Aveda Celebrates Environmental Milestones, Announces Commitment to Solar Energy this Earth Day

Aveda Earth Month 2020

Aveda has celebrated Earth Day through campaigns and fundraising initiatives for 30 years as a way to recognize its responsibility to give back to the earth and communities that the company depends on. Today, Aveda continues to find ways to renew its commitment to environmental responsibility by going vegan, investing in water-saving manufacturing systems, as well as completing the installation of a 3.7-acre solar field at the company’s headquarters in Minnesota. Read on for a primer on all of the other sustainable and responsible ways Aveda is helping protect our planet and our future. 

Cruelty-Free & Vegan
Aveda was born cruelty-free, never tested on animals. As of August 2019, all of Aveda’s manufactured products are also 100% vegan, removing all beeswax, honey and beeswax-derived ingredients from its products.

Protecting Clean Water
In 2007, Aveda began to focus on raising money to help protect water resources and provide access to clean water. Some of Aveda’s initiatives include: piloting water-saving programs at the company’s manufacturing facility in Minneapolis, Minnesota; petitioning the Canadian government to clean up a contaminated river in Grassy Narrows, Ontario, Canada; as well as raising funds for communities in need from Flint, Michigan to Umbari, India.

This year, Aveda has completed a major series of water-saving upgrades within its Minnesota-based manufacturing facility that will help the brand save over 3 million gallons of water annually.

Solar & Wind-Powered Manufacturing
Aveda was the first beauty company to manufacture its products using 100% wind power at its primary facility in Minnesota, and this spring, the brand will complete the installation of a 3.7-acre solar field that will provide 50% of the manufacturing facility’s annual demand.

Naturally-Derived Ingredients
Aveda believes nature is the best beauty artist of all, which is why the company’s products are 90% naturally derived from plants, non petroleum minerals or water. Additionally, through fair compensation, Aveda positively impacts the people and economies from which some of its products' ingredients are sourced.

Responsible Packaging
Aveda was the first beauty company to use 100% consumer recycled PET plastics in its packaging and today 85% of its skin care and hair care styling PET bottles and jars contain 100% post consumer recycled materials.

Carbon-Neutral Delivery in April
This April, Aveda is piloting a carbon-neutral delivery program, offsetting carbon emissions generated by delivering orders placed on Aveda.com and shipped within the United States. At checkout, guests will have the opportunity to choose which carbon offset project they would like Aveda to support on their behalf. Options include wind, solar and water projects that will mitigate the environmental impact of shipping these orders.

Aveda’s Environmental Milestones: Through the Years

●  1978: Aveda was founded with the principles of a commitment to earth and community care.
●  1989: Aveda becomes the first company to sign Ceres Principles, mobilizing leaders on climate changes and water scarcity.
●  1992: Aveda’s first in-salon Earth Day event, a precursor to the Earth Month Campaign.
●  1999: Aveda’s Earth Month Campaign debuts, raising funds for organizations combating deforestation.
●  2006: Aveda’s Light the Way candle is launched, with 100% of proceeds donated to Earth Month partners protecting endangered species. First Light the Way candle sales raise $520,000 and Earth Month fundraising reaches $1.5 million.
●  2007: Aveda partners with Global Greengrants Fund, a leading environmental nonprofit organization, to support grassroots clean water projects around the world.
●  2013: Aveda Cut-A-Thon wins Guinness World record for the most money raised for charity through haircuts in one day.
●  2015: Aveda’s Earth Month Campaign reaches a $44 million fundraising milestone with $38 million directed to protect clean water projects globally and locally.
●  2019: Aveda’s Earth Month Campaign celebrates 20 Years and reaches a cumulative Earth Month $65 million fund-raising milestone for hundreds of local and global environmental organizations, with more than $60 million directed to protecting and providing clean water.
●  2020: Aveda continues its partnership with charity: water, one of the leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to providing access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to people in developing countries. Through the partnership, Aveda provides clean water to underserved communities in India, Nepal, Madagascar and Ethiopia, key sourcing countries for the brand.

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