b-ex Inc. (headquartered in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo), a beauty company of numerous hair care brands such as Loretta that aims to become Asia’s No. 1 clean beauty company, announced that its CEO, Toshihiro Fukui, participated in the World Climate Summit (WCS), an official side event at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022.
The WCS, organized by the World Climate Foundation (WCF) three times a year, serves as a forum for companies from around the world to discuss climate change. Since 2010, one of these events has been held as an official side event of the annual COP. This year’s event, held in conjunction with COP27 on November 13–14, saw 66 companies and other organizations from around the world working towards carbon neutrality in attendance. Toshihiro Fukui, CEO of b-ex, was the only participant from a Japanese beauty company.
Furthermore, Steven Ko, the representative of Taiwanese carbon-neutral green cosmetics manufacturer O’right (headquartered in Taoyuan, Taiwan), with which b-ex has a capital and business alliance, participated in a panel discussion.
b-ex has made SDGs one of its management pillars and has set the long-term vision of becoming “Asia’s No. 1 Clean Beauty* Company.” The company’s participation in the WCS is a part of this effort, and b-ex will continue to lead the beauty industry as a whole towards the realization of a zero-carbon society, starting with hair salons.
*Clean beauty: Beauty products developed with consideration for people and the environment

Message from b-ex CEO, Toshihiro Fukui

Japan lags behind in clean beauty; some countries have natural cosmetics sections in duty-free shops
Compared to the companies from the U.S. and Europe that participated in this WCS, it seems that Japan’s beauty industry is nearly a decade behind. There is a significant difference between Japan and the West in terms of the shelf space allocated to natural cosmetics. In many countries, it is not unusual to see natural cosmetics sections set up in duty-free shops at airports. In addition, there are more and more gender-neutral products that do not differentiate between “men’s” and “women’s” offerings, reflecting a strong sense of responsibility towards the SDGs in product development.

Fundamental reforms needed, starting with the supply chain
O’right, a company with which b-ex has a capital and business alliance, presented MELTING GREENLAND, a documentary about an Arctic expedition to explore the effects of climate change, at a panel discussion at the WCS. While O’right’s efforts are extensive, carbon neutrality efforts are gaining global traction, including FSC certification for sustainable forest management and the use of environmentally friendly packaging and containers. Japan, however, is seen as a country of “excessive packaging,” and an increasing number of manufacturers in other countries are not using cosmetics boxes, security seals, and in-store POP stickers, all of which are commonplace in Japan. Moreover, there is a lot of waste in the manufacturing process, perhaps due to the strong emphasis in Japan’s supply chain on maintaining high quality. In other countries, purchasers of natural cosmetics in particular tend to be more tolerant than Japanese consumers of packaging defects that do not affect product quality, and there is a strong mindset to make the most of available resources. Reducing container and packaging waste requires greater efforts to revise and change mindsets throughout the supply chain, not just among consumers. Achieving carbon neutrality is not something that can be accomplished solely through the efforts of energy-related companies and large corporations. I was reminded that if small and medium-sized enterprises like us to come together to share ideas and take action, it will eventually become a powerful force. To lead Japan’s clean beauty movement, b-ex will continue to promote decarbonization initiatives with hair salons in the next fiscal year and work to foster a green mindset that embodies a sense of responsibility towards sustainability.

Right: Steven Ko, Representative of O’right
Left: Toshihiro Fukui of b-ex

Left: Toshihiro Fukui of b-ex
Center: George Hu, Asia Regional Representative at WCF
Right: Steven Ko, Representative of O’right

【Company Overview】
b-ex Inc. is a beauty company with 48 years of history which main business is manufacture and sale of professional products for beauty salons and consumer channel.

In 2015, based on the corporate mission of " Discover new experiences of beauty in your life," which is designed by the creative director Kashiwa Sato , the company changed its name from “MoltoBene” to “beauty experience Inc.” and to the abbreviated form “b-ex Inc.” since 2021. We aim to be the “No. 1 Professional and Clean Beauty* Company” in Asia. Through promoting SDGs as one of the pillars of product supply and business management that empathizes with hairstylists and customers.

The company formed a capital business partnership with O'right Inc., a zero-carbon beauty brand in the Republic of China (Taiwan), and is the sole distributor in Japan of Clean Beauty skin care products Lavido, from Israel.

By introducing SDGs commitment and provoking the Green Revolution, b-ex is transforming the salon industry in Japan to realizing a sustainable society.

*Clean beauty: Beauty products developed with consideration for people and the environment

Name: b-ex Inc.
CEO: Toshihiro Fukui
Head office: Setagaya Business Square Hills 4, 1st floor, 4-10-5 Yoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-0097, Japan
Incorporated: October 1975
Capital: 133.33 million yen
Number of employees: 140 (as of December 2022)
Nature of business: Production and sale of cosmetics and quasi-pharmaceutical products; import and export of cosmetics and quasi-pharmaceutical products
Website: https://www.b-ex.inc/
[Customer inquiries] Tel: +81-03 (6757) 7767