Better Health for All

Ulta Beauty's core products, primarily cosmetics and skincare, are generally considered to have a neutral health impact. While the company offers anti-blemish and anti-wrinkle skincare,

has a "Made Without List" for its "Clean Ingredients" pillar, and some products are rated "LOW HAZARD" by EWG, there is no evidence that a significant portion of its portfolio provides substantial health benefits. For risk transparency, Ulta Beauty provides transparent information through its "Conscious Beauty at Ulta Beauty®" program and has published a chemical policy. However, some products listed by EWG have "Fair Data Availability," indicating that disclosures are not always fully comprehensive. Regarding health externalities, Ulta Beauty has faced a $752,000 hazardous waste violation in 2021 and a $25,339 pesticide violation in 2017. The company is actively mitigating environmental impacts through its "Beauty Dropoff™" program, which collected 10,000 pounds of hard-to-recycle materials by the end of 2024, and aims for 50% sustainable packaging by the end of fiscal 2025. Ulta Beauty's health equity programs are limited in funding relative to its revenue. In 2024, the Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation donated $2 million to nonprofit partners focused on BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, $5.6 million to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and $1 million to Dress for Success. These combined donations of $8.6 million represent approximately 0.076% of its $11.3 billion net sales in fiscal 2024. The company demonstrates comprehensive mental health initiatives, including a $1 million donation in 2024 to national nonprofit partners like the Jed Foundation and Active Minds, expanding Active Minds' programs to 300 new schools. It also raised over $2.4 million for Big Brothers Big Sisters' youth wellness initiatives in 2024 and launched digital platforms like the Ulta Beauty Community and The Joy Hub on World Mental Health Day 2024. Ulta Beauty provides excellent healthcare education initiatives through its "Conscious Beauty" program, offering transparent product information and expert advice via digital platforms. It also partners with organizations like YWCA and Girls Inc. to offer educational events for students focusing on wellness and cosmetic science, and provides a comprehensive educational program for its 7,500 salon professionals. For healthcare data responsibility, Ulta Beauty states it does not sell guest data, shares aggregated and anonymized data while informing guests, and proactively monitors for threats and anomalies, indicating comprehensive privacy protections.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Ulta Beauty requires all brand partners, subcontractors, vendors, and manufacturers to adhere to its Vendor Standards or sign binding agreements that include ethical, legal, social, and workplace standards, including those pertaining to human trafficking and forced labor.

In fiscal year 2024, 3.9% of the company's total spend was directed to diverse suppliers, with a goal to reach 5.4% by the end of 2027.

Honest & Fair Business

Ulta Beauty has a robust whistleblower policy, offering multiple reporting channels including a 24/7 third-party Ethics Hotline that permits anonymous reporting

. The policy explicitly prohibits retaliation and ensures that concerns are investigated and appropriately addressed . The company's anti-corruption policy maintains a zero-tolerance stance on corruption, explicitly prohibiting offering or receiving bribes and facilitation payments . It also includes restrictions on gifts to U.S. government employees , requires accurate recordkeeping , and mandates due diligence and monitoring for third-party vendors . Furthermore, Ulta Beauty's 10-K filing for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2025, indicates no financial restatements .

Kind to Animals

All products in the Ulta Beauty Collection, which are Ulta Beauty's private label products, are 100% certified cruelty-free by PETA.

The company maintains a global policy against animal testing, confirming that its finished products, ingredients, suppliers, and third parties do not conduct animal tests anywhere in the world, including mainland China. Ulta Beauty does not sell its products in regions where animal testing is legally mandated, and this policy is externally certified as cruelty-free by PETA. Consequently, Ulta Beauty uses zero animals in any testing protocols. The company does not source eggs, meat, or dairy products.

No War, No Weapons

Ulta Beauty Inc. operates in beauty retail and explicitly states it does not engage in military contracts or arms manufacturing, indicating zero revenue from such activities.

The company also confirms it does not transact business with any country subject to a U.S. trade embargo or economic sanction. Ulta Beauty utilizes augmented reality and artificial intelligence for civilian applications like personalized recommendations and virtual try-ons. As there are no defense assets, no divestment is applicable, and no peace technology development is reported. The company screens for various controversial weapons, but verified zero exposure is not explicitly stated. Ulta Beauty has committed over $3 million to mental health and well-being initiatives, but these are not explicitly defined as peacebuilding or disarmament investments.

Planet-Friendly Business

Ulta Beauty's total Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions were 2.118 million tCO₂e in FY24, representing a ~3% decrease from the previous fiscal year.

The company has SBTi-approved climate goals, including a 90% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions and a 28% reduction in absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions (from use of sold products) by 2030, both from a 2019 base year. Progress has been published, with a 37% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 30% reduction in Scope 3 emissions since 2019. In FY24, 33% of electricity was sourced from renewable energy, supported by community solar agreements and a solar power purchase agreement for its Fresno distribution center. The waste diversion rate in FY24 was 62.05%, with 57,235 tons diverted from landfill, complemented by an in-store 'Beauty Drop-Off' take-back program. Furthermore, 47% of Ulta Beauty's brand partners have set science-based targets, with a commitment to reach 68% by 2027. The company's ESG report includes a TCFD index outlining alignment with recommendations and mentions the potential impact of a 2°C climate scenario on its business, strategy, and financial planning. Ulta Beauty also engages in climate justice initiatives through community solar agreements that provide renewable energy access to vulnerable regions.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Ulta Beauty invested $2 million in mandatory training for all store and salon associates to address unconscious bias and reinforce inclusivity.

The company has not reported any cultural appropriation incidents. Through its MUSE 100 initiative, Ulta Beauty recognized 100 Black leaders, providing each with a $10,000 grant, and also invested $5 million in venture capital for early-stage BIPOC beauty brands and founders of color.

Safe & Smart Tech

Ulta Beauty has not experienced any material cybersecurity incidents in the last three fiscal years.

The company has a formal Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning policy and an AI council, including executives, to align AI projects with strategy, ensure careful vetting, affirm transparency, encourage ethical use, and facilitate compliance. Ulta provides annual security awareness training and regular phishing training to all associates. The company has made inroads in data management and governance, implementing a comprehensive, cross-functional approach to identifying, preventing, and mitigating cybersecurity threats. Users have strong data control options, including rights to access, delete, and correct information, opt-out of data sale or sharing for targeted advertising, manage preferences, and delete their account. Ulta Beauty has an established Vulnerability Disclosure Policy hosted on Bugcrowd. The company practices data minimization, retaining Virtual Beauty Information for no longer than three years and generally keeping information only as long as necessary and proportionate to its original purpose. Ulta Beauty maintains a strong compliance program, adhering to all applicable laws and regulations, providing specific notices for residents of numerous US states, and upskilling associates to facilitate compliance with AI systems.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Ulta Beauty reports that 36% of its total assortment packaging currently meets its definition of sustainable, which includes being recyclable, refillable, or made from recycled or bio-sourced materials.

The company has a target to increase this to 50% by the end of fiscal 2025. Ulta Beauty operates a comprehensive take-back program, The Beauty Dropoff™, in partnership with Pact Collective, available at all 1,350+ stores, enabling customers to recycle hard-to-recycle beauty empties regardless of brand. In 2024, this program collected 10,000 pounds of materials for recycling or conversion. Other waste reduction initiatives include a 2024 pilot that rerouted approximately 31,000 products for donation and a 2023 collaboration with EDF's Climate Corps to develop waste mitigation strategies. For hazardous waste, Ulta Beauty diverted 29,448 tons from landfills in 2024 and trains associates on safe handling. The company requires vendors to uphold environmental stewardship principles. Ulta Beauty also provides comprehensive customer education on recycling beauty product packaging, including cleaning empties, understanding materials, checking local guidelines, and using in-store and online product badges.