HALLANDALE, FLA.—Reducing the impact on the environment is a strong challenge hospitality players must face. As a leading international amenities provider, Groupe GM continuously strives to become the most environmentally aware it can be. In 2018 the Group developed a complete eco-responsible program, Care About Earth, to help hoteliers answer these challenges while welcoming their guests.
Bathrooms should be a clean and safe space for guests as should be the soap dispensers provided for guest use. When opening dispensers and filling them, germs, bacteria and even viruses can enter and settle on top of the product. The bacteria can also form a bacterial biofilm that coats the inside surface of the dispenser. That means that any soap added will become contaminated as well, continuing the unhealthy cycle. In respect of Good Manufacturing Practices, before any refill each dispenser must be cleared out, cleaned, and sterilized as it is done in an industrial environment.
For this reason, Groupe GM developed Ecofill, an easy, safe, refillable and 100 percent traceable dispenser for a minimum environment impact.
Ecofill is equipped with a “Stay Clean” system, which allows its refill pouch to be easily changed in order to avoid contamination. This is enabled as Ecofill refill pouches are completely sealed and then pierced with a special drill tube pump. On top of that, its sealed refill pouches have a large capacity of up to 400 ml (13.50 fl.oz) for only 8g of recyclable plastic. This means that it divides the plastic waste by two compared to a 5L bulk can.
Tamper-Proof Once Sealed
Ecofill is not only clean and safe, but it also comes with a traceability system in accordance with European cosmetic regulations. It is tamper-proof once sealed, and the origin and quality of the product are guaranteed.
The European Cosmetic Regulation requires product traceability throughout the whole supply chain (regulation n°1223/2009—articles 12 & 19). Therefore, after each refill, housekeepers should append a batch number and keep updated cosmetic registers. If there is no traceability follow up the legal responsibility lies with the hoteliers. This follow-up and the refill itself can be time-consuming and represent extra handling for staff. The process can be messy and requires additional cleaning.
Groupe GM’s innovative dispenser has a sleek, attractive design it is clean and easy to use. It guarantees product origin and that the content matches its denomination. Its sealed pouches already have all-necessary cosmetic indications on them and are ready to be inserted and pierced. This dispenser is patented in France and patent pending internationally.
Alternatives to Fossil-Based Plastics
Safe refills are not the only answer to environmental challenges. Groupe GM’sCare About Earth program covers the company’s environmental and social actions and is an integral part of the Group’s corporate strategy worldwide.
“With our Care About Earth program, we have made the decision to strengthen our commitment towards eco-responsibility by deciding that our packaging will contain zero plastic from virgin fossil resources soon. Bio-based and recycled materials are playing a crucial role in helping us achieve our sustainability goals without any compromise on quality,” says Laurent Marchand, CEO of Groupe GM.
Today, over 85 percent of Groupe GM’s product packaging is made from recycled plastics or bio-based packaging. The Group offers plant-based tubes, bottles and completely sealed large format dispensers up to 500 ml (16.90 fl.oz) that can’t be tempered with.
The material is made from sugarcane residue known as “bagasse”. The sugarcane used is sourced from sustainably managed farms and responsible suppliers. Groupe GM only uses the residue from the industrial process after a minimum of three extraction cycles. This ensures that the production is not harmful to the wider ecosystem of the manufacturing area. The accessory lines from Groupe GM also use other bio-sourced materials manufactured from straw, corn starch or bamboo to limit the use of fossil-based plastics.
Solid Product Amenity Line Without Any Plastic Use
The launch of a solid product amenity line without any plastic use underlines Groupe GM’s desire to create a more sustainable world. This range requires nine times less water for its production than conventional liquid formulations. The packaging is made from FSC-certified cardboard, covered with a water-resistant varnish.
Groupe GM is also working on a new, plastic-free accessory line. The line aims to limit secondary packaging and eliminate the use of fossil-based plastics.
Care About Earthis not just about improving the product design, and packaging. It also focuses on the formulas. Groupe GM formulas contain up to 99 percent ingredients of natural origin and can also be COSMOS organic certified by COSMECERT according to COSMOS standards. They can be vegan and gluten free certified by BIORIUS. All formulas are tested under dermatological control and GMO free.
All Groupe GM factories and industrial partners located in Europe and Asia are ISO 22716 certified and respect Good Manufacturing Practices. The factory, Groupe GM Cosmétique France, in Lyon obtained the ISO 26000 corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment label certified by AFNOR. The factory, Groupe GM Cosmética Portugal, in Portugal complies to the standards of Quality and Environmental Management ISO 9001 and 14001.
Last but not least, Groupe GM is working on shortening its supply chain and thus reducing its environmental footprint by bringing their packaging manufacturing closer to the filling factories.
The Group’s commitment to social responsibility was rewarded in September 2021 by Ecovadis, which evaluated the Groupe GM sustainability standards: environment, social and human rights, ethics and responsible purchasing.
