With the frenzy of New York Fashion Week barely behind it, the city is turning to its next big moment: Climate Week NYC. Dubbed by some as the Super Bowl of Sustainability, the weeklong gathering brings more than a thousand climate and sustainability events to neighborhoods across the city.
Beauty has carved out a bigger presence at Climate Week, with events covering key topics across biodiversity, ingredients, packaging, and claims strategy. BeautyMatter and Source Beauty break down the key themes and what’s on the horizon for sustainable sourcing, labeling, and the brands to watch.
Climate-related nature and biodiversity risks, from natural ingredient sourcing to water availability for manufacturing, throughout beauty brands at every stage of the upstream supply chain. Those that integrate these risks into their broader business strategy may be better positioned for long-term resilience, growth, and scale in a turbulent market.
Events of Note:
Senior sustainability leaders from Kenvue, Walmart, Nestlé, and Takeda discuss how climate strategies transform from arbitrary spending to risk-reducing investments.
Host: Pure Strategies and Ceres
Format: Networking breakfast, fireside chat, a panel discussion, and small-group breakouts
When: Wednesday, September 23, 8:45-11:30am
Where: Register to see location
Details: Registration and approval required
The Next Sustainability Imperative: Integrating Climate and Nature Into Business Strategy
A conversation on how businesses are integrating climate and nature across operations, value chains, and corporate decision-making.
Host: World Wildlife Fund
Format: Panel discussion
When: Wednesday, September 23, 1:15-2:15pm
Details: Registration required
Leaders from Walmart, The Nature Conservancy, and Generation Investment Management discuss nature across the supply chain and the role of business in strengthening resilience.
Host: The Nature Conservancy
Format: Panel
When: Thursday, September 24, 10:40-11:05am
Where: Nest Climate Campus - North Javits Center
Details: General attendee pass required; registration subject to approval
Caught between greenwashing, greenhushing, and greenshouting, brands looking to make sustainability claims are converging on one focal point: certifications. New EU rules under the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, which take effect September 27, tighten environmental claims and restrict sustainability labels not based on certification schemes or established by public authorities. The week’s event lineup around the topic underscores how leveraging these certifications is increasingly more important than ever.
Events of Note:
The New Rules of Climate Marketing
Source Beauty and 1% For the Planet sit down at PlanetHAUS for a fireside chat on how to teach brands to protect their claims from greenwashing.
Host: PlanetHAUS
Format: Fireside chat
When: Monday, September 21, 2:00-2:15pm
Where: Chief Clubhouse NYC
Details: Registration for day pass
Less Risk and More Benefit in Climate Action Messaging
A panel and reception with The Change Climate Project focused on the current and future state of climate change claims and messaging, and the tools and data for the next chapter.
Host: The Change Climate Project and Beveridge & Diamond
Format: Panel and reception
When: Tuesday, September 22, 1:30-3:00pm
Where: Beveridge & Diamond NY Offices
Details: Registration required
The Certification Advantage: From Trusted Claims to Scaled Impact
Amazon brings together the CEO of WRAP and the VP of Sustainability and Governance at Helen of Troy to walk through a brand’s complete certification journey.
Host: Amazon and WRAP
Format: Workshop
When: Friday, September 25, 11:15am-1:15pm
Where: The Climate Edge Hub
Details: Invitation only
Extended producer responsibility laws in the US, combined with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, are putting pressure on beauty companies to rethink packaging design and material sourcing. With requirements phasing in over the coming years, brands face a growing need to build sustainable packaging criteria into product development.
Events of Note:
The Future of Circularity in Beauty
Pact Collective hosts a panel of speakers from L’Oréal, Ulta Beauty, Saie, and Credo to discuss challenges and solutions for small-format and hard-to-recycle beauty packaging.
Host: Pact Collective
Format: Panel discussion
When: Wednesday, September 23, 8:30-11:30am
Where: Arlo SOHO
Details: Event full; join the waiting list
Closing the Loop: Scaling Reusable Packaging
Sustainability leaders from WRAP, TerraCycle, Mastercard, and Trellis Group come together to break down what makes circular packaging work and how brands can implement it at scale.
Format: Panel discussion
When: Wednesday, September 23, 11:40am-12:05pm
Where: The Nest Campus; Main Stage
Details: Registration required
Unpacking Circularity: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Prose & RePurpose Global
Prose celebrates its new partnership with RePurpose Global with a behind-the-scenes tour of its Brooklyn factory and a fireside chat on waste and circularity in beauty.
Host: Prose and RePurpose Global
Format: Tour and fireside chat
When: Wednesday, September 23, 6:00-8:00pm
Where: Prose Factory
Details: Email to request an invitation.
Sustainability as a Business Strategy
For brands that want to capture the full potential of sustainability, new insights are emerging around the operational benefits derived at every stage of the beauty value chain. From cross-functional stakeholder collaboration to deeper integration of regulatory compliance into business strategy, brands have a wealth of opportunities to address sustainability as a value driver.
Events of Note:
How CPG Is the Proven Testing Ground for Sustainability Progress
A ClimeCo panel featuring sustainability leaders from Credo Beauty, Bansk Beauty, and Tom's of Maine.
Host: ClimeCo
Format: Panel discussion
When: Tuesday, September 22, 11:00-11:30am
Where: Nest Climate Campus - North Javits Center
Details: Registration required
The Green Beauty Community Foundation invites partner brands Amika, John Paul Mitchell, Ulta Beauty, and others to a practical, collaborative gathering for salon owners, stylists, educators, and beauty leaders, turning sustainability into action through technical education, sustainability activations, and a panel of beauty industry experts.
Host: Green Beauty Community
Format: Green Salon Impact Tour and panel discussion
When: September 23, 1:00-6:00pm
Where: Amika’s Brooklyn office
Details: Registration required
Can Consumers Drive the Sustainability Agenda? A Data-Driven Discussion
GlobeScan, NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, and Sustainable Brands join for a data-driven discussion on consumer attitudes, purchasing behavior, and the role consumers can play in advancing sustainability.
Host: NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, GlobeScan, and Sustainable Brands
Format: Roundtable Discussion
When: Tuesday, September 22, 8:00-10:30am
Where: Register to see location
Details: Registration required
Across all four themes, the throughline is the same: Sustainability is moving from the margins of beauty marketing into core business decisions on sourcing, claims, packaging, and strategy. For brands heading into Climate Week, the question is less whether to show up than which rooms are worth being in.