B Corp: Our sustainability basecoat
Pink Gellac has been a certified B Corp since October 2024. For us, B Corp is more than a certification; it is our toolkit for creating a positive impact on people and the planet. It is also our commitment to continuous improvement. The foundation has been laid, but this is only the beginning. That’s why we call it our sustainability basecoat.
At Pink Gellac, we believe that how your nails look — the colour, the shine, and the well-groomed finish — is a powerful way to express yourself and can positively contribute to your self-confidence. Just like makeup, your hairstyle, or your clothing can. This purpose forms an integral part of our business strategy and guides our choices in product development, sourcing, and collaboration throughout the supply chain.
We actively take responsibility for the impact of our activities on people, the environment, and society. That’s why we continuously work on improving the safety and quality of our products, making our supply chain more sustainable and transparent, and reducing our environmental footprint.
In all strategic decisions, we carefully consider the interests of our stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, consumers, the environment, and society. Our B Corp certification underlines that we do what we say: we turn our sustainability ambitions into concrete actions.
Thera Strietman - Stein, CEO Pink Gellac
B Corps are companies that, in addition to making profit, work towards an inclusive and sustainable economy. Becoming a B Corp means meeting high standards across all areas — from governance to how you care for your team, your community, the environment, and of course you, our fans.
During the B Corp certification process, your entire company is thoroughly assessed. You earn points by proving the positive impact you create. Out of a possible 200 points, at least 80 are required to pass. Pink Gellac obtained the B Corp certification in October 2024 with a score of 86.9 points. We are determined to build on this foundation.
Our progress so far and what’s ahead
Becoming a B Corp means rolling up your sleeves and taking impactful steps. The beauty and nail polish industry faces unique challenges regarding product packaging and supply chains. But at Pink Gellac we are determined to pave the way for others and show how beauty brands can contribute to a sustainable future.
The certification process helped us clearly understand where we stand and how we can further develop in the future. Our B Corp journey inspired us to create a clear sustainability roadmap to make an even greater impact on our community, our products, our packaging, our supply chain, and of course our team.
Our products and packaging
Achieved so far:
- FSC®-certified packaging: we aim to have all our packaging FSC® certified.
- Smaller shipping boxes: together with Smurfit Kappa, most shipping boxes have been reduced in size, resulting in 15% less cardboard volume compared to 2023.
- Reducing plastic use: since 2025, all accessory packaging is plastic-free and from 2026 onwards, we will no longer use plastic sleeves around nail polish bottle caps.
- Declining return rate: from 0.8% in 2022 to 0.6% in 2023/2024 and 0.4% in 2025, thanks to clear product presentations, detailed information, and user-generated content. Fewer returns mean fewer transport movements and lower CO2 emissions.
Working on next:
- Ingredients: we continuously work on making our ingredients more sustainable. Whenever more sustainable options are available during product development, we implement them immediately. We also closely follow innovations to improve ingredients wherever possible.
- Renewable raw materials: we are exploring bio-based alternatives to increase the share of renewable raw materials in our assortment and reduce our impact further.
- Mica: part of our assortment contains (certified) natural mica, which creates a shiny effect. In consultation with our suppliers, we will completely phase out natural mica by 2027 and switch to synthetic mica. This ensures consistent quality and eliminates risks related to poor working conditions and child labour.
- Packaging optimization: we continue optimizing product and shipping packaging by reducing material use, shrinking packaging sizes, eliminating filler materials, and increasing the share of recycled materials.
Our supply chain
Achieved so far:
- Bi-weekly store replenishment: since 2024, we supply our brand stores every two weeks instead of weekly, reducing transport movements.
- More sustainable delivery options: our renewed online checkout allows customers to choose delivery to a pickup point. This reduces failed delivery attempts and unnecessary transport.
- Emission-free e-commerce warehouse: since February 2026, we operate from a new emission-free e-commerce warehouse by Monta. This warehouse works efficiently, energy-consciously, and socially responsibly: energy management according to the ISO 50001 standard, electricity fully generated by solar panels, collaboration with people distanced from the labour market, and an advanced packaging machine creates a custom-sized box for every order, reducing empty space and cardboard use.
Working on next:
- Logistics optimization: together with Monta, we continue improving our logistics to reduce CO2 emissions and work toward CO2 neutral shipping with all delivery partners. The move to Monta’s emission-free warehouse is a major step in this process.
Governance & Transparency
Achieved so far:
- Code of conduct: we agreed on a code of conduct with production partners, including guidelines for social responsibility and ethical business practices.
- Environmental Management System (EMS): all direct emissions (scope 1 and 2) have been mapped.
- Thuiswinkel Sustainability Certification: (Thuiswinkel is a Dutch trade association for online shops and e-commerce companies). Obtained in June 2025, focusing on sustainable e-commerce activities including packaging, delivery, returns, strategy, circular economy, and product offerings.
Working on next:
- Supplier evaluations: we review all suppliers annually to ensure they continue to align with our sustainability goals, both socially and environmentally.
At Pink Gellac, impact goes beyond processes and packaging. We also want to use the power of our brand to stimulate positive change. Although we have long been proud supporters of Pink Ribbon, we wanted to strengthen our social contribution further.
Using the Theory of Change model, we refined our mission: empowering and inspiring individuals from minority groups to express themselves. Self-expression is a powerful way to feel included, be visible, and build confidence. Self-expression has always been at the heart of Pink Gellac, but we want to take this even further.
While self-expression can greatly boost confidence, it is not always easy. Social norms and fear of judgment can stand in the way. We want to help change that. That’s why we refined our impact mission: to empower and inspire individuals from minority groups to express themselves.
Our employees are incredibly valuable to us. We know we can only continue growing at this pace if we grow together. That’s why we strive to create a workplace where everyone can shine.
Employee survey: every year we conduct an employee survey, and we are proud that our colleagues consistently give us a score of 8 or higher, well above the retail benchmark.
DE&I: we established a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) policy and team. We confirmed equal pay across diversity dimensions and monitor this every six months. All employees have completed DE&I training, which is now part of the onboarding process for new colleagues.
Support platform: we launched Open Up, a platform giving all employees and their families free and unlimited access to psychologists, lifestyle experts, and wellbeing resources.
Do you have questions, ideas, or feedback about our sustainability plans? We would love to hear what you think. Please feel free to send us a message.
