L’Oréal factory in Nairobi recognised for environmental performance

The company’s manufacturing facility along Mombasa Road in Nairobi also won awards in energy management, solid waste management, greenhouse gas emission management and environmental compliance.

It was named first runner-up in water use management and received a RoSPA Gold Award for its health and safety performance.

The awards were presented during a ceremony at L’Oréal House in Nairobi on October 15, 2026, attended by representatives of the Office of the Deputy President, Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), environmental regulators and programme partners.

The RECP Awards are conducted by the Kenya National Cleaner Production Centre (KNCPC), which assesses industries on their efforts to improve resource efficiency and reduce pollution.

The 2026 awards were part of the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) programme, funded by the UK government to support pollution reduction in developing economies.

According to the company, 225 industries were mapped under the programme, with 26 undergoing a full in-plant resource efficiency and cleaner production assessment.

Recognition was based on measurable improvements in areas including water and wastewater management, energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, solid waste, environmental compliance and social inclusion.

L’Oréal East Africa said its Nairobi factory reduced water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, solid waste and total energy use between the 2024 baseline and 2025, even as production output increased.

The improvements were verified by the KNCPC assessment team, according to the company.

The facility has also transitioned to renewable energy, using a combination of a biomass boiler, a biodiesel generator, solar photovoltaic systems and grid electricity.

Other energy-saving measures include variable frequency drives, LED lighting with motion sensors, heat-loss insulation and sub-metering to monitor electricity consumption across different sections of the factory.

On water conservation, the company said it had installed a second reverse osmosis unit to improve process water quality. Treated effluent and reverse osmosis reject water that were previously discharged are now reused in fire hydrant and sanitary systems.

The factory has also introduced measures to reduce packaging waste, including reducing the thickness of shrink-wrap film without compromising product protection.

Its polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are 100 per cent recyclable, while cardboard, plastic, kitchen and hazardous waste are recovered, composted or handled by licensed waste management partners.

L’Oréal East Africa Zone President Kerstin Bird said the recognition reflected the company’s commitment to balancing manufacturing growth with environmental responsibility.

“We believe that business growth and environmental responsibility must go hand in hand. At this facility, we are demonstrating how focused action on resource efficiency can support production while reducing water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions,” Bird said.

She added that the independent assessment by KNCPC made the recognition particularly significant, noting that the company intended to build on the progress achieved so far.

The Mombasa Road facility is L’Oréal Group’s only manufacturing site in East Africa. It produces brands including Nice & Lovely, Versman, Gold Touch, Garnier and Mixa for consumers in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia.

The initiatives also contribute to L’Oréal Group’s global 2030 sustainability targets, which include achieving 100 per cent renewable energy across its operated sites, using 100 per cent recycled or reused water for industrial purposes in its factories, and sourcing half of its packaging materials from recycled or bio-based sources.