L’Oréal USA’s “I’ve Got the Power” Energy Conservation Challenge Nominated for Best Employee Relation Program

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) New York, NY - January 31, 2012 - L'Oréal USA announced today that its “I’ve Got the Power” Employee Energy Conservation Challenge has been selected among the PR News CSR Award finalists for best Employee Relations program. Winners will be announced at a luncheon in Washington, DC on April 17.   

Launched as a pilot in August 2011, the program aims to change employees’ energy consumption, promote conservation and reduce kWh electrical energy usage year over year. The “I’ve Got the Power” program, along with other initiatives introduced throughout the company over the past five months, is intended to increase employees’ knowledge about sustainability and key environmental issues and embed sustainable practices across all job functions.   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that nearly 30% of the energy consumed in commercial and industrial buildings is wasted due to inefficiencies or use of energy when it’s not needed.  Led by passionate volunteer Energy Champs who have served as coaches and educators on each of the 22 floors that the company occupies at its 575 Fifth Avenue, NYC headquarters, L’Oréal USA employees have successfully reduced electrical usage during the first five months of the program by 102,922 kWhs or 9% percent overall.   “This program has helped employees understand that small changes in behaviour, like powering down computers at night or turning off lights when you leave your office or workstation, can have a significant impact,” said Pamela Gill Alabaster, Senior Vice President Corporate Communications, Sustainable Development & Public Affairs for the subsidiary. “Our short-term goal is to reduce our electrical consumption in the building, but long-term we aim to educate employees and engage them in conservation behaviours.”   Each month employees are notified of their floor’s results via an “I’ve Got the Power” Facebook fan page. The floor with the greatest electrical consumption percent reduction each month versus 2010 is treated to a catered bagel breakfast while the winning floor at the end of the contest period will enjoy a $5,000 cash prize. Following the belief that what gets measured gets done, the monthly utility bill and the competition between floors has been extremely effective at changing behavior. The leading floor for the first five months of the energy conservation challenge has reduced its overall electrical consumption by 37 percent.   For more information about the PR News CSR awards please see: http://www.prnewsonline.com/awards/CSR_Luncheon2012/    About L’Oréal USA L'Oréal USA, headquartered in New York City, with 2010 sales of over $4.7 billion and 9,800 employees, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L'Oréal SA, the world’s leading beauty company. In addition to corporate headquarters in New York, L'Oréal USA has Research and Innovation, Manufacturing and Distribution facilities across seven states, including New Jersey, Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas.  Since 2001, L’Oréal has been measuring its impact on global warming and joined the Global Compact in 2003, reinforcing its commitment to climate change. The company has been recognized by Corporate Knights for being among the 100 most sustainable corporations in the world, by Climate Counts for its leadership in addressing climate change and is among the Top 100 Global Green Companies in 2011 ranked by Newsweek.   L'Oréal's impressive portfolio of brands includes Lancôme, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Yves Saint Laurent Beauté, Viktor & Rolf, Diesel, Cacharel, L'Oréal Paris, Garnier, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, L'Oréal Professionnel, Kérastase and Shu Uemura Art of Hair, Maybelline New York, Soft-Sheen.Carson, Kiehl’s Since 1851, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Essie Cosmetics, Redken 5th Avenue NYC, Matrix, Mizani, Pureology, SkinCeuticals and Dermablend. For more information visit www.lorealusa.com.   LORE20678