What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

We have been working on advertising and the challenges it poses, both internally and with our competition. As leaders in the beauty industry, we have an obligation to lead by example and set the foundations for how we must act, ensuring that consumers are at the centre of everything we do. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Working on advertising and challenges means staying alert to how we, and our competitors, communicate with consumers. This includes identifying claims that do not belong in the cosmetics field and engaging with the industry, competitors, and the relevant authorities when we detect violations of laws or advertising self-regulation standards. Our aim is to ensure that consumers are not misled or deceived by the advertising they see.

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?   

In the beauty industry, advertising is key. The L’Oréal Group standards, together with the local standards of each country, provide us with a framework for how we can act, what we can say, and what we can do when advertising products. To ensure the success of our campaigns and comply with global and local regulations, we have developed a digital platform, in collaboration with the Scientific and IT teams, that optimises the advertising review and approval process.

Previously, the review and approval of advertisements was carried out via email, which generated inefficiencies, a lack of traceability, and limited clarity in risk management.

With the new platform, the Marketing, Scientific Regulatory Claims, Legal teams, and other relevant stakeholders involved in the workflow have access to the same information: advertising pieces, supporting studies, image rights, and more. This facilitates traceability, reduces response times, improves efficiency, and allows for more effective risk monitoring. Additionally, it promotes collaboration between teams and facilitates decision-making.

This solution, already implemented in eight Latin American countries, includes a specific flow for the Latin American teams that allows for a pre-evaluation and general review of the advertising, ensuring a unified and strategic approach.

What is a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you care about, and why? 

The responsibility that companies have towards consumers regarding their marketing and advertising is significant. In an increasingly fast and digital world, the information shared with consumers—whether true or false—can make or break a company’s reputation. Thus, telling the truth in our advertising, being transparent about our products and services and their functionalities, and being consistent in what we say and do allows companies to continue growing. This transparency provides consumers with grounds to question what they see and the sources of information when it does not align with their experiences with a company. Trust from consumers triggers loyalty, and therefore, we must work hard to live up to it.