In a groundbreaking move, Chanel spearheads the creation of the Traceability Alliance for Sustainable Cosmetics (TRASCE), partnering with 15 major cosmetics manufacturers, including industry heavyweights Dior and Estée Lauder. This collaborative effort aims to revolutionize traceability within the beauty industry’s ingredient and packaging supply chains.

Inspired by recent health and geopolitical events causing disruptions, TRASCE emerges as a proactive response to strengthen understanding, assess social and environmental risks, and establish action plans for standard progress. Gilles Swyngedauw, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and Product Sustainability at Albéa Cosmetics Fragrance, emphasizes the need for a unified methodology to harmonize industry needs and involve stakeholders.

The alliance’s commitment extends to mapping extensive supply chains, logging details such as ingredients, origins, supplier activities, transformation locations, and supplier names to address traceability at scale. Meghan Ryan, Executive Director of Responsible Sourcing at Estée Lauder, envisions a transformative impact through shared digital tools and close collaboration, emphasizing responsible sourcing with attention to potential impacts on people and the environment.

The tracking of product data will be facilitated by the digital platform Transparency-One, ensuring every supplier’s ownership, security, and confidentiality of shared data. Julien Garry, International Director of Purchasing and Packaging Innovation Development at Chanel Parfums Beauté, acknowledges the challenges of convincing distant suppliers to commit to traceability, leading to the proposal of a collaborative effort to expedite the process.

Garry states, “The essential work of mapping our supply chains has allowed us to understand the main limits of the exercise.” The consortium aims to trace supply chains as far and as quickly as possible, recognizing the importance of collective action within the sector.

Highlighting the broader implications, the lack of traceability is underscored as a potential source of counterfeit products, with data from the European Union Intellectual Property Office indicating a significant €3 billion loss in the cosmetics industry due to counterfeit products. The TRASCE initiative thus emerges not only as a response to recent challenges but also as a pivotal step towards ensuring transparency, authenticity, and sustainability within the beauty industry.