Reflections on the Successful Conclusion of 2023 Forum on Beauty Economy and Sustainability
From November 28th to 29th, 2023 Forum on Beauty Economy and Sustainability, one of Zhongguancun (ZGC) forum regular activities (shorted as the "forum") was successfully held at the main venue in Chaoyang District, Beijing, and the branch venue at Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China.
With the theme of "Innovation • Green • Integration", the forum continued the focus on green innovation development in industries related to the beauty economy and international cooperation. Beauty Economy and Sustainability Forum & ESG's Promotion to Carbon Reduction, Pollution Reduction, and Green Growth Seminar, with a focus on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) assessments, was specially organized. Delving deep into issues related to industry sustainability, it responded to the national call to move towards a new era of technological innovation and high-quality development, aiming to present China's initiatives and showcase its charm on a broader world stage.
Green Future
"Green" is one of the key themes running through the activities of this forum.
During the opening ceremony, Ding Qiong, Deputy Director General, Department of Solid Wastes and Chemicals, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, introduced the current requirements for chemical environmental management and new pollution control in China. She emphasized that the household chemical industry, as one of the main forces promoting new pollution control, should actively achieve its own green transformation and upgrading. This involves strengthening the research and application of green sustainable chemicals to continuously enhance the industry's development potential and momentum.
Zang Wenchao, Deputy Director of the Solid Waste and Chemical Management Technology Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, mentioned in her speech that commodities such as cosmetics, food, and health products should increasingly upgrade and innovate towards being safer, healthier, and more environmentally friendly. This is the common pursuit of all industries related to the beauty economy.
Yu Zhenxi, Deputy Director of Cosmetic Safety Technology Evaluation Center of National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, pointed out in his speech that human beauty should be in harmony with environmental beauty, mutually complementary and indispensable.
Chemicals face broader international trade and exchanges. In response to topics related to China's cosmetics supervision and management regulations raised by French guests, Zang Wenchao referred to the latest requirements and future development directions for chemical substance management issued by the EU and the United States, as well as the global cosmetics management framework passed at the recent Global Cosmetics Management Conference. She expressed high expectations for enterprises and hoped that participants in the beauty economy industry would play a leading role on the global stage, putting forward Chinese solutions. And, these solutions must inevitably be green, low-carbon, and sustainable.
During the event, with the aim of promoting the high-quality development of the beauty and health industry and guiding the industry to transform its ecological advantages into development advantages, China Health Care Association, together with China Chamber of Commerce for lmport & Export of Medicines & Health Products (CCCMHPIE), Beijing Daily Chemical Association, and several enterprises, initiated The Beauty Economy and Sustainability Initiative 2023.
The Beauty Economy and Sustainability Initiative 2023 clearly stated that green sustainable development is the trend of the world's development today. Participants in the beauty and health industry should actively strive to be pioneers in green transformation, promoters of green development, and disseminators of green concepts. This is also the only way for industry enterprises to fulfill their social responsibilities and achieve social benefits.
Representatives from companies such as Unilever (China) Co., Ltd., Estée Lauder (Shanghai) Commercial Co., Ltd., Kao (China) Holding Co., Ltd., Shiseido China Co., Ltd., Mast Commercial Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, Meichulai (Hangzhou) Cosmetics Co., Ltd., Yanshengtang (Anji) Cosmetics Co., Ltd., Beijing Tongrentang Group Co., Ltd., Shandong Huifa Foodstuff Co., Ltd. Products Co., Ltd. and Nu Skin (China) Daily Health Products Co., Ltd. attended the event to witness the release of the Initiative. They promised to practice social responsibility and commitment with practical actions, jointly promoting the green sustainable development of the beauty and health industry.
This is also a significant achievement and highlight of this year's forum.
In addition to the grand main forum, this year's conference also featured parallel forums, including Safety Assessment Technology and Development Trends Forum, RCEP National Cosmetics Regulations and Market Forum, Beauty Economy and Sustainability Forum & ESG's Promotion to Carbon Reduction, Pollution Reduction, and Green Growth Seminar, and Oral Beauty Products Trend Forum. Various activities such as roundtable discussions and seminars were employed during these sessions.
At the special ESG Seminar on Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) Assessment for Carbon Reduction and Green Growth, guests including Du Kexiong, Director of Department of Solid Wastes and Chemicals, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Yu Zhidi, Director of Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Zhao Yu, Deputy Director of Consumption Guidance Department, China Consumers Association, John Chave, Director General of Cosmetics Europe, and Valérie Colin, Scientific and Regulatory and International Affairs Director of Fédération des Entreprises de la Beauté (FEBEA) engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as chemical environmental management, biodiversity and ESG, green consumption, and sustainable development of cosmetics, joined by numerous scholars and experts from universities and enterprises.
This seminar mainly focused on how various stakeholders, under the guidance of national green development and environmental compliance policies, can leverage ESG to guide the transformation and upgrading of the household chemical industry.
Li Yonghong, Deputy Director of Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China pointed out that ESG is an emerging hotspot in the context of the dual circulation development pattern at both domestic and international levels. It serves as a crucial vehicle for environmentally sound information disclosure, playing a significant role in supporting reforms of environmental information disclosure systems, extending coordinated management mechanisms to the financial sector, and ensuring the effective deployment of green investment and financing to leverage the leveraged guidance and resource allocation for ecological protection, green development, and carbon reduction.
The forum also welcomed the presence of Zhang Zhengwei, Chairman's Special Advisor and Beijing Office Director of the International Sustainability Standards Board. In his address, he highly praised the dual theme of ESG and sustainability in this newly established seminar. This theme not only embodies green and low-carbon concepts but also integrates the idea of a beautiful economy, showcasing the comprehensive consideration of the conference organizers towards the future development of the industry. He also acknowledged the deliberate selection of the venue at Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China for the parallel forum, recognizing it as a carefully chosen location by the organizing committee.
"This building serves as an international platform for collaborative efforts to address environmental and climate challenges. Simultaneously, it represents a crucial location where the Chinese government translates words into action, actively engages in international governance and agreements, and fulfills our commitments," stated Zhang Zhengwei.
Against the backdrop of China leading the way in proposing carbon neutrality goals and global industries seeking low-carbon solutions, the green transformation of the household chemical industry and ESG governance undoubtedly serve as powerful drivers for the high-quality development of the beauty economy. The parallel forum not only featured government agencies sharing frontline policy dynamics and authoritative opinions but also involved Chinese enterprises seeking optimal solutions and proposing new ideas based on practical experience. Additionally, foreign participants from the European Union, Japan, and other countries and regions actively shared their insights and unique perspectives, creating a lively atmosphere for discussions.
In addition, the forum featured a unique small-scale roundtable discussion centered around ESG and sustainable development practices. Du Kexiong, Director of Department of Solid Wastes and Chemicals, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Yu Zhidi, Director of Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, John Chave, Director General of Cosmetics Europe, Gerald Renner, Director Technical Regulatory and International Affairs, Cosmetics Europe, along with representatives from the Oriental Beauty Valley Park and enterprises, attended this roundtable discussion.
Forum participants engaged in in-depth discussions and shared perspectives on various sustainability-related challenges and issues faced by businesses, including guiding green consumption, traceability of sustainable palm oil, transparent supply chains, green alternatives for ingredients, sustainable product standards, and packaging standards. The roundtable served as a platform to build communication bridges among governments, associations, and enterprises both domestically and internationally.
Du Kexiong expressed that the exchange was very helpful in promoting efforts related to "carbon reduction, pollution control, green expansion, and growth." He hoped that associations could collaborate with enterprises in conducting exposure assessments and research on standards, working together to promote the green and sustainable development of the cosmetics industry.
Just as summarized by Yu Zhi, Director of Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, in the concluding remarks of the parallel forum, the ESG Seminar on Promoting Carbon Reduction, Pollution Control, Green Expansion, and Growth is just the beginning. It will not cease to be a platform for cross-sector collaboration and diverse discussions in the future, even with the conclusion of this forum's agenda. The green future will persist as a vital topic for the forum organizers, participating associations, industry enterprises, and research institutions, ensuring a continuous integration and alignment of theoretical innovation and practical progress.
A Beautiful Tomorrow
As a large-scale international exchange event specifically themed around the "Beauty Economy" at the national level, the forum focuses on the beauty and health industry but goes beyond the scope of the beauty economy.
The forum invited relevant government agencies, gathered experts and scholars from various fields such as regulations, research and development, environmental protection, and safety. It attracted companies from both domestic and international markets, as well as industry organizations from Europe, ASEAN, and other countries and regions to gather in Beijing. The primary focus was to explore the opportunities and challenges facing the global beauty and health industry under new circumstances. The goal was to uncover international market opportunities within the beauty economy, striving to enhance the competitive advantages of China's beauty and health industry.
During the opening ceremony of the main forum, Zhang Dianxiang, Second-level Inspector of Beijing Municipal Medical Products Administration, discussed a broader vision beyond the regulation of cosmetic quality and safety. The vision aims to promote the high-quality development of the beauty economy, with the hope of jointly promoting regional interconnected development with the industry. This involves sharing high-quality resources in cosmetic research and development, production, raw materials, packaging materials, inspection, etc., to drive the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei industrial chain.
With high-quality development as the main theme, numerous distinguished guests from authoritative government agencies, industry-leading enterprises, and international industry associations transcend the historical challenges of the market and the current landscape. They focused on envisioning a more beautiful future, including realizing a Beautiful China.
Liu Qiang, Deputy Director of the Management Committee of Beijing Future Science City, Deputy District Mayor of Changping District People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, pointed out in his opening ceremony address that the cosmetics industry is a fashionable consumer industry that satisfies the people's aspirations for a beautiful life. The healthy development of the industry will undoubtedly inject new vitality into the high-quality development of the beauty economy. The entire speech cleverly revolves around a "cosmetic" focus on the future, which is also the second key theme of this forum.
Christian GIANELLA, Minister Counsellor for Economic Affairs, and Head of the Economic Department of the French Embassy in China, and other foreign guests, along with industry experts, have shown keen interest in China's relentless efforts in recent years to create a diverse and integrated hub for the cosmetics industry, establishing a high-level open development platform for the industry.
Wen Lingxi, Director of the Cosmetics Supervision and Management Division of Beijing Municipal Medical Products Administration, stated that under the future-oriented industry cooperation framework, government agencies should continuously deepen the "delegating power, strengthening regulation, and improving services" reform and optimize the business environment.
While highly praising the regulatory innovations and efforts of the relevant Chinese government agencies in recent years, the participating guests also expressed their concerns about the far-reaching impacts of the comprehensive implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on markets worldwide.
Juanita Aditiawan, President of the ASEAN Cosmetics Association (ACA), provided a comprehensive introduction to the current regulatory framework and market of the ASEAN cosmetics industry. She pointed out that the ASEAN beauty industry is one of the world's fastest-growing sectors, and she looks forward to enthusiasts exploring new business opportunities and a new future in this blue ocean.
Overseas voices expressing a desire for foreign investment and international cooperation have attracted the attention of counterparts in the Chinese beauty and health industry, leading to sincere and in-depth dialogues and exchanges. The Chinese enterprises such as JALA Group that owns well-known cosmetics brands including CHANDO, a natural science and technology brand originating from the Himalayas, and MAYSU, a high-end anti-aging brand in Chinese scientific beauty, joined the discussion, sharing their insights.
JALA Group, as a leading multi-brand technology-driven beauty enterprise in China, is committed to seamlessly combining cutting-edge technology with Eastern aesthetics to promote the harmonious coexistence of people, nature, and society. It is an industry leader with a strong market share, positive consumer reputation, and significant social influence in China. Chen Juanling, Public Affairs General Manager of JALA Group Co., Ltd., delivered a speech at the main forum, representing the authentic voice of frontline enterprises. This also reaffirms the forum's consistent mission of addressing industry needs, facilitating enterprise requirements, and maintaining open communication channels between government and business.
The RCEP National Cosmetics Regulations and Market Forum received special attention during the parallel sessions.
Wu Yidan, Secretary-General of Cosmetics Advancement Committee of China Health Care Association and Secretary-General of China Chamber of Commerce for lmport & Export of Medicines & Health Products, served as the moderator for this parallel forum. The forum featured esteemed guests including Juanita Aditiawan, President of ASEAN Cosmetics Association (ACA) & Vice President of Indonesian Cosmetics Association (PERKOSMI), Lee Pang, Chairman of FMM-Malaysian Cosmetics and Toiletries Industry Group (MCTIG), Thant Zaw Ko, Vice President at Myanmar Cosmetics Association (MCA), Julia Ji Xinyan, Executive Committee member of Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Singapore (CTFAS), Former Regulatory Consultant/Deputy Director of Health Sciences Authority (HSA) Singapore, and Kesmanee Lertkitcha, President of the Thai Cosmetic Manufacturers Association (TCMA). They engaged in face-to-face discussions on international market cooperation and opportunities, planning for a realistic and beautiful future.
Liu Yan, Deputy Director-General of the TCM Department, China Chamber of Commerce for lmport & Export of Medicines & Health Products (CCCMHPIE), Secretary General of Cosmetics Association of China (Sub-Chamber of Cosmetics of CCCMHPIE), also presented specific analyses on Chinese cosmetics import and export trade-related information and situations during the event. While addressing the information needs of foreign industry participants, she inspired attendees to creatively explore potential markets.
Similarly, as one of the two small-scale roundtable events in this forum, the ASEAN Small Roundtable selected new global market cooperation opportunities such as RCEP as the main topic.
Representatives from five ASEAN countries, representatives from CCCMHPIE, representatives from China Health Care Association, and representatives from well-known domestic and international cosmetics companies such as MEITU, LEPU RUIKANG, Sino-American Lab, Beijing Technology Demonstration Center of Cosmetics Ltd., Estée Lauder, Yangshengtang, and Menarini participated in a closed-door roundtable discussion.
During the discussion, it was emphasized that CCCMHPIE and China Health Care Association (CHCA) will serve as the secretariat for the RCEP working platform in the future. They will focus on the real needs of the cosmetics industry in China and ASEAN countries, acting as a bridge for communication and exchange between the cosmetics industries of both sides. They will provide a platform, smooth channels, and establish mechanisms for various parties to carry out cooperation in product research and development, technology transfer, standard alignment, brand promotion, trade and investment. This will continuously optimize the multilateral development environment for cosmetics trade.
Other parallel forum activities mainly revolved around industry hot topics such as safety assessment technology and development trends, trends in oral beauty products, showcasing achievements and experiences in cutting-edge applications in the industry. These activities brought a fresh perspective and received unanimous praise from the participants at the venue.
As one of ZGC Forum regular activities, the forum leverages a national-level platform. It aims to serve the technological innovation and high-quality development of the beauty economy industry, striving to gather high-quality resources from various sectors in the beauty economy field. The forum seeks to stimulate innovation and development within the industry, fostering international exchange and cooperation.
In this edition of the conference, there are both "breakthroughs" and "establishments" in terms of agenda setting, guest invitations, and platform updates. While continuing the main theme of collaborative development from previous editions, the forum has ventured into new industry topics and cooperation scenarios, balancing continuity and innovation. The forum aligns itself with the times and the industry, focusing on the coordination of government and enterprise needs, as well as global market development. It has rightfully earned the widespread attention and affection of participants in the beauty economy-related industries over the past two years.
The captivating moments are still vivid in our minds, and this edition of the forum has come to a successful conclusion amid rounds of applause. However, the innovative collaborations and profound discussions inspired by the forum activities are far from over.
As pointed out by Wang Jianrong, President of China Health Care Association, in his opening speech, we need to not only recognize the new growth opportunities provided by the comprehensive implementation of the RCEP for the development of the beauty economy but also bear in mind that environmental protection itself is an integral part of the beauty economy. This is an important development concept and principle. Adhering to the theme of the forum, the organizers will continue to serve the beauty economy and the beauty and health industry. The commitment to service and collaboration will never cease.
The vibrant, innovative, and environmentally sustainable beauty economy should embody a lofty vision of continuous self-renewal, self-breakthroughs, and reaching new heights for the shared well-being of all humanity. It should transform ecological advantages into developmental strengths. May the beauty economy contribute continuously to the construction of a Beautiful China and global green development. We believe that a shared and beautiful future is just ahead.
This forum was supervised by the Office for ZGC Forum and jointly hosted by China Health Care Association, Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, and Beijing Municipal Medical Products Administration. It was organized by ZGC Forum & Exhibition Co., Ltd., Cosmetics Advancement Committee of China Health Care Association, Sub-Chamber of Cosmetics of China Chamber of Commerce for lmport & Export of Medicines & Health Products, Beijing Technology and Business University, Antion (Beijing) Information Consulting Co., Ltd., and Beijing Mega Health and Beauty Technology Co., Ltd. The forum was supported by Solid Waste and Chemical Management Technology Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Unilever (China) Co., Ltd., Estée Lauder (Shanghai) Commercial Co., Ltd., Kao (China) Holding Co., Ltd., JALA Group Co., Ltd., and Lepu (Beijing) Medical Devices Co., Ltd. Special thanks to the above hosts, organizers, and supporters, as well as the media guests, cooperative partners, and participating enterprises. See you next year!
