impact.

14

eco-refills available,
allowing for a reduction
in the use of plastic of
up to 90%

21

THE ENVIRONMENT
&

P R O D U C T I O N

2 Questions

MANUFACTURING

for JEAN-FRANOIS GONIDEC

The achievement of the year?
Starting up the new production and packaging workshops in our two production sites in
Manosque and Lagorce. There is now a high-quality production environment, the working
conditions of the machine operators have been improved, and energy consumption has been
optimized.

Objectives for the future?

To obtain ISO 14001 certification for our production site in Manosque and maintain this
certification for the Lagorce site.

To further reduce its environmental impact, L'OCCITANE has chosen to implement a

continuous improvement approach at its production sites. ISO 14001 certification,
waste recycling, production of renewable energy and raising employee awareness are
among the initiatives developed to combine industrial activities with respect for the
environment.
22

THE ENVIRONMENT
&

P R O D U C T I O N

THE ISO 14001 CERTIFICATION PROCESS

For the L'OCCITANE Group, placing the environment at the very heart of the
organization meant taking steps to achieve ISO 14001 certification.

MAINTAINING ISO 14001 CERTIFICATION FOR SITES THAT

HAVE ALREADY BEEN CERTIFIED
The environmental policy reflects the overall vision of the Group: to ensure that the
increase in its environmental impact is lower than the growth of the Group itself. To
make this policy a reality for all of its activities, in 2011, L'OCCITANE decided to pursue
certification to the ISO 14001 environmental standard.
An environmental management system was set up at the production sites (Manosque
and Lagorce), company-owned stores in France (L'OCCITANE and Melvita), the head
office in Geneva, the administrative site in Paris and the logistics platform.

ISO 14001
50% of production sites

100% of our companyowned stores, i.e. 68 stores

The head office in Geneva
and administrative site in
Paris

In March 2013, the production site in Lagorce obtained certification for its manufacturing
practices with regard to cosmetic products. A few months earlier, in October 2012, the
company-owned L'OCCITANE and Melvita stores in France, the administrative site in
Paris and the head office in Geneva also obtained ISO 14001 certification. This year,
these sites brilliantly maintained their certification: during the first follow-up audits,
just one minor non-compliance was identified across all areas audited. This goes to
prove the effectiveness of the management system that has been implemented.
Over the years, the Group has thus been able to develop indicators, make them more
reliable, ensure better analysis of indicators, refine the actions taken to reduce
environmental impacts, and involve an increasing number of employees.

LAUNCH OF THE ISO 14001 CERTIFICATION PROCESS IN

MANOSQUE AT THE END OF THE YEAR
The sites in Manosque (i.e. the production site and logistics platform) entered the
certification process this year. The certification is planned for 2015.

23

THE ENVIRONMENT
&

P R O D U C T I O N

INCREASING WASTE RECOVERY

Analysing needs, providing suitable containers, clear and easily understandable signage, in-house waste collection, a suitable storage area that
complies with regulations, appropriate recycling streams and a search for
new recycling streams, traceability and monitoring of waste disposal, raising employee awareness
By implementing all of these actions on the industrial sites, waste
management can be continuously improved.
In Lagorce, as a result of taking improvement measures, the percentage
of waste recycled increased from 27% to 52%, while the amount of waste
recovered (recycled and incinerated waste) reached 80%. Cardboard,
plastic film and wrapping, clean and soiled glass and plant oils are all
recycled.
At the industrial site in Manosque, 43 types of waste are recycled through
13 different recycling streams. As a result, 91% of waste is recovered.

PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS

91%

waste recovery in
Manosque and
80% in Lagorce

The Manosque site has been equipped with 270 m of photovoltaic panels
since 2011. In 2013, these panels enabled it to produce 33,760 kWh of
electricity. As for the site in Lagorce, 241 m of panels have been installed
since 2013.

RAISING EMPLOYEE AWARENESS

All year long, there are awareness-raising actions at the different
production sites, to keep a focus on the environment on a daily basis.
The Sustainable Development Week is one of the essential events where
employees can communicate and get involved.
This year, the event was organized around sustainability workshops. The
idea was to bring together players from different company sectors and
an external expert to work on the subject of sustainable development and
find ways to improve internal practices. The themes developed included
green chemistry, IT good practices, eco-responsible events, sustainable
communication and responsible finance.
One of the highlights of these workshops was a sustainable biodiversity
workshop, during which there were passionate discussions between
Marc Dufumier (an agronomist and teacher-researcher at AgroParisTech
in France, a specialist in agroecology and the author of several books)
with external representatives from the lavender supply chain and the
departments that work with this industry.
Still on the subject of raising employee awareness, another key moment
this year was an awareness day dedicated to the theme of safety and the
environment, which was organized at the Lagorce production site during
the French Journe de solidarit (day of solidarity with the elderly).

24

T he E N V I R O N M E N T
&

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

2 Questions

FOR LORENZO GIACOMONI

go to
market

The achievement of the year?

The reduction in air freight.

Objectives for the future?

To obtain ISO 14001 certification for the export platform opposite the Manosque production
site and continue to reduce the use of air freight.

The L'OCCITANE Group is committed to fighting global warming by reducing its greenhouse gas
emissions. To do this, the Group refers to its carbon footprint analysis, which is published every
three years. The most recent analysis (2009-2010) showed that freight accounted for a large
proportion of CO emissions. Since then, several action plans have been implemented to reduce
CO emissions related to freight. The carbon footprint analysis had also shown that employee
travel (between work and home, plus business trips) was the third highest emitter of CO, representing 12% of our total emissions. This prompted the Group's decision to establish a policy to
encourage its employees to reduce their emissions.

42%

reduction in the
weight of goods
transported by air

LESS USE OF AIR TRANSPORTATION

While the use of air transportation to deliver goods is kept to a minimum, it nevertheless
represented 75% of CO emissions from downstream freight in the most recent carbon footprint analysis. The Go-to-Market department has thus implemented a policy to reduce air
freight, with this means of transport used only in cases of urgency. The results are significant.
The share of air transport (based on tons transported) went from 4.2% in 2012-2013 to 3.1%
in 2013-2014. This represents a 4.2% reduction compared with the previous year and a 26%
reduction in tCO2e.
25

THE ENVIRONMENT
&

99%

of goods destined for

continental Europe
transported using
combined road-rail
transport

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

COMBINED ROAD-RAIL: A NEW, MORE

ECO-FRIENDLY MEANS OF TRANSPORT
This year, 99% of goods destined for continental Europe and delivered from
the site in Manosque were transported by combined road-rail transport. 16,601
pallets were transported, which meant savings of 480 tCO2 e (70% reduction
in CO emissions). The feedback continues to be very positive (less congested
transportation routes, less pollution, reliable, etc.) and has encouraged the
Group to further develop this solution (which began in 2012) for the transportation of goods.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
ECOLOGICAL AND PRACTICAL
To do more to fight global warming, since 2012, stores in the Paris region have had their
products delivered by electric trucks. This eco-friendly delivery method is now used
for 23 stores (L'OCCITANE and Melvita) in the Paris region.

stores in the Paris

region have their
products delivered by
electric vehicles

This year, our service provider made 3,938 deliveries, representing 439,301 kg of
goods. The delivery truck, dressed in the colours of L'OCCITANE, travelled 44,280 km,
saving 11,000 litres of diesel fuel from being burned. This represents savings of 28.8
tons of CO. Not only does this partnership help to fight greenhouse gas emissions, it
also ensures a reliable and punctual service.

THE GREEN TRANSPORT PLAN

Employee travel is now the third highest emitter of CO. The green transport plan was
launched in 2008 and every year, it goes from strength to strength. The objective now
is to remain on track over the years to come.

ENCOURAGING CARPOOLING
Since 2008, a policy aimed at strongly encouraging carpooling has been in place at the
production sites and the head office in Geneva. There are carpool registration forms,
new employees are informed of the carpooling programme, parking spaces near staff
entrances are reserved for carpoolers, prize draws are held, with the chance to win a
tankful of fuel, etc. This programme continues to bear fruit.

20%

of employees in
Manosque and 35%
in Lagorce take the
bus to work
or carpool

26

SHUTTLE BUSES FOR EMPLOYEES

Since 2009 (in Manosque) and since 2011 (in Lagorce), a bus service for employees
working the three eight-hour shifts has been financed by the Group. This enables employees to come to work without having to use their own cars and without having to
pay.
In addition, ever since the "La Table Occitane" staff canteen opened at the factory site
in Manosque, a lunchtime shuttle service has been available. This enables employees
who are based at the logistics platform in Manosque, a few kilometres away, to come
and have their lunch in the canteen. Outside lunch hours, electric cars are available for
support services, so that they can travel between the warehouse and the factory using
a green form of transport.

THE ENVIRONMENT
&

stor E S

2 Questions

Retail France

FOR NICOLAS SIRIEZ

73%

of stores have a
contract for 100%
renewable
electricity

The achievement of the year?

Objectives for the future?

Optimizing waste disposal in our stores.

To increase the use of electric vehicles for

deliveries.

With 2,572 stores throughout the world, it

is extremely important for the L'OCCITANE
Group that its stores be eco-designed. The
Group is constantly striving to be more
innovative and its main aims include reducing
electricity consumption and improving
waste recycling, with a focus on continuous
improvement. In keeping with the policy of the
Group, L'OCCITANE France is committed to
working in this direction.

100% RENEWABLE
ELECTRICITY

MAKING STORES
GREENER
To reduce the environmental impact of stores,
electricity consumption indicators have been put
in place in all company-owned stores, so that areas
of intervention can be defined. Using the resulting
tracking file, energy-intensive items have been
identified and action plans implemented. Store
signs are switched off during the night and LED
lights have been installed for lighting, which allows
for an average monthly consumption of 28kWh/m2,
a drop of 3,6% compared with last year. To avoid
health and environmental risks, the paints used in
stores do not contain volatile organic compounds.

The L'OCCITANE Group is committed to supporting renewable energies. In France, 73%

of company-owned L'OCCITANE stores and
100% of Melvita stores have an electricity
contract with a provider of electricity from
renewable sources (hydropower, wind turbines, biomass and PV panels).

ISO 14001
Certification
One of the Group's ambitions is to obtain
certification for its stores. It wants to include
the entire chain of activities in a continuous
improvement process. Stores therefore
have their own ISO 14001 certificate for their
activity selling cosmetic products. In October 2012, our stores in France were awarded
ISO 14001 certification. This certification
was maintained in October 2013, further to a
follow-up audit.
27

SOCIAL
RESPONSiBILITY
The L'OCCITANE Group has set itself the objectives of
encouraging diversity within teams and helping employees to
grow and fulfil their potential. To do this, it has established a
strong social dialogue and put into place various action plans,
with the aim of building a responsible company that encourages
people to act responsibly, a company that is open to others
and knows how to find strength in diversity.

28

SOCIAL RESPONSiBILITY
&

H U M A N

R E S O U R C E S

2 Questions

FOR JULIEN SCHMIDT AND

NICOLAS VETO

M A N A G E M E N T

HUMAN
RESOURCES

The achievement of the year?

The structuring of Human Resources (tools, reorganization, electing staff representatives), for even
greater equity, more dialogue, and better management of skills and talents.

Objectives for the future?

The internationalization of the HR function.

The L'OCCITANE Group strives always to be available to listen to its employees and create a climate of trust and professional development.

KEEPING A FOCUS ON SOCIAL DIALOGUE

This year, Laboratoires M&L wanted to go even further in terms of implementing a constructive social dialogue.
Employee representative bodies were elected once again in September 2013, with a single works council and staff
representatives for each site in France. A Health, Safety & Working Conditions committee for each site meets every
three months to discuss matters concerning all establishments. This determination to develop social dialogue within
the company is also seen in the fact that interviews are conducted with all staff representatives at the start and end
of their mandate.
Internal mobility also continues to be a focus of particular attention with regard to the growth of the Group. It plays
a major role in motivating employees and giving them recognition for their work. An internal mobility agreement
was signed in February 2014 to facilitate and support the geographic and occupational mobility of employees on the
industrial sites and the administrative site in Paris.
29

SOCIAL RESPONSiBILITY
&

20,000

applications registered
on the e-recruitment
platform

OVER

600

job offers posted in the

careers section of the
company's intranet

H U M A N

R E S O U R C E S

M A N A G E M E N T

Following the 2012 action plan relating to gender equality at work, Laboratoires M&L
(industrial sites and administrative site in Paris) negotiated and signed a collective
agreement to this effect with the representative trade unions. Through follow-up and
regular contact with staff representatives, information such as actions taken and
developments can be detailed within the framework of a comparative report, and
precise objectives can be defined.

A VEHICLE FOR GROWTH AND

EMPLOYMENT
The Manosque industrial site is a major employer in the region, with many new jobs
created in 2013-2014. An e-recruitment platform, launched in September 2012, guarantees the traceability of applications through the creation of a personal account. In
all, some 20,000 applications for positions at the sites in France and Europe have been
registered via this platform.
In addition, to promote employee mobility, a careers section has also been integrated
on the Group's intranet. This year, over 600 job offers were published via this new
recruitment tool.

WELCOMING NEW STAFF

Adhering to the Group's social and environmental policy is key to successful integration. For this reason, all new employees joining the sites in France and Geneva are
provided with specific information about this theme. To enable them to do their bit
for the planet on a daily basis, they are given a document detailing the Group's social
and environmental actions, in addition to a cup made from recycled plastic (at the
Manosque and Lagorce industrial sites), as a symbolic gesture.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
OVER

2,000

people given personal

development interviews

OVER

89.6%

of our employees have

attended at least one
training course

30

Developing the skills of employees is essential in order for the Group to be competitive and grow. Appraisal campaigns and personal development interviews have been
conducted internationally, particularly in Europe, North America, Australia, Brazil and
Asia. In all, over 2,000 people take part in these annual interviews, which give employees
the opportunity to discuss their career with their managers.
In 2013-2014, over 43,068 hours of training were given to 1,068 people within Laboratoires
M&L. This means that 89.6% of employees attended at least one training course. By the
end of 2013, the amount spent on in-house training represented 4.8% of Laboratoires
M&L payroll, i.e. three times higher than the legal obligation (as a reminder, the legal
obligation is 1.6%).
Some employees who work in the same teams as hearing-impaired workers chose to
take a training course in French sign language. This year, this was taken one step further,
with employees producing a digital French sign language dictionary, accessible online,
which contains 120 words, with both everyday and professional terms.

SOCIAL RESPONSiBILITy
&

Q U A L I T Y

O F

L I F E

2 Questions
FOR JULIEN SCHMIDT

AT

W O R K

HUMAN RESOURCES
SUPPLY CHAIN

The achievement of the year?

The establishment of new common social standards through company agreements relating
to working hours, profit-sharing, social dialogue and more interaction and communication
with managers.

Objectives for the future?

To keep abreast of social issues and ensure that all our efforts to maintain an open,
constructive, participatory, transparent and modern dialogue at every level of the company
are sustained over the long term.

31

SOCIAL RESPONSiBILITY
&

Q U A L I T y

O F

L I F E

AT

W O R K

The well-being of its employees is one of the Group's priorities.

Many actions are taken to keep doing even more in this area, with
an approach based on overall consistency that is motivating and
involves all those concerned.

BALANCING PROFESSIONAL AND

PRIVATE LIFE

17

children at the day care

centre in Manosque and
16 in Vgu

50,986
meals or snacks served at
La Table Occitane

OVER

90%

of employees who eat

at La Table Occitane are
satisfied

32

Reconciling work and family life is one of the key objectives of

the Group's French entities, as this plays a major role in ensuring
that employees are both balanced and motivated. For more than
six years, fitness, yoga and Pilates lessons have been available
for employees during their break times. Two day care centres for
children have also been set up. This year, 17 children were registered at the day care centre in Manosque and 16 in Vgu, near
Lagorce.

SPORT AND WELL-BEING

2013-2014 saw an emphasis on team sports, solidarity and
competition, with employees taking part in various organized
sporting events:
On September 15, 2013, 70 employees joined the 6 km "La
Parisienne" race, which is run by women, for women, and was
created to raise money for breast cancer research.
On October 5, 2013, 55 employees took part in the Verdon
Triathlon, competing either individually or in a relay team.

A STAFF CANTEEN AND evening

GET-TOGETHERS
In September 2013, the staff canteen, "La Table Occitane", run by
a food service provider, opened its doors on the Manosque site.
From September 2013 to March 2014, 50,986 snacks or meals
were served. On average, over 400 meals are served every day.
The canteen also provides snacks for the morning, afternoon and
evening teams. In addition, once a month, the canteen puts on a
special theme day related to something happening in the news or
the Group's commitments.
A BVA survey was conducted last March to gauge employees'
satisfaction with this new canteen. 91% of those who have lunch
there are generally satisfied with it.
This canteen is another initiative that aims to contribute to wellbeing at work by offering balanced meals in a pleasant setting.
Since March 2014, regular evening get-together have also been
organized for staff working at the Manosque site, with over
80 employees enjoying these relaxed, convivial moments.

SOCIAL RESPONSiBILITY
&

Q U A L I T y

O F

L I F E

AT

W O R K

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE INVOLVEMENT OF

THE WORKS COUNCIL
The well-being of employees is also one of the priorities of the works council, which has
got involved in some of the actions related to social responsibility, such as the Verdon
Triathlon, by subsidizing part of the registration fees. The works council has also been
involved in helping to improve quality of life at work by offering employees the opportunity
to enjoy some relaxing time during their breaks. Examples include massages (given in the
sensory analysis laboratory), free hot drinks days, and people coming to the site and selling
goods directly to employees in the break room.

PREVENTING WORKRELATED RISKS

RAISING EMPLOYEE
AWARENESS

The health and safety of employees is a priority for

the Group. Within the scope of the industrial sites,
there are two working groups: one that focuses on working conditions, another that focuses on occupational
stress. These groups meet regularly with members of
the Health, Safety & Working Conditions committee
and all those who play a key role in occupational health
matters. Many actions have been taken as a result of
this, with two in particular in 2013-2014:

Ever since the CSR policy was introduced, awareness

campaigns have played a key role in implementing
change and getting employees involved.
During France's Sustainable Development Week in April
2013, "workshops" were held to encourage employees to
take innovative measures to achieve their objectives by
integrating the foundations of sustainable development
(see "The Environment & Production").

On the Manosque site, an evaluation of working conditions and well-being at work was carried out with the
assistance of a workplace ergonomist. The conclusions
of this study were passed on to the Health, Safety &
Working Conditions committee, and follow-up will be
conducted by a multidisciplinary working group.
A "test" working group within the Upstream Flows
logistics department was piloted by the Health, Safety
& Working Conditions committee and the Health,
Safety and Environment department. It allowed people
to put suggestions across for improvements that could
be made to working conditions and led to investments
being made as well as ergonomic adjustments to
workstations.
This initiative will be extended to other departments
during 2014. Efforts are also constantly being made to
improve working conditions, particularly since the new
factory opened. Measures taken to optimize conditions
include improving the flow of visitors/employees/
forklift trucks/warehouse carts, natural lighting, noise
reduction, the installation of cloakrooms, reduced noise
in the automated production areas, etc.

Marc Dufumier during France's Sustainable Development Week

33

SOCIAL RESPONSiBILITY
&

D I V E R S I T Y

2 Questions

DIVERSITY

fOr aurlie uricher

The achievement of the year?
Continuing to work with the "ESAT Hors les Murs" team, following the transfer of one of
their main activities.

Objectives for the future?

Job retention for disabled workers.

The Group embraces diversity by integrating people with disabilities into the workplace, but also by
committing to gender equality.

GENDER EQUALITY
This year marked a new impetus from the Group's French entities, with the signing of a gender
equality agreement. Several initiatives have been developed within this context, such as pre- and
post-maternity leave interviews for women, to provide them with the best possible support during
this key period in their professional and personal lives. During Women's Day Week, for the first time,
the Group welcomed Vronique Praux-Cobti from the Diafora consultancy practice for a workshopcum-conference on the theme of gender diversity in the workplace at our site in Paris.
34

SOCIAL RESPONSiBILITY
&

D I V E R S I T Y

JOB RETENTION
Since 2010, the industrial sites have had a partnership with AGEFIPH a French
agency that helps disabled workers both to find employment and stay in the
workforce. The percentage of disabled workers in our production sites is above
the minimum required by French law (6%), with 7.24% on 31.12.2013.

A LASTING PARTNERSHIP WITH ARPEJEH

Since September 2010, the industrial sites have been working with ARPEJEH (Accompagner la Ralisation des Projets d'Etudes de Jeunes Elves et Etudiants Handicaps) an organization that promotes the employment of disabled young people. The
aim of this partnership is to give young people the confidence to continue their studies and also to raise awareness of disability among employees. Throughout the year,
there are several opportunities for these young people to join our employees on our
sites: Exploration des Mtiers Insolites (exploring unusual professions) in Manosque;
the Ateliers Dcouverte des Mtiers (career workshop forums) in Paris and Marseille;
welcoming interns with disabilities and, finally, organizing half-day meetings with
figures from the academic community and professionals from the world of business.

RAISING DISABILITY AWARENESS

It is largely thanks to the dedication of employees that the disability policy of
the Group's French entities exists. Employees have voluntarily got involved in
the actions of ARPEJEH. Sign language training has been given to help maintain
employment for the hearing-impaired, and the purchasing team has showed
its determination to continue working with people from the ESAT vocational
centres. All of these actions were highlighted during the Disability Employment
Week through photo exhibitions showing employees committed to integrating
the disabled into our Group.
For the fourth year running, and within the framework of the "Un Jour, Un Mtier"
(One Day, One Profession) national operation organized by Cap Emploi (a
network of agencies that help disabled people find work), disabled job seekers
from a wide range of backgrounds were welcomed by some fifteen employees
at the Manosque site so that they could spend a day there learning about their
different occupations.

7.24%

disabled workers at the

production sites

12,880
Christmas gift sets
pre-prepared by ESAT
vocational centres

DIRECT AND INDIRECT RECRUITMENT

Since October 15, 2012, about a dozen disabled workers from the ESAT du Fournas in
Manosque have taken the path to the Manosque production site and taken up position next to the Logistics team. Watched over by their supervisors (seconded from
the ESAT), these workers make gift boxes, deal with faulty products and perform
various packaging tasks. This team project, christened "ESAT HORS LES MURS"
(an ESAT beyond the walls), has succeeded in keeping this work going thanks to the
strong involvement of both the operational teams and management. The initiative
has also been an extremely enriching and fulfilling experience: for example, the workers are 70% more motivated and have more self-confidence (+30%)(1).
(1) Based on information from the ESAT's report on employment and working conditions with regard to the team working
at Manosque.

35

PHILANTHROPY
The L'OCCITANE Group pursues its commitments through its
Foundation, philanthropy activities and employee projects.
Through these actions, it reveals the values that drive it and
supports public interest projects.

36

PHILANTHROPY & THE GROUP'S

C O M M I T M E N T S

2 Questions

PHILANTHROPY

for Jrme Schatzman

The achievement of the year?
Getting L'OCCITANE employees more involved in our actions throughout the world.

Objectives for the future?

To focus the actions of the L'OCCITANE Foundation on Burkina Faso, so that we can have a
greater impact on the development of the country.

The L'OCCITANE Group supports local public interest projects, particularly in the Haute-Provence
region, but it also supports projects abroad, such as in Burkina Faso. It works in countries and
regions that have long had strong ties with the Group.

THE EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT PROGRAMME

The Group is keen to encourage its employees to "do their bit", particularly in France. The French
entities offer employees the chance to get involved in community and charity projects through
the Employee Commitment Programme, set up in 2011.
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PHILANTHROPY & THE GROUP'S

C O M M I T M E N T S

110

employees involved
in 27 community projects

To enable its employees to get involved in projects, the L'OCCITANE Group

offers them three ways to take action:
Financially, by making a donation to the LOCCITANE Foundation.
By going on a mission to Burkina Faso with the Nord & Sud employee
association, to teach women soap-making skills.
3 By giving some time to a local community project.
1

This year, almost 110 employees from the three French sites got involved
in 27 different projects (cleaning up the area around the Ardche Gorges,
raising public awareness about the plight of lavender, restoring dry stone
walls, etc.). That's four times as many employees as last year!

85

pallets of products
redistributed to some
160,000 people in financial
need

DONATING PRODUCTS
For the past three years, the L'OCCITANE Group has been a partner of the
Dons Solidaires association. In 2013-2014, 85 pallets of products were given
to 145 charities (compared with 46 in 2012), helping over 160,000 people in
financial need.

PHILANTHROPY IN PROVENCE
L'OCCITANE is a brand that is very involved in activities and projects
within its region. It has joined up with 32 partners to perpetuate the
knowledge and skills of Provence and bring more value to the region.
This year, four projects were supported:
The creation of visitor experiences and signage dedicated to the
history of the rose at the Abbey of Valsaintes, home to a remarkable
garden with almost 650 varieties of roses.
Night visits to the Jardin des Senteurs fragrant garden at the
Salagon museum and ethnobotanical gardens.
The development of a tinctorial plants supply chain by Couleurs
Garance.
An endowment fund to preserve the lavender heritage of Provence.

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partnerships with
organizations to add value
to the region of Provence

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Lavender cultivation in Provence is currently facing major challenges,

for which solutions must be found. L'OCCITANE is working with
lavender growers and supports the "lavender fund". Our common goal
is to develop concrete, ecological solutions and adapt cultivation
practices in order to protect lavender, which is directly exposed
to the impacts of climate change. 50,000 euros have already been
contributed to the lavender fund, to finance research projects.
To draw attention to the topic of lavender a topic of great importance
to us the L'OCCITANE Group joined up with the Rencontres d'Arles
international photography festival in 2013 and invited the Portuguese
photographer Paulo Nozolino, who creates stunning images in black
and white, to work on an exhibition on this subject.

PHILANTHROPY & THE GROUP'S

C O M M I T M E N T S

THE L'OCCITANE FOUNDATION

Created in 2006, the L'OCCITANE Foundation is involved in two areas:
supporting the visually impaired and promoting women's entrepreneurship. It also works with about a dozen of the Group's subsidiaries
that wish to focus on local projects. This year, the Foundation has a
budget of over one million euros, with this money used to support 27
projects.

PROMOTING WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Since the Foundation was created:
900 women have gained literacy skills, thanks to the programme led by
the NGO Aide et Action.
6,000 women have been given access to microcredit loans, saving
plans and training programmes within the framework of projects supported by the French NGO Entrepreneurs du Monde.
In partnership with the Maison de l'Entreprise du Burkina Faso (a
non-profit structure that supports business development in the
country), L'OCCITANE Foundation "Ppite" awards were granted to
three exemplary entrepreneurial women to help them develop their
businesses. Finally, as with every year, a fund-raising product was sold
for International Women's Day in March. This year, over 58,000 euros
were raised from the sale of our fund-raising soap.
On an international scale, the Foundation is particularly keen to support
entrepreneurial initiatives. To this end, a new partnership has been
forged with Ashoka a network of social entrepreneurs for the next
three years. Four women social entrepreneurs are being supported in
three countries (France, United States and Burkina Faso).

SUPPORTING THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

This year, the Foundation committed to two new projects aimed at
fighting avoidable blindness in Burkina Faso:
Light for the World
Through this programme, grants/loans can be awarded to four
Burkinab doctors, so that they can take specialized training in
ophthalmology in Mali. There is a real shortage of ophthalmologists in
Burkina Faso and very few of them work outside the big cities.
Sightsavers
This project aims to eliminate neglected tropical diseases in the Cascades region of Burkina Faso. 40,000 people will be treated.

40,000
people treated against
neglected tropical diseases
in Burkina Faso

6,000

women have had access to

microcredit with the NGO
Entrepreneurs du Monde

The Group's subsidiaries and distributors also do their bit to support

the visually impaired. In 2013-2014, ten projects from different countries
were selected and enabled almost 150 visually impaired people to find
training courses, an internship or employment, while 3,000 people with
visual impairments enjoyed greater access to culture.
Finally, the second L'OCCITANE Sight Award aimed at funding scientific research to fight blindness in developing countries was given to
Professor Clare Gilbert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine to carry out research in Bangladesh. Through this project,
over 10,000 school children in the country will have their eyes tested.
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PHILANTHROPY & THE GROUP'S

C O M M I T M E N T S

OVER

2 MILLION
EUROS

raised to help
rebuild Japan

THE L'OCCITANE FUND

Following the Japanese tsunami in 2011, the L'OCCITANE Fund was used to raise over
2 million euros from Group employees and shareholders to help rebuild devastated
areas. Even now, three years on from the disaster, help is still needed for reconstruction.

THE MELVITA FOUNDATION

The Melvita brand has been part of the L'OCCITANE Group since 2008. Its foundation
was created in 2010 by the founder of Melvita, Bernard Chevilliat. The Melvita
Foundation acts to save bees and their environment by taking part in any initiatives
or studies that may help put a stop to their disappearance and protect their natural
habitat.
Since the Foundation was created, 223 beehives have been set up, 61 beekeepers
have been trained, and nine studies/conferences have been organized, dedicated to
the plight of bees.
In 2013, the Melvita Foundation agreed to support five projects to protect and raise
awareness about bees.

223

beehives set up

61

beekeepers trained

studies/conferences
organized

276

beneficiaries in
India and Brazil

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COUVENT DES MINIMES PHILANTHROPY

To perpetuate the traditions of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, who lived at the
Couvent des Minimes in Mane, the brand donates 1% of its annual sales to support the
missionaries' community development projects. The first projects were a children's
day care centre and nursing school in the south of India, as well as a residential home
for the elderly in Brazil. 276 people in these two countries are able to benefit from
these projects .

APPENDIX
L A B O R AT O I R E S M & L S O C I A L
I N F O R M AT I O N

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APPENDIX
L A B O R ATO I R E S M & L S O C I A L I N F O R M AT I O N

The information given below refers solely to Laboratoires M&L for the 2013 calendar year (on 31.12.13) and is provided for
information purposes only.

A) EMPLOYMENT
NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF EMPLOYEES
BY GENDER AND AGE GROUP
Distribution of M&L employees by age group
Under 25

25-35

36-45

46-55

Over 55

Total

3.5%

42.7%

33.7%

17.2%

2.9%

100%

Women make up 58% of the company's workforce, with men accounting for 42%.

HIRING AND DISMISSALS

Total employees hired on open-ended contracts

86

Total employees (on open-ended contracts) leaving

65

b) OrganiZation OF WORKING HOURS

Percentage of M&L employees by full-time and part-time status.
Full time

87%

Part time

13%

c) SOCIAL relations
Staff representatives
Staff delegates
(including deputies)

34

Works council
(including deputies)

26

Health, Safety & Working Conditions committee

19

Trade union representatives

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APPENDIX
L A B O R ATO I R E S M & L S O C I A L I N F O R M AT I O N

D) HEALTH AND SAFETY

TRAINING

Number of people who attended M&L

safety training courses
774

WORK-RELATED ACCIDENTS
Number of work-related accidents without sick leave in 2013

19

Number of work-related accidents resulting in sick leave in 2013

10

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