Whether it’s data-driven ESG strategies, resource-efficient processes, or innovative technologies for CO₂ reduction – the intersection of digitalization and sustainability, supported by AI, opens up new potential for companies and society.

In our interview series “NUNATalks,” we speak with leading industry experts who combine digital innovation with sustainable business strategies. What are the best practices? How can technological advancements be strategically used to foster sustainability? And what challenges must companies overcome to be successful in the long term?

Today, we’re talking with Dr. Kiri Trier, General Manager Sustainability DACH at L'Oréal.

BeautyTech is on everyone’s lips. Which digital technologies do you see as key to promoting sustainability in the cosmetics industry?

At L’Oréal, we rely first and foremost on a variety of internal tools that make our decarbonization efforts measurable: these include, for example, EcoTransIT for tracking our transport emissions or the EcoDesignCloud as a tool to determine an environmental score for our advertising materials.
On the consumer side, any technological applications that allow customers to make individual and informed purchasing decisions are key. A good example is our Virtual Try-Ons for makeup – they allow consumers to test different shades in advance when shopping online, helping to reduce product returns and waste.

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Can you give us one or two concrete examples of how your company already uses digital technologies to advance sustainability?

In addition to the long-standing CO₂ tracking of our operational activities, one of the most innovative examples is the measurement of the digital carbon footprint of our advertising campaigns. From the type of assets used to how they’re deployed, we track the emissions produced and can target the right levers – such as asset size – to significantly reduce the digital footprint of our marketing activities.
Test runs last year showed that we can save up to 48% of campaign emissions.

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In your opinion, what should a company do to take the first step toward more sustainability through digitalization – where should they start?

For me, the answer is quite simple: the first step toward scalable sustainability initiatives is measurability.
At L’Oréal, we have defined, established, and optimized numerous additional sustainability KPIs in recent years. You can only improve what you can measure.

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Where do you still see the biggest hurdles for an effective interplay between digitalization and sustainability?

The core issue is that many processes in companies are still not 100% digitized, making them harder to trace and oversee. This results not only in a lack of transparency but also in a lack of resources to achieve scalable sustainability effects.
As an international market leader, we are fortunate to have the resources to tackle this transformation – but this is often not the case for small and medium-sized enterprises. That’s why especially in this sector, we need low-threshold, easy-to-use access to digital tools.

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