We believe there is no responsible alternative to doing business other than through the pursuit of environmental sustainability and this belief guides every decision we make. we find inspiration for doing so in nature and believe that nature is not merely something to be cherished and protected, but also should be emulated as a model of sustainability. we also believe that profit and environmental responsibility will increasingly work together as more industries find out that "nature works" for both sustainability and the bottom-line.

Aveda supports the development of renewable wind energy to help offset our carbon footprint over time. We are proud to be the first beauty company manufacturing products with 100% wind power**.

** First beauty company manufacturing with 100% wind power in our primary facility

renewable energy

supporting wind energy

Our wind energy purchases offset 100% of the energy used by our primary manufacturing facility in Minnesota, our company headquarters, the Aveda Institute Minneapolis, and our Aveda-owned Experience Centers, Salons and Institutes in New York City.  We also purchase CO2 offsets for our aerosols which are made by a third party. 

That being said, there is still some way to go to achieve “carbon neutrality”.  While we have balanced the GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions associated with our primary manufacturing facility in the United States, our makeup manufacturing in Canada and the manufacture, transportation and use of our aerosol products through the purchase of wind power through the electrical grid and GHG emissions offsets, approximately 6% of Aveda products are manufactured by a third party which does not purchase wind power or C02 offsets.    
 
Also, the transportation, use, disposal and other impacts of most Aveda products are not covered by offsets. 

 
here’s more about our offset purchases:
 

Our Minnesota location offset purchases:

In Minnesota we purchase wind-generated electricity directly through our electrical grid via a program called Wind Source®, which is used by our primary manufacturing facility, our company headquarters and the Aveda Institute Minneapolis. 

 
By electing to purchase an alternative energy option, like Wind source®, available through our local electric utility Xcel Energy, we support the development of wind power equal to our energy use. This helps address our carbon footprint because wind energy is produced without air emissions like carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, uses no water, and doesn't need water treatment during production.
 
We purchase Windsource® from Xcel Energy—power generated on 21 wind farms in Minnesota—increasing the amount of wind energy available to the entire power grid from which we draw our electricity.

U.S. corporate location offset purchases

Aveda purchases CO2 offsets from Native Energy to balance the climate impact of the energy used by our corporate locations in the U.S., outside of Minneapolis. 60% of the environmental benefits from these offsets are realized over a period of more than two years. 

Aerosol hair spray offset purchases

Aveda also purchases CO2 offsets from Native Energy to balance the climate impact of the manufacturing, transportation and use of our aerosol hair spray products, which are made by a third party manufacturer.  The majority of our offset purchases are used to fund future wind energy projects over time.

Funding long term development of renewable energies

In keeping with our commitment to continual progression in environment leadership and responsibility it is important to Aveda that we do more than just purchase offsets.  Our goal is to help fuel the expansion of renewable energy to touch more people for generations to come.  

To this end, as mentioned above, some of our purchases are invested in Native Energy’s Help Build™ projects that provide funding for the long-term development of new sources of renewable energy including wind energy that might not otherwise be possible.  By investing in this way we purchase offsets that will be realized over time periods ranging up to 20 years during the life of these projects.
 
For example, part of our purchase helped enable the construction of two new wind turbines on family farms in Iowa. Aveda was one of the original supporters of the Greensburg Wind Farm in Greensburg, Kansas, after the town was destroyed by a tornado, and helped to build the Indiana School Wind project, where a curriculum has been developed to teach students about wind technology.
 
Now that the projects are built, they will produce clean energy and avoid greenhouse gas emissions for years to come.  Offsets purchased through Help Build™ projects are independently verified annually to the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) over the life of the projects and donated to Clean Air Cool Planet  and retired each year. Aveda also purchases some offsets from wind farms in rural India; these offsets are purchased and verified to VCS annually, not over a multi-year period.

 
Where We Are Headed in Our Journey

As described above, our wind energy purchases offset 100% of the energy used by our primary manufacturing facility in Minnesota, our company headquarters and the Aveda Institute Minneapolis.  We also purchase CO2 offsets (the majority of which fund future wind energy projects over time) for the manufacturing, transportation and use of our aerosol hair sprays, which are made by a third party manufacturer.  And, we purchase wind energy credits through Native Energy to offset the energy used in our company-operated Experience Centers and Aveda-owned salons and institutes in New York City. 

 
As a result, we have balanced the GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions associated with our direct manufacturing in the United States, our makeup manufacturing in Canada and the manufacturing, transportation and use of our aerosol products through the purchase of wind power through our electrical grid and of GHG emissions offsets.  This covers approximately 94% of all Aveda products. Some of our packaging suppliers also use renewable energy to produce our materials. 
 
That being said, we have a long way to go to achieve “carbon neutrality” and steps along the path range from purchasing offsets to cover the production of Aveda products by 3rd party manufacturers, buying offsets for our international business locations, offsetting product distribution and travel related to our business, and engaging with our ingredient and packaging suppliers on the issue of renewable energy.  Aveda is committed to continuing to work towards further reduction of the GHG impacts of our business but a specific plan and timetable for addressing all of these categories has not yet been fully developed.

environmental health and safety

Aveda is proud to be recertified as a MNSTAR workplace!

MNSTAR, the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) Program, recognizes worksites where managers and employees work together to develop safety and health management systems that go beyond basic compliance with all applicable OSHA standards and result in immediate and long-term prevention of job-related injuries and illnesses.

To achieve MNSTAR status, Aveda's management and employees worked with MNOSHA's Workplace Safety Consultation to identify and eliminate current or future safety hazards. Key elements of this comprehensive program include: management leadership and employee involvement; an allocation of resources to address safety issues; systems that identify and control workplace hazards; and a plan for employee safety training and education.

MNSTAR began in Minnesota in January 1999, and is modeled after the federal OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), which began in 1982. Aveda is proud to be one of only 35 companies to currently hold MNSTAR status!