Environment and Sustainability
The Group is cognisant of its environmental responsibilities and has embedded key environmental goals within its long-term strategy, with the aim of continually improving all aspects of environmental performance, as far as economically feasible. We are proud of the progress we have made and continue to strive for a future where our planet is cared for and we create value not only for our Company, but for the collective success of all our stakeholders.
We are prioritising the ESG issues that offer the greatest potential for the Group to create shared value, and has adopted a sustainability strategy focusing on four key pillars:
· Planet: In 2022 we implemented a programme with Planet Mark to measure and report against our Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2023, review our onsite energy, water and recycling management, and to support us in developing our factory sustainability assessments.
· Products: We have initiated a product and packaging reduction and alternative strategy, accelerated our compliance with product and packaging regulations compliance and rationalised our packaging supply sources. We are members of PETA’s “Beauty Without Bunnies Program”, helping to provide clarity to our customers that our products are cruelty free.
· People: Our commitment to our employees remains at the forefront of our people focus along with the development of corporate and community charity initiatives
· Performance: Our progress against defined goals and targets will be measured and reported on for the year ended 2023.
Our Planet and the Environment
Planet Mark
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, profoundly affecting all regions of the world and all sectors of society. All individuals and industries must work together to halt the climate crisis and embrace long term sustainability.
CO2 is a powerful greenhouse gas that has been proved to have the biggest impact on air pollution and global warming, and by 2050 every UK business must be net-zero by law.
The measurement of our carbon footprint plays a fundamental role in creating an environmental strategy that mitigates risk and maximises the opportunities to reduce our CO2 emissions and start our journey towards net-zero. As a business we are committed to reporting our progress with transparency, verifiable data and science based methodologies to support our long-term strategy and drive improvements.
We are working with Planet Mark, an independent consulting group experienced in the measurement, development and communication of carbon and social data and goals. Our initial core engagement with Planet Mark is in relation to its Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which will be measured and benchmarked to provide an initial certification from which continuous improvement may be tracked against identified goals. We will also continue working towards measuring our full supply chain emissions (Scope 3) with the ambition to have targets in place during 2024.
Our initial Planet Mark certification is expected to be available by Q3 2023. Targets and goals will be developed which will be communicated and disseminated throughout the Group and beyond to ensure that our stakeholders are engaged and fully aligned with the Group’s aims in order that progress may be achieved.
The Group reports annually against the SECR Streamline Energy and Carbon Reporting. The Group’s Intensity ratio (tCO2e per m2) has reduced from 6.7 to 6.1 over the period 2021 to 2022.
Our Premises and Logistics
Our corporate office at Iver, UK, is a ‘green’ building with an ‘A’ rated energy certificate with efficient, sensor based low halogen lighting. At both Iver and Silsden Head Offices we have installed electric car charging points which our employees can use free of charge, encouraging them to adopt electric vehicles.
We continue to seek to improve the environmental performance of our sites, to reduce energy consumption and improve our energy efficiency throughout the business. Reducing physical waste is also a key part of our sustainability objectives. We seek to ensure that onsite recycling is easily accessible across our offices and warehouses and have also strengthened our industrial waste removal programme.
We are mindful of our carbon footprint in the shipping and transportation of our products from our suppliers to our warehouses and customers. We aim to minimise our carbon footprint as much as possible, by shipping direct from China to the US for product sales there and using air carriage only when unavoidable.
A large percentage of our interaction with suppliers and retail customers now takes place online. This is encouraged wherever practicable, with travel (and particularly air travel) restricted, and customer, supplier, management and employee meetings held virtually where feasible, ensuring this does not detract from the need to hold face to face meetings where this is conducive to a more productive relationship. This aims to reduce the environmental impact of our travel and is reflected in the Group’s travel policy, which encourages essential travel only. Where air travel is deemed necessary the use of airlines which provide carbon offset is encouraged wherever possible.
Our business has evolved such that attendance at tradeshows and exhibitions has reduced and we aim to attend virtual trade shows, wherever possible.
Our Products
Product Testing
The Group’s cosmetic products are “cruelty free” and are not tested on animals irrespective of where the products are being supplied. We support cruelty free alternatives to animal testing to become compulsory and animal testing overall to be ceased globally.
We participate in the PETA “Beauty Without Bunnies Program”, a globally recognised programme demonstrating our commitment to PETA’s Global Animal Test-Free standard. In line with this standard we agree that we shall not conduct, commission, or pay for animal testing of any products, nor will we conduct, commission, or pay for animal testing of ingredients used in, or formulations of, such products. We commit to continue to ensure that our suppliers of ingredients do not conduct, commission, or pay for tests on any ingredients used in our products. We will continue to ensure our suppliers/manufacturers of our finished products do not and shall not conduct, commission or pay for animal testing of any products.
We now be proudly displaying the PETA company logo on our products for all new products and as packaging is updated. Our commitment to the PETA programme is Group wide and covers all brands within the Group.
Product Ingredients
All new Warpaint products are manufactured without parabens and the remaining existing products containing parabens are being reformulated. Our goal is for all Group products to be paraben free within the next 12 to 18 months.
We have a dedicated vegan range, Very Vegan. The majority of the Group’s products are vegan and all are expected to be so within the next 12 months.
No heavy metals such as TBTO (preservative) and other ingredients of concern are added to our colour cosmetic products and all raw materials comply with the strict regulations applicable in the EU, USA and Canada and the other markets in which we operate.
CTPA Membership
The Warpaint Group companies are full members of the Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA). The CTPA is the trade association for the UK cosmetic and personal care industry, through this membership we ensure that we are at the forefront of industry news, issues, and of course regulatory compliance both here in the UK and globally. We have employees sitting on both the Compliance and Regulatory Committee and the Scientific Committee.
Responsible Sourcing and Manufacturing
Our suppliers provide “Good Manufacturing Practice Certificates” for all of the factories used in the manufacture of the Group’s goods. The Group’s main suppliers also produce for worldwide brands, and additional comfort is taken from the public ethical and sustainability stance around the world of these brands. The Group’s suppliers are encouraged to share with the Group the results of their BSCI and Sedex audits when they have taken place and, for all its branded products the Group has adopted a vendor assessment policy that includes ethical and sustainability criteria.
We are committed to ethical and responsible sourcing practices aligned with international standards and protocols for human rights,worker rights, environmental and human health and safety. In support of this commitment, we are seeking to enhance our responsible and ethical sourcing practices to better address the risks and challenges in an increasingly complex global supply chain.
Sustainable Products and Packaging
The Group is committed to becoming an industry leader for sustainable products and packaging.
· All unrecyclable plastics have now been removed from the outer packaging of our gifting, and we are progressing well with our journey of removing unrecyclable plastics from the packaging of our all year-round products.
· We have a robust strategy within the Group to eliminate all unrecyclable plastics as per the ‘UK Plastic Pack’, an accredited body who drive improvements to industry standards through DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).We have also changed certain products into alternative fully recyclable materials. We have proactively removed the majority of plastics from most of our outer packaging, and we aim to use paper and cardboard product packaging wherever practicable. This enables us, our retail customers and end consumer to recycle the waste effectively.
· We are already plastic free in some products and have plans in place to change to sustainable FSC, virgin or recycled packaging where feasible, with ambitions to become one of the market leaders in this area.
· The use of plastics in our product casings has previously been challenging to remove, butwith our material developments and understanding, we are actively working on testing and sampling new materials. Where the use of plastic is unavoidable, recyclable packaging will be used wherever possible. By providing clear instructions on our product labelling, consumers will know how to dispose of the packaging in a sustainable way.
· We are confident that current unrecyclable plastics within our products will be replaced with the most reusable and recycled plastic materials available. Thiswill ensure we are achieving Government Guidelines for our responsibilities as a brand and producer. Once this development is complete, these will be implemented to reduce and ensure recyclability for these plastic products before the new EPR (‘Extended Producer Responsibilities’) regulations come into force during 2024.
· Our dedicated Group Packaging and Sustainability Lead is responsible for seeking sustainable solutions for our products and packaging, aligned to our environmental responsibilities and goals. He is also responsible for ensuring the Group’s compliance with the increasing regulation in this area, enabling us to continue our mission to provide an extensive range of high-quality cosmetics at an affordable price and to grow the business for the benefit of our stakeholders.
· The Group has introduced virtual cosmetic product testers for a number of core W7 lip, face and eye products. These are more hygienic than actual product testers, provide cost savings and are more eco-friendly.
Clive Garston
Non-Executive Chairman
Clive has been Non-Executive Chairman of the Group since November 2016. He has been a corporate lawyer for over 40 years specialising in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions, and he is currently a consultant at Fladgate LLP. He is chairman of AIM listed Fulcrum Metals plc and has been on the boards of a number of public and private companies. He has also been the deputy chairman of a fully-listed company and chairman of a number of other AIM companies. He has significant experience in small and medium quoted companies. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI).
Samuel Bazini
Chief Executive Officer
On leaving school at 16, Sam started work in a cosmetics warehouse, supplementing his income by selling cosmetics directly to the public at numerous London street markets. Selling directly to the public gave him an invaluable insight into consumer needs and in 1981 at the age of 18, using £500 he had saved he set up his own business, buying and selling close-out and end of line cosmetics and fragrance. During the course of the next ten years, Sam and Eoin’s paths crossed on numerous occasions, working intermittently with each other on a joint venture basis until they formally went into business together in 1992. Together with Eoin Macleod, Sam developed the business which resulted in the formation of W7.
Eoin Macleod
Managing Director
Eoin’s first introduction to the world of beauty was at the age of 14 through a Saturday job in an indoor market selling cosmetics and perfumes. After leaving college, Eoin decided to set up his own business selling fragrance directly to the public through London street markets as well as selling into the wholesale sector and then expanding into selling cosmetics. In 1992 he formally went into business with Sam operating initially in the close-out cosmetics and fragrance industry. Together with Sam Bazini, Eoin developed the business which resulted in the formation of W7.
Neil Rodol
Chief Financial Officer
Neil joined the Group in August 2015, having previously been an adviser to the business for several years. He has overseen the introduction of new systems and procedures. He joined the board as Chief Financial Officer in November 2016. Over the last 17 years he has been involved in several corporate purchase and acquisitions. In 2006, he sold his publishing company to a quoted group and became the group licensing director; in 2014 he completed a management buyout. Neil trained as an account at BDO Stoy Hayward and holds an honours degree in Maths and Computer Science.
Sally Craig
General Counsel and Company Secretary
Sally has been Company Secretary to Warpaint London plc since February 2017 and was appointed to the board in September 2018. She is also the Corporate Finance, Legal and Regulatory Officer & Company Secretary of Diaceutics plc, an AIM listed diagnostic commercialisation company for the precision medicine industry. She is a solicitor and has previously practised as a corporate lawyer. She has many years’ experience providing company secretarial services to private and public companies in the UK including then AIM listed, Osmetech plc. She holds an honours degree in law from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Paul Hagon
Executive Director
Paul joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director in November 2016. Having worked in the Grocery Sector for over 30 years in both wholesaling and major branded suppliers, Paul is currently providing consultancy services for a number of retail, manufacturing and wholesale businesses to assist with strategies, change programmes and the implementation of practical business plans. Prior to this, Paul has worked in selling, marketing and business management roles with Nestle and more recently, Palmer and Harvey, where his latter role was as Group Strategy and Development Director. Paul has also served as Chairman of the Association of Convenience Stores for whom he had also been a board member for 20 years.
Sharon Daly
Non-Executive Director
Sharon joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director on 1 January 2024. She has more than 25 years of experience within the healthcare industry, predominantly in marketing, international sales and business development roles. Having previously worked for a leading dental manufacturer for seven years, Sharon also spent five years within the international business development field with Sinclair Pharmaceuticals. Sharon co-founded Venture Life Group in 2010 and made a significant contribution to the growth of the business from inception, until she left in 2023, including its admission to trading on AIM in 2014. Sharon is also an Independent non-executive director at AIM listed Brickability Group Plc, where she is a member of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
Indira Thambiah
Non-Executive Director
Indira joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director on 1 January 2024. She is an experienced multi-channel retail executive and consultant, with previous roles including Head of Multi-Channel for Home Retail Group (Argos & Homebase). She has successfully managed several private businesses, most recently Roof-maker (CEO, 2018 to 2022). Indira has also been an independent non-executive director and member of the Remuneration Committee at each of Superdry plc (2010 to 2013) and Yorkshire Building Society (2007 to 2010). She is currently an independent non-executive director and Renumeration Committee Chair at Card Factory Plc and an independent non-executive director and Audit Committee Chair at Vivo Barefoot Ltd. Indira is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
Keith Sadler
Non-Executive Director
Keith joined the Group as a Non-Executive Director in November 2016. He is CFO of 4Global PLC a data driven sports participation company, Chairman of HR Dept. Limited, a professional services business, and Hawking PLC (in Administration), a cash shell. Historically, Keith has been CEO or CFO of a number of quoted companies in the marketing services, telecoms and media industries. Keith is a chartered accountant and holds an honours degree in economics from the University of Kent.
