Sustainable Cosmetic Packaging in China: Multi-Level Evaluation of Physical Elements Under ESG Principles

This study constructs a multi-level evaluation framework for sustainable cosmetic packaging design, guided by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. The framework integrates sustainable packaging principles with the Environmental (E), Social (S), and Governance (G) dimensions and introduces Physical Elements (PE) as a supplementary evidence layer for verifying packaging-related indicators through observation or documentary evidence. The framework was screened and weighted through expert evaluation, and 50 cosmetic packaging samples collected from Jiangsu and Shanghai, China, were evaluated. The direct principle weights for the Environmental, Social, and Governance dimensions were 0.394, 0.312, and 0.294, respectively, indicating relatively modest differences. Because Governance Indicators were not linked to packaging-level PE, the quantitative assessment focused on eight Environmental and ten Social Indicators, while Governance served as an interpretive dimension. Mean E–S composite scores were highest for bottle/tube and jar packaging, at 57% and 53%, followed by pouch packaging (43%), pen-type packaging (39%), and compact packaging (38%). Verified attributes were concentrated in basic functionality, product information, and selected recycling-related features, with less evidence of renewable-material use, reusable or refillable design, inclusive design, and detailed recycling guidance. The findings demonstrate how packaging-level evidence can identify design gaps while relating observable attributes to broader ESG responsibilities.