The Net Zero Salons Programme launches to help salons in the UK and Ireland through the process of becoming a Net Zero business

26^th January 2023, London – L’Oréal and Net Zero Now, the climate action platform, have partnered to develop an industry-first initiative, the Net Zero Salons Programme – to enable hair salons to embark on the journey to Net Zero, open to salons across the UK and Ireland.

The Net Zero Salons Programme guides salons through the process of calculating, tracking and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through tailored carbon reduction plans, with the ultimate ambition of certifying as a “Net Zero Salon”. Developed by Net Zero Now in partnership with L’Oréal, as well as involving peer reviews and input from across the industry, the programme is based on a salon-specific roadmap and tool for measuring, tracking, reporting and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

With approximately 31,000 hair salons up and down UK high streets, salons play a significant role in the beauty economy. Data from the initial Net Zero Salons Programme pilot estimates that the average salon appointment produces 3.1kg of greenhouse gas emissions per year. In line with Science Based Targets, the programme aims to empower salons and clients alike to play their role in taking carbon reduction action and recommends that salons on the programme work towards a benchmark of 2kg per salon appointment. If all salons in the UK achieved this 2kg benchmark, the industry could remove approximately a third (33 per cent) of its greenhouse gas emissions. 

Client habits and expectations on sustainability are evolving: recent L’Oréal surveys found that nearly half of British women (45 per cent) said they made more sustainable choices in 2022 than in previous years, and when looking more specifically at salons, 43 per cent wanted to see their salon doing more to be sustainable, and nearly a quarter (23 per cent) said they now expect a beauty or wellness service provider to be committed to reducing their environmental footprint.

The programme aims to make the journey to becoming a “Net Zero Salon” accessible for all salons by providing personalised and actionable recommendations; from switching to renewable energy and becoming more energy efficient, improving waste treatment and management, reducing water consumption and heating, to incentivising employees with ride to work schemes or encouraging public transport options. The programme is open to salons in the UK & Ireland who can discover more and sign up to the programme now:  www.netzero.salon

Simon Heppner, Co-Founder, Net Zero Now said: “We are very excited to introduce this industry-first roadmap and tool for the salon sector in partnership with L’Oréal. This programme is open to all salons, empowering the whole industry to play its part in tackling the climate crisis and meeting the growing expectations of consumers and employees. We know this programme can help salons to be even more efficient by reducing energy and water consumption which we hope also brings more business resilience for the future. With Net Zero initiatives now live in hospitality, accountancy, tech services and salons, we’re providing tens of thousands of small businesses with the tools they need to take their first steps on the road to Net Zero.”  

Adam Reed, Adam Reed London, hairdresser & salon owner said: “I am delighted to be one of the first salons to be part of the L’Oréal and Net Zero Now ‘Net Zero Salons Programme’. Sustainability is something that is incredibly important to me as an individual and as a business leader – and it is something that both my team and clients actively ask about and want to see us taking action on. 

“I have been embarking on my salon’s sustainability journey for some time and new tools like the programme protocol are invaluable for our sector. The tool has helped me to understand where I am at on my journey by calculating and tracking, and then importantly, has helped me to accelerate with a personalised reduction plan and making my salon business more resilient for the future.” 

 

Millie Kendall OBE, CEO British Beauty Council said: “Now more than ever – especially post pandemic – salons play an essential role on our British high streets and local communities; with the power to not only inspire confidence and promote wellbeing, but to be an advocate for positive change – not only from a business perspective but extending to influencing consumer habits on important topics such as sustainability. This new Net Zero Salons Programme, coupled with L’Oréal’s new educational offerings to help up skill hairdressers on sustainability, is really empowering the salon sector to play its role and take action.”

Leading names in the salon industry, including Adam Reed (London), Trevor Sorbie (Manchester) and Linton & Mac (Scotland), were amongst the 17 salons who enrolled on the Net Zero Salons Programme pilot to help develop this industry-first actionable salon carbon footprint tracker and roadmap. 

The Net Zero Salons Programme is part of L’Oréal Groupe’s wider 2030 sustainability roadmap, L’Oreal For The Future, a set of measurable targets on climate, water, biodiversity and natural resources. As part of this roadmap, L’Oréal is committed to supporting its partner salons – and the wider industry – to adopt more sustainable business practices through its Hairstylists for the Future programme. This already established programme, has been developing innovative solutions to support salons across environmental pillars such as waste, through a partnership with the Green Salon Collective and water, providing solutions for responsible water use and lowering water consumption with the new L’Oréal Water Saver, a showerhead that uses jet-fusion technology to significantly reduce a salon’s water consumption at the backwash, which is set to roll out in spring 2023.