L’Oréal Fund for Nature Regeneration announces three new investments

L’Oréal has awarded its Fund for Nature Regeneration to three new recipients, accelerating its longstanding commitment to biodiversity beyond its own value chain.

Created in 2020, the L’Oréal Fund for Nature Regeneration is a €‎50 million fund for impact investment. Its portfolio includes projects that support the regeneration of degraded land and mangroves, as well as the restoration of marine areas and forests.

The fund, which has committed €‎22 million in projects to-date, has now been awarded to NetZero, ReforesTerra and Mangroves. These projects were selected following due diligence and based on key criteria including business model readiness, economic viability, and positive environmental and social impacts.

The projects:

NetZero is a French climate venture operating in tropical areas such as Cameroon and Brazil. It specialises in long-term carbon removal from the atmosphere by turning agricultural residues into biochar, a non-polluting carbon that can be added to improve degraded soil.

ReforesTerra aims to restore 2,000 hectares of land degraded by pastures, engaging with smallholder farmers to plant new trees and create a favourable environment for natural regeneration in the lower Rio Jamari basin of Rondônia. It also provides strategic planting in small clusters that attracts wildlife to naturally propagate new forests.

Mangroves facilitates community-based mangrove restoration projects in South Asian countries, providing access to financing for small-scale projects with local NGOs. It aims to restore approximately 20,000 hectares of previously degraded land and provide equitable benefit-sharing with local communities.

Rachel Barré, Environmental Leadership Director at L’Oréal, said: "Our environmental duty goes beyond our business. It is our responsibility to address today’s most pressing challenges, like the erosion of biodiversity and its social and ecological impact.

"The L’Oréal Fund for Nature Regeneration is an important vehicle in our efforts towards a more sustainable future for all. With the new projects signed, our aim is to help restore the planet’s biodiversity and preserve its abundant ecosystems."