Written by: Daniela Arango – CPO at Lignopure

 

All commercial activities affect the ecosystem and life living in it and then, with increasingly complex supply and distribution chains, it is harder to determine and control their environmental impact.

 

Lignopure’s ethical supply commitment

Committed to achieving an ethical supply, we at Lignopure acknowledge that everything from the raw materials source to the use of bio renewables has an impact. Therefore, our commitment is to mitigate all negative possible repercussions and ensure everyone involved in our supply chain benefits from the success of Lignopure’s products and business model.

Following these principles, we believe an ethical supply in the cosmetic industry is necessary to ensure that all ingredients are obtained in an environmentally sustainable, socially responsible, and economically fair way. For instance, ethical sourcing helps protect biodiversity, supports local communities, and promotes fair trade practices. Additionally, using ethically sourced ingredients can help build trust with consumers who are increasingly interested in knowing where their products come from, how they are made, and what impact they are having on their health and the environment.

As part of our strategy to achieve an ethical supply chain, we focus on two aspects. First, transparency of our value chain, which lets us assess the social, economic, and environmental impact of our suppliers and downstream partners. And second, the protection of biodiversity, by ensuring that we use and upcycle valuable waste streams or by-products from other industries.

The role of traceability in the cosmetic industry

Nowadays, consumers’ demands lead the way towards clean sustainable cosmetic products, that’s why multiple researchers and surveys have shown that there is a big demographic that could be willing to pay more if a product or brand clearly communicates its traceability and sustainability strategy. This is something that requires a great deal of transparency, which until now hasn’t been the standard for the cosmetic industry.

According to the EY future Consumer Index  43% of consumers want to buy more from companies that benefit society and the environment, regardless of higher prices. Moreover, 84% affirm sustainability affects their purchasing decisions. This clearly indicates that Consumers look beyond a brand to assess the impact of their purchases and focus more than on sustainability indicators.

 

The importance of transparency

Transparency is achieved when companies know how their upstream value chain operates and make sure to spread the knowledge internally and externally. This aspect has become a must for companies as customers are more aware of social and environmental responsibility.

From the plant from which our ingredients are derived to our suppliers’ ESG commitment, our product record contains key information regarding biomass and country of origin, as well as the supplier’s labor conditions and commitment to human rights and equality. Additionally, we have a clear view of their operations and lignin extraction processes, completing a full picture of our upstream value chain. This more in detail information is available, for regulatory and certification bodies, for example, COSMOS and ISO 16128.

Therefore, at Lignopure, we are taking measures to ensure that our customers and their final cosmetic users have a clear look at our supply chain.

Lignopure’s value chain

Protecting Biodiversity

A very important sustainability aspect for us is to ensure that all lignins come from non-endangered botanical species that have been grown or cultivated without affecting wild habitats. For this reason, every time we approve a raw lignin supplier (aka biorefinery), we closely examine their own biomass suppliers to ensure they follow strict sustainable agricultural field practices and sustainability regulations like certified forestry. That’s why we have opted to work with second-generation biorefineries, which use their biomass residues from forestry or agriculture as feedstocks, this ensures us a sustainable high-quality and safe lignin.

Another essential point for us at Lignopure is to work exclusively with suppliers and materials proceeding from countries participating and promoting the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, which ensures the protection and sustainable exploitation of biodiversity as well as acknowledging the cultural and economic value of biodiversity and traditional knowledge.

 

Lignopure’s sustainability contribution goals

In a nutshell, Lignopure’s operations and products are being developed around transparency and a sustainable supply chain that goes from biomass sourcing to manufacturing and distribution. Our commitment is on the one hand to help cosmetic manufacturers benefit from a growing demand for sustainable products that reflect and prove their commitment to taking care of the environment, biodiversity and society. On the other, we wish to support consumers in their path toward cleaner and greener beauty routines by producing cosmetic ingredients that they can look for in personal care products.

We look forward to providing our ingredients to the cosmetic industry and work with likeminded companies and brands that are looking for natural ingredients from and ethical supply origin for multiple products.

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