Our Responsible Store Design Program

The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) recognises that our retail footprint creates a unique opportunity to support progress on our environmental targets while engaging our consumers in our sustainability journey.

In support of our commitments, we have created the Responsible Store Design programme. This programme provides a framework for assessing new and existing retail stores. The parameters for the assessment include design of our visual merchandising across a variety of sustainability-related areas including waste reduction, water and energy conservation, and responsible material sourcing. The programme criteria, which has been deemed a meaningful evaluation of green building standards, was developed with the assistance of a sustainability consulting firm with expertise in green building design.

How Does It Work?

To engage in the programme, participating brands must meet all relevant programme prerequisites, which vary based on the retail space and store type. For both new stores and existing stores, these requirements span store build-out, energy and water, responsible sourcing of materials, visual merchandising, store operations and innovation.

New stores are evaluated on a point-based scoring system, with each individual location evaluated based on various sustainability efforts across retail design and operations.

For existing stores and visual merchandising, a checklist of prerequisites ensures each location meets core sustainability requirements.

New Stores

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New Stores

Prerequisites for the programme include developing waste management plans for store build-out, installing energy- and water-efficient technologies and fixtures, responsibly sourcing store materials and responsibly designing visual merchandising. Additionally, through ELC’s Virtual Power Purchasing Agreement (VPPA), all freestanding stores are leveraging renewable energy to power their stores.

Prerequisites for new stores:

Have a waste management plan in place for store build-out to reduce waste to landfill
Install energy-efficient technologies, like LED lighting and ENERGY STAR-rated equipment, to reduce energy use in store fixtures and visual merchandising
Install water-efficient plumbing fixtures to reduce water use
Source all store fixtures and materials in alignment with ELC’s Thoughtful Material standards
Design visual merchandising that is free of virgin acrylic materials
Have recycling readily available on-site for employees and customers

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Existing Stores

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Existing Stores

While the Responsible Store Design framework for new stores uses a point system for participation, existing stores must meet all requirements to participate in the programme, as many point-earning opportunities for new stores, like store build-out and construction, are not relevant for existing stores.

Prerequisites for existing stores:

Install energy-efficient technologies, like LED lighting and ENERGY STAR-rated equipment, to reduce energy use in store fixtures and visual merchandising
Install water-efficient plumbing fixtures to reduce water use
Source all store fixtures and materials in alignment with ELC’s Thoughtful Material standards
Design visual merchandising that is free of virgin acrylic materials
Have recycling readily available on-site for employees and customers
Develop a cleaning programme for the store using Ecolab-certified products (or an equivalent certification), which ensures all cleaning products are free of hazardous chemicals
Create a store closing procedure that turns off non-essential lights and equipment to reduce energy use
Provide customers with responsible in-store applicators made from responsible materials, like bamboo, paper and/or recycled materials

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Visual Merchandising

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Visual Merchandising

Relevant visual merchandising must meet all prerequisites and at least one end-of-life requirement in order to participate in the programme. This allows ELC spaces like department store counters and displays in multi-channel retailers to be included in the Responsible Store Design programme.

Prerequisites for visual merchandising:

Use energy-efficient technologies, like LED lighting and ENERGY STAR-rated equipment, to reduce energy use in visual merchandising
Design visual merchandising that is free of virgin acrylic
Ensure that other display elements are sourced in alignment with ELC’s Responsible Material standards, which include prioritising the use of curbside recyclable materials wherever possible, incorporating post-consumer recycled materials and using responsibly sourced fibres

End-of-life requirements for visual merchandising (must meet at least one):

Implement a partnership to reclaim and recycle visual merchandising
Design visual merchandising with no integrated lighting to reduce energy use and improve recyclability
Design visual merchandising using only materials that are easily recycled in curbside systems
Minimise visual merchandising packaging to reduce waste
Design visual merchandising without the use of any acrylic to improve recyclability

Read Less

New Stores

Close

New Stores

Prerequisites for the programme include developing waste management plans for store build-out, installing energy- and water-efficient technologies and fixtures, responsibly sourcing store materials and responsibly designing visual merchandising. Additionally, through ELC’s Virtual Power Purchasing Agreement (VPPA), all freestanding stores are leveraging renewable energy to power their stores.

Prerequisites for new stores:

Have a waste management plan in place for store build-out to reduce waste to landfill
Install energy-efficient technologies, like LED lighting and ENERGY STAR-rated equipment, to reduce energy use in store fixtures and visual merchandising
Install water-efficient plumbing fixtures to reduce water use
Source all store fixtures and materials in alignment with ELC’s Thoughtful Material standards
Design visual merchandising that is free of virgin acrylic materials
Have recycling readily available on-site for employees and customers

Read Less

Existing Stores

Close

Existing Stores

While the Responsible Store Design framework for new stores uses a point system for participation, existing stores must meet all requirements to participate in the programme, as many point-earning opportunities for new stores, like store build-out and construction, are not relevant for existing stores.

Prerequisites for existing stores:

Install energy-efficient technologies, like LED lighting and ENERGY STAR-rated equipment, to reduce energy use in store fixtures and visual merchandising
Install water-efficient plumbing fixtures to reduce water use
Source all store fixtures and materials in alignment with ELC’s Thoughtful Material standards
Design visual merchandising that is free of virgin acrylic materials
Have recycling readily available on-site for employees and customers
Develop a cleaning programme for the store using Ecolab-certified products (or an equivalent certification), which ensures all cleaning products are free of hazardous chemicals
Create a store closing procedure that turns off non-essential lights and equipment to reduce energy use
Provide customers with responsible in-store applicators made from responsible materials, like bamboo, paper and/or recycled materials

Read Less

Visual Merchandising

Close

Visual Merchandising

Relevant visual merchandising must meet all prerequisites and at least one end-of-life requirement in order to participate in the programme. This allows ELC spaces like department store counters and displays in multi-channel retailers to be included in the Responsible Store Design programme.

Prerequisites for visual merchandising:

Use energy-efficient technologies, like LED lighting and ENERGY STAR-rated equipment, to reduce energy use in visual merchandising
Design visual merchandising that is free of virgin acrylic
Ensure that other display elements are sourced in alignment with ELC’s Responsible Material standards, which include prioritising the use of curbside recyclable materials wherever possible, incorporating post-consumer recycled materials and using responsibly sourced fibres

End-of-life requirements for visual merchandising (must meet at least one):

Implement a partnership to reclaim and recycle visual merchandising
Design visual merchandising with no integrated lighting to reduce energy use and improve recyclability
Design visual merchandising using only materials that are easily recycled in curbside systems
Minimise visual merchandising packaging to reduce waste
Design visual merchandising without the use of any acrylic to improve recyclability

Read Less

Questions?

Contact us at [email protected] to learn more.

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