Intercos Sets 24 ESG Goals for Sustainable Management

Intercos Group, a global cosmetics ODM and OEM company, has announced its '2026-2035 Sustainability Plan,' which outlines its long-term sustainable management strategy and operational tasks for the next decade.

The plan integrates sustainable criteria across all areas of its business, including production processes, decision-making, and product innovation. It establishes a total of 24 measurable ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals, divided into 18 'Apply (Sphere of Action)' objectives that the group will implement and manage directly, and six 'Promote (Sphere of Influence)' objectives aimed at spreading sustainable choices throughout the value chain, including customers and suppliers.

Since 2019, Intercos has committed to ESG management, achieving a 41% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions based on production volume and realizing Zero Waste to Landfill in its manufacturing facilities. By 2026, following its joining of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), Intercos aims to strengthen its ESG management system further through a formal commitment to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which includes establishing and independently verifying goals for reducing Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions.

Intercos's sustainability plan is operationalized through initiatives in production, research and innovation (R&I), and supply chain management. Its domestic manufacturing base, Intercos Korea, is in alignment with the group's sustainability direction and aims to progressively implement key operational goals such as scaling renewable energy utilization, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and managing waste effectively.

In the environmental sector, Intercos Korea is enhancing its renewable energy use and environmental management activities. The Osan site utilizes both in-house solar energy generation and the K-RE100 Green Premium program from Korea Electric Power Corporation to supply renewable energy, achieving 76% of its annual electricity usage with renewables in 2025. The site aims to meet 100% of its annual electricity needs with renewable sources by 2026.

In manufacturing operations, the site has maintained zero landfill waste in alignment with the group’s Zero Waste to Landfill goal. From January to May 2026, 87% of the waste generated was recycled, and it operates a wastewater treatment facility capable of processing 200 tons per day. Intercos Korea continues to manage water quality and air pollutants within legal discharge limits and has been designated as a self-monitoring facility for water and air quality.

Intercos Korea is also pushing to establish an energy management system (ISO 50001) aimed at reducing energy usage and improving efficiency, in addition to its existing environmental (ISO 14001) and health and safety (ISO 45001) management system certifications, targeting certification by October 2026.

During the product development phase, Intercos is integrating sustainability with global regulatory compliance. It reviews product formulations based on customer-specific clean lists and country-specific regulatory requirements, assessing the feasibility of using sustainable materials while considering product characteristics, quality, and ingredient supply. The company continually monitors changes in domestic and international regulations to better support its customers in adapting to the evolving global market.

Sustainability practices in collaboration with suppliers are also being expanded. Intercos Korea conducts comprehensive evaluations of new and existing suppliers handling all aspects of production for environmental safety, human rights and labor, and social responsibility in quality. Supplier sustainability compliance is assessed through survey responses, international standards like ISO certificates, ethical audits like SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit), and evaluations by global ESG assessment organizations such as EcoVadis. Intercos Korea continues to enhance its ethical management and responsible supply chain management systems, having successfully completed a SMETA ethical audit.

Furthermore, to respond to the diversified demands of global markets, Intercos Korea is continually improving its quality and production management framework. It is maintaining EVE VEGAN certification while establishing management systems that comply with international standards from raw material management to production, cleaning, storage, and quality management for halal-certified products. In line with the growing demand in the Muslim market, Intercos is also pursuing halal certification.

Kim Jung-sun, CEO of Intercos Korea, stated, “As the demand for sustainability and responsible manufacturing capabilities grows in the global beauty market, the responsibilities and roles of manufacturing companies become increasingly critical. Intercos Korea will strengthen its manufacturing framework aligned with the group’s global sustainability direction and expand its role as a trusted global manufacturing partner, enabling customers to respond stably to changing market conditions and regulatory requirements.”