Nutrition Edit

From packaging to production practises – there are lots of things within beauty businesses like ours that could contribute to the damage, and it is important for us to help lead the changes that need to be made for individuals and brands alike.

Taking the planet’s temperature

To understand the importance of a sustainable agenda, we need to take a look at the scale of the problem we face.

According to climate and weather agency The Met Office, in 2021 atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2) levels are set to hit a historic threshold, reaching 50% higher than pre-industrial levels as a result of human-produced CO2 emissions1

This rise in CO2 levels has already contributed to the planet’s average temperature increasing by 1.18 degrees Celsius since the 19th century2, and 2020 was the joint warmest year on record, alongside 2016.

Other factors including plastic pollution, landfill waste, chemical contamination, deforestation, and habitat and eco-system destruction are changing our planet at speed, and the consequences for wildlife and for our communities and for us as individuals will be vast.

We’re already seeing some of these changes in action. The heatwaves and flash flooding experienced across the UK are thought to be occurring due to our changing climate. Further afield, between 1993 and 2019, 279bn tonnes of ice per year melted in the Arctic and Greenland, and 148bn tonnes per year melted in the Antarctic3. As a result of these, and many more, changes by 2030, 100 million people in developing countries could be pushed into poverty by climate change and ecological destruction will be irreversible.

Why are we talking about this?

Emissions, plastic waste, chemical pollution and more damaging activities can be linked to the beauty industry. Unethically produced ingredients can exploit humans and nature during production, and can decimate wildlife habitats. Synthetic chemicals, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate in sunscreen, are toxic to wildlife and eco-systems – and can contribute to events such as coral bleaching. Scented products such as hairspray, perfume and deodorant, have recently been found to be as polluting as vehicle emissions4, added to this manufacturing facilities, transporting ingredients and air freight of products emits vast quantities of CO2. These challenges are just the tip of the iceberg – and we’re working hard to drive real change.

The Packaging Problem

One focus for us is packaging and plastic. Globally, the beauty industry generates 120 billion units of packaging each year5 according to a report from the industry group the British Beauty Council. Every year, 14 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the oceans6 – the equivalent of one bin lorry per minute. Much of what is discarded is plastic packaging.

Re-using and recycling are two important solutions, but for many shoppers, mixed materials in beauty packaging are complicated to recycle. Two thirds of people are confused about what cosmetics products can be recycled7, and in one survey over 56% of people said they don’t recycle bathroom products because of the inconvenience.

This means that packaging is often thrown away, ending up in landfills, dumps, or waterways. In the EU, plastic packaging accounts for 85% of marine litter. If the use of plastic continues to increase, by 2050 the volume of plastic in our oceans will be greater than the volume of fish.

Beauty packaging takes decades, if not centuries to decompose: one discarded pot of moisturiser could take 1,000 years to degrade. Runoff from landfill sites contaminates waterways and damages eco-systems and methane gas produced during decomposition adds to the greenhouse effect. Additionally, microplastics from waste, which are partially produced when plastics break down, contaminate the food chain.

For us at Advanced Nutrition Programme™, perfecting eco-friendly, plastic-free, sustainable packaging has been a longstanding priority. Since 2017, all Advanced Nutrition Programme packaging has been fully recyclable. Across the business, eco-friendly, vegetable-based inks are used and all paper is sourced from FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified forests – meaning trees are grown and replanted in a way that protects the environment. the business, eco-friendly, vegetable-based inks are used and all paper is sourced from FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified forests – meaning trees are grown and replanted in a way that protects the environment.

“If we open our eyes to what’s going on around us, you cannot help but notice the massive impact we’re having on the environment around us,”

says our founder David Alpert. To help in the environmental challenges the planet faces, he stresses that individuals and businesses must take decisive action, to ensure sustainability is at the top of the agenda. “Unless we create a mass movement behind making sustainable changes then it is not going to happen,” he explains.

Eco-Ingredients

Traceability is a challenge for beauty products, which have long and complex supply chains to source their products and ingredients. We made this a priority at the Advanced Nutrition Programme™, and have full traceability of ingredients in our supplements. We work exclusively with suppliers matching our rigorous ethical and sustainable criteria, and where necessary we shift suppliers to uphold our standards.

The fish oils used in Skin Omegas + are EPAX assured. This means each batch can be traced to the individual fishing boat, which is certified to use sustainable fishing practices.

Additionally, the vitamin C that we use in our supplements has an unmatched low carbon emissions. It is produced in Scotland by the only vitamin C supplier in Europe, saving us vast amounts of CO2 by avoiding transcontinental shipping.

Choosing this vitamin C results in 59% lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to equivalents and busing 1,000 tonnes saves us 14,000 tonnes of CO2.9

Where next?

When it comes to sustainability, the conversation is always evolving, and there is always more that can be done – the journey to sustainability never ends. Our research team are on the process of continuous eco-improvements and striving for more sustainable sourcing methods e.g. the pods housing our Skin Boxes now contain 85% PCR(post consumer recycle plastic content) and are in discussions for even more sustainable sources. We incorporate this ethos into our work and consistently monitor potential sustainable changes that we can make, evolving and switching products and ingredients to make sure we always use the most sustainable options. This extends to any gifting options – our water bottles and eco-chic coffee tumblers help to encourage more planet-friendly habits for our teams and clients.

As the need for sustainable change becomes ever more pressing and the consequences ever more noticeable, we can all play an important role in driving change. Looking ahead, the future for beauty must continue to grow greener, and individual actions also play an important role in making sure change is lasting, as change is possible if progress and passion continue at speed.