Corporate Responsibility
Embedding sustainability across the value chain 16th July 2019
By Symrise
Symrise focuses on natural, environmentally friendly and increasingly responsibly sourced solutions. In doing so, the company want
Symrise focuses on natural, environmentally friendly and increasingly responsibly sourced solutions. In doing so, the company wants to contribute to a more sustainable world. And what does Symrise exactly do to achieve this? It puts partnerships into the center of all sustainability activities.
A transparent, straightforward and dialogue-based approach makes up the recipe for fueling the beauty market with sustainable solutions. Value-added products originate from the dynamics of these partnerships as their members commit to more sustainability, starting in the fields and extending throughout the whole value chain.
All members can benefit from these partnerships if they pursue traceability, and obtain a greater understanding of business and opportunities that add value along the chain. This results in a leaner, more connected production, with high quality products based on ethical principles.
This applies to Symrise in particular, as it obtains its crops from a number of countries around the world and each of them has its own value and history. In countries like Brazil and Madagascar with an abundant biodiversity and culture, Symrise distinguishably promotes value chains that support socio-environmental aspects and drive an economic development that impacts the market.
Symrise started its commitment to Madagascar 13 years ago, and has created a story of success that embraces years of dedication, generating income for more than 7,000 farmers in 90 different locations. Over a decade ago, the initiative started with the cropping of vanilla. Today, it extends to a number of additional crops, delivering a broad collection of botanical ingredients. These products and the institution of programs help to improve the livelihood for the farmers and their families. This includes developing and training entrepreneurial skills and building environmental education.
Another example for this successful approach is Tamanu, an African tree traditionally used as a barrier against cyclonic winds, and which, through the processing of its fruits, provides income to over 300 families. This brings a new perspective to local communities. Symrise sources and processes the Tamanu oil and, together with other natural ingredients, it forms the collection of African Oils, which Symrise launched at this year’s in-cosmetics in Paris and added another success in Brazil with the in-cosmetics Latin America edition. The rich cold-pressed oil offers an essential composition of fatty oils that can smooth skin, purify it and bring well-being to the user.
In Brazil, Symrise has established a location in the heart of the Amazon, in Benevides, a town in the state of Pará. With this endeavour, it has created jobs for a number of people based in the region. This enables the company to purchase valuable plant ingredients directly from local producers – a unique trait to its products. Over the past five years, the operation has been generating income for over 2,000 families, bringing about a big change in the region.
The commitment of Symrise to the market goes beyond price and quality, because it has integrated the tools for a more sustainable world into its value chains. The resulting products have their own specific history, bring added value and support a sustainable livelihood for local farmers. This enables rural communities to obtain a reliable income from growing and processing their crops. This also bestows consumers with products that outrun quality and technology and tells real stories of cooperation. This way, Symrise links the members of its value chain, puts sustainability into practice and makes a commitment towards society and the environment.
“Our commitment to Care for people and the environment drives our cosmetic ingredients teams,” says Eder Ramos, Global President, Symrise Cosmetic Ingredients. “We care about people’s well-being, and their ability to feel comfortable in their own skins. Caring for the environment means pursuing a responsible, sustainability-oriented approach with our sourcing and manufacturing processes. We combine our level of care with state-of-the-art technology to create high-quality cosmetic ingredients for the global beauty industry – ingredients that exactly address the needs of consumers worldwide.”
Symrise believes that its relationships and business are intrinsically related, which adds value to the company, to partnerships, to society and to the planet. That is why we support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – a set of 17 goals designated by the United Nations that aim to motivate people, governments and companies in the quest for better living conditions. The 17th goal states that partnerships are key for a sustainable business.
It is by means of its business and its partnerships that Symrise persists in building a more sustainable world.
