Target, GoodGuide team up in new sustainability initiative

SAN FRANCISCO — Target is creating a new ranking system that evaluates personal care and cleaning products based on ingredient safety and disclosure of environmental effects, as well as asking the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to collaborate with it in developing a standard for cosmetic safety next year.

Working with GoodGuide, Target will give products a score of 0 to 100 based on five criteria. Ingredient safety and disclosure will account for 70% of the score, with ingredients cross-referenced against health hazard databases created by scientific authoritative and regulatory bodies. Transparency will be graded on full ingredient disclosure, including generic ingredients labeled "fragrances," and rankings will ultimately influence which products the retailer sells.

The move drew praise from product-safety advocates.

"The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics congratulates Target for taking an important leadership role in cleaning up the beauty aisle," Campaign for Safe Cosmetics cofounder and Breast Cancer Fund director of program and policy Janet Nudelman said. "By ranking personal care products based on their impact on environmental health, Target is redefining sustainability for consumers and manufacturers."