The certification group’s new digital platform brings together more than 18,000 cosmetic ingredients, offering brands and suppliers access to independently verified sustainability data.
PARIS – As the cosmetics industry faces increasing pressure to substantiate its environmental claims, certification group Ecocert has launched a digital sourcing platform designed to improve transparency across beauty supply chains.
Unveiled on October 15, Ecocert Sourcing brings together information on more than 18,000 cosmetic ingredients, allowing brands, formulators and suppliers to access sustainability data independently verified by Ecocert. The initiative comes as regulatory scrutiny and consumer expectations place greater emphasis on the evidence behind environmental commitments.
Developed in collaboration with more than 20 cosmetic brands and ingredient suppliers, the platform addresses a longstanding industry challenge: fragmented sourcing information and the administrative burden of obtaining reliable documentation from multiple suppliers.
Sustainability has become an increasingly visible part of beauty marketing, but the credibility of environmental claims remains a significant concern.
According to figures cited in Ecocert’s announcement, 60 percent of new cosmetic products launched globally in 2025 carried at least one sustainability claim. The prevalence of such messaging reflects the commercial importance of environmental positioning, while raising questions about the consistency and quality of the evidence supporting it.
In Europe, tighter rules governing environmental marketing are adding further pressure on companies to demonstrate the accuracy of their claims. For cosmetic manufacturers, this means greater attention to ingredient provenance, production methods and the environmental characteristics of raw materials.
Ecocert Sourcing seeks to simplify access to this information by providing a centralised database of independently assessed sustainability criteria. Brands and formulators can search and compare ingredient information, identify materials that meet specific requirements and contact suppliers directly for additional documentation. Suppliers, meanwhile, can make verified information available to prospective buyers without repeatedly responding to similar requests, while retaining control over commercially sensitive data.
Extending Verification Beyond Certification
Alongside the platform, Ecocert has introduced Sustainability Data Check, a verification service designed to assess specific environmental and sourcing characteristics of cosmetic ingredients.
The framework covers several areas, including geographic origin, biodiversity, manufacturing processes, responsible sourcing and the presence of potentially controversial substances. Assessments may address whether ingredients are derived from animals, involve genetically modified organisms or contain materials associated with protected species. Other criteria include sustainable palm oil sourcing, fair-trade practices, the use of petrochemical solvents and manufacturing processes associated with green chemistry.
The service also examines specific substance-related characteristics, including the presence or absence of PFAS, silicones and intentionally added microplastics, as well as environmental indicators such as biodegradability and aquatic toxicity.
Importantly, verification of an ingredient’s individual characteristics does not establish the overall sustainability of a finished cosmetic product. Environmental performance also depends on formulation, manufacturing, packaging, distribution and end-of-life considerations.
For a solution to be truly useful, it must be designed together with the people who rely on it every day. Today, companies can no longer simply communicate commitments; they must be able to demonstrate them.
The platform reflects a wider shift in the beauty industry, where sustainability claims are increasingly expected to withstand scrutiny beyond consumer-facing marketing.
For brands working with extensive international supplier networks, centralised access to verified ingredient information could reduce administrative complexity and support more informed procurement decisions. It may also provide smaller manufacturers with a more structured means of assessing sourcing options.
However, the platform’s effectiveness will depend on supplier participation, the scope of the information available and the extent to which companies incorporate verified data into their purchasing and formulation decisions.
Ecocert’s launch signals a growing commercial role for independent verification within the cosmetics supply chain. As environmental claims face closer examination, the ability to document how ingredients are sourced and produced is becoming an increasingly important consideration for beauty businesses seeking to establish credibility.
Further information: Ecocert Sourcing and Sustainability Data Check.
