The company reinforced its commitment to outstanding safety and health standards by pledging to achieve VPP Star Status at all nine of its U.S. manufacturing plants within 5 years. The commitment was formalized yesterday at a press conference at L'Oreal's Franklin plant, which attained VPP Star Status six years ago. L'Oreal is one of first foreign-based international companies to commit to attaining VPP Star Status for all of its U.S.-based industrial plants.
Companies achieve VPP Star Status when management and employees have created safe and healthful workplaces that exceed government standards.
"We are proud to have achieved VPP status at four of our facilities," said Jean-Christophe Sautory, senior vice president, Corporate Manufacturing, L'Oreal USA. "We take our commitment to the safety and health of our employees very seriously. [This] announcement is a further demonstration of our stringent and rigorous approach to maintaining a productive, safe and quality work environment for our employees."
Four U.S.-based manufacturing plants in Franklin, Clark and Piscataway, N.J., as well as North Little Rock, Ark. have already achieved VPP Star Status. In the last three years, the L'Oreal Group has achieved a 44 percent reduction in its lost-time injury rate in factories around the world, and in the United States, L'Oreal is 49 percent below the national average lost-time injury rate at its VPP Star Status facilities.
"We welcome L'Oreal USA's decision to bring all of its U.S. manufacturing sites into the VPP," said OSHA Administrator John Henshaw. "The company recognizes the value of safety and health to its business, to its workplaces, and to the lives of its employees and appreciates that through VPP this value can be more effectively realized. We applaud L'Oreal USA's leadership and commitment to continuous improvement of safety and health throughout the country and we encourage other companies to follow their example."
According to L'Oreal, being a recognized VPP participant could not have been achieved without employee participation. The company says VPP Star status motivates employees, reduces workers' compensation claims and reduces lost days due to on-the-job injuries by 60 to 80 percent.
L'Oreal's brand portfolio includes L'Oreal Paris, Maybelline, Garnier, Soft Sheen Carson, Matrix, Redken, L'Oreal Professionnel, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, Lancome, Biotherm, Kiehl's, Shu Uemura, Giorgio Armani Parfums and Cosmetics and Ralph Lauren Fragrances.