Beiersdorf is a co-founder of the cross-industry initiative “Action for Sustainable Derivatives (ASD)”, which was established in October 2019 and has now started operations. The primary purpose of the cooperation is to achieve the sustainable sourcing and production of palm (kernel) oil derivatives.
Raw Materials for Personal Care Products
The founding members are aiming for maximum transparency and sustainability throughout the supply chain for palm (kernel) oil derivatives in the areas of beauty, home and personal care products and oleochemicals.
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Palm (kernel) oil derivatives are important raw materials in the cosmetics and personal care industry. Hence, we need to ensure the sustainable sourcing of palm-based ingredients. By joining forces with our peers and suppliers in analyzing the palm supply chain, we can accelerate our efforts towards deforestation-free supply chains,” said Dorle Bahr, Head of Environmental Sustainability.
Derivatives Used in the form of Surfactants
Beiersdorf does not source palm (kernel) oil directly, but use Palm (kernel) oil derivatives, raw materials based on palm (kernel) oil which have undergone further processing. For example, Beiersdorf uses derivatives in the form of surfactants or emulsifiers in its personal care and cleansing products.
The company has made the commitment to the Palm Oil Sustainability Roadmap 2020: Beiersdorf intends to identify and improve the environmental and social hotspots along the supply chain through certification, transparency and transformation.
Furthermore, Beiersdorf aims to transition all palm (kernel) oil-based ingredients used in its products to sustainably certified raw materials by 2020, i.e. 100 percent of the palm (kernel) oil derivatives will be sustainably certified. At the end of 2018, 74 percent of the derivatives sourced by Beiersdorf had already been transitioned to RSPO Mass Balance certified palm (kernel) oil. The new “Action for Sustainable Derivatives” initiative is another key pillar of this roadmap.
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Co-founding the “Action for Sustainable Derivatives” initiative and committing to collaborate on supply chain transparency and transformation is another important cornerstone of Beiersdorf’s Sustainable Palm Roadmap,” added Bahr.
Source: Beiersdorf