Weleda has signed an open letter to the EU Commission calling for the upcoming EU Soil Health Law to be stronger and more ambitious.
The law was proposed in 2021 and is expected to be implemented in June this year, with the aim of creating a high level of environmental and health protection.
But the skin care and wellbeing brand has stated that the policy needs to be robust, as it considers healthy soil to be vital for the planet due to it being a major carbon store.
This is in addition to its benefits towards reducing climate change and biodiversity loss.
“Together with many other actors from business and civil society, we call on the European Commission to adopt an ambitious and progressive policy with regards to soil health,” said Dr Stefan Siemer, Head of Sustainability at Weleda.
“Soil health is possibly the most important answer to many essential threats: climate change, biodiversity loss, soil fertility loss, undignified use of soil so it is now up to the European Commission to set the right course.”
The letter states that for the new policy to be effective, it must have robust requirements on the sustainable use of soil.
It also asks for a robust soil health monitoring and reporting system, as well as binding targets on achieving soil health.
“With this heartfelt appeal, we hope to raise public awareness of the importance of soil health, and encourage governments, businesses, and the public to engage in improving soil health and to give soil the respect and protection it deserves,” added Siemer.
It comes after Weleda sent a letter in February 2023 to the European Commission urging for the upcoming legislation on microplastics to also be stronger.
NAÏF and Beauty Kitchen were among the microplastic-free brands to sign the document, which stated that “the upcoming legislation goes far nor fast enough in its current format”.
The companies expressed particular concerns around the timeframes of the policy.
“The exceptionally long transition periods in the current proposal, especially 12 years for leave-on products such as make-up, remain at odds with the principles laid down in ongoing European Commission initiatives and therefore have no justification,” the letter read.