L’Oreal, the cosmetics and hair care company that runs product lines for 25 global brands such as Garnier, Maybelline and the Body Shop, has announced a series of environmental targets. These include promising to halve its carbon emissions, water use and industrial waste by 2015 compared with 2005 levels.

The company is sizeable. It produced more than 4.7 billion units in 2007, owns 41 factories spread over the EU, North and South America and Asia, and sells products in 130 countries.

L’Oreal now feels under pressure from retailers and stakeholders to consider its environmental footprint, according to Pierre Simoncelli, the company’s director of sustainable development.