Clichy, 31st January 2017 – L’Oréal has been awarded the Operational Excellence Prize, created in 2017 by the MEDEF (French Business Confederation) in partnership with France Qualité, to encourage the implementation of the operational excellence approach across all sectors of French industry.

Organised each year by France Qualité (AFQP) and the Directorate General for Enterprise (DGE), under the eminent patronage of the French Ministry for the Economy and Finance, the 24th Quality and Operational Excellence National Prizes Ceremony took place in Paris on January 30th, 2017. It awarded 10 companies, institutions, students and book authors for their approaches / management analysis about quality and operational excellence in the service of performance. For the first time, this edition included the Operational Excellence Prize created by the MEDEF.

L’Oréal was awarded the 2017 Operational Excellence Prize in the “Large Companies” category.

Barbara Lavernos, Executive Vice-President Operations at L’Oréal, commented: “We are extremely proud to have received this prize, which is a reward for the day-to-day commitment of our teams in terms of agility in meeting the growing demands of consumers. It is a process of continuous improvement that has been stepped up in the past years and which enables us to guarantee the quality and safety of our products all over the world, while actively acting to respect our planet. It is also the foundation on which we are supporting our transition to industry 4.0”.

Pierre Gattaz, President of the MEDEF, said: “I am glad to see that the first edition of the “Operational Excellence Prize” is a success. It is a good way to show that this management and industrial process is beneficial and that it is a key asset for our companies facing the international competition.”

Click here for the full interview with Eric Wolff, L’Oréal Quality & Environment, Health, Safety Director:

About L'Oréal
L’Oréal has devoted itself to beauty for over 105 years. With its unique international portfolio of 32 diverse and complementary brands, the Group generated sales amounting to 25.26 billion euros in 2015 and employs 82,900 people worldwide. As the world’s leading beauty company, L’Oréal is present across all distribution networks: mass market, department stores, pharmacies and drugstores, hair salons, travel retail, branded retail and e-commerce
Research and innovation, and a dedicated research team of 3,870 people, are at the core of L’Oréal’s strategy, working to meet beauty aspirations all over the world. L’Oréal’s sustainability commitment for 2020 “Sharing Beauty With All” sets out ambitious sustainable development objectives across the Group’s value chain. www.loreal.com

About the Quality and Operational Excellence Prizes
Created in 1992 under the name "Quality Performance Prize", the "Quality and Operational Excellence Prizes" - renamed in 2017 - are organized by the Association France Qualité Performance (AFQP, also known as France Qualité), the Directorate General for Enterprise (DGE), under the eminent patronage of the French Ministry for the Economy and Finance and - since 2017 - the MEDEF, they reward companies, institutions, students and authors for their approaches / management analysis about quality and operational excellence to serve performance.
www.qualiteperformance.org/prix-qualite/prix-france-qualite-performance/qu-est-ce-que-le-pfqp

About France Qualité
The Association France Qualité Performance (AFQP), also known as France Qualité, brings together 1,500 public and private sector actors across all regions of France. Small and medium-sized enterprises, large groups, administrations, local authorities, along with teachers, experts and students... all the members of the association contribute to the implementation and development of Quality – that is the common core of different approaches aimed at achieving progress and managing risks. www.qualiteperformance.org

About the DGE
Under the authority of the Minister for the Economy and Finance, the DGE is tasked with developing and implementing government policy for industry, the digital economy, tourism, commerce, craft industries and trades, and services. The DGE’s 1,300 members of staff work nationally and regionally in a network of Regional Directorates for Enterprises, Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs, Labour and Employment to promote business start-ups, growth, innovation and competitiveness for companies of all sizes in France and abroad. The DGE works in close partnership with businesses and business representatives including trade organisations and federations, chambers of commerce, and industry and trade support networks. www.entreprises.gouv.fr

About the MEDEF
The MEDEF, the leading network of entrepreneurs in France, defends and promotes the interests of companies to all decision makers and promotes the spirit of enterprise and conquest in a changing world. The MEDEF discusses with all actors of the civil society and puts at the heart of its action the jobs creation and the growth of the economy. www.medef.com

“This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy L'Oréal shares. If you wish to obtain more comprehensive information about L'Oréal, please refer to the public documents registered in France with the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, also available in English on our Internet site www.loreal-finance.com.
This news release may contain some forward-looking statements. Although the Company considers that these statements are based on reasonable hypotheses at the date of publication of this release, they are by their nature subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated or projected in these statements.”

Contacts L'ORÉAL (switchboard + 33 1.47.56.70.00)

Individual shareholders and market authorities

Jean Régis CAROF
Tél : 01.47.56.83.02
jean-regis.carof@loreal.com

Financial analysts and institutional investors

Françoise LAUVIN
Tel:+33 (0)1.47.56.86.82
francoise.lauvin@loreal.com

Journalists

Polina HUARD 
Tel: +33 (0)1.47.56.87.88
polina.huard@loreal.com