Firmenich has become a member of Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), a non-profit association that promotes sourcing with respect.
Related: Firmenich, Symrise and More Commit to Biodiversity Framework
UEBT membership recognizes that Firmenich is operating worldwide according to ethical sourcing principles and has developed work plans for its supply chains on biodiversity, fair and equitable benefit sharing, local development and labor rights.
As part of its Naturals Together platform, Firmenich builds its naturals on three pillars:
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Sustainable procurement standards
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Collections of certified ingredients with strong involvement at source
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Innovation
Gilbert Ghostine, CEO Firmenich, said, “Our Center of Expertise of Naturals in Grasse has been a member of UEBT since 2014 and now we are proud to join the organization at global level, having passed their independent assessment. UEBT is recognized for setting high standards and working with companies on biodiversity, making this partnership a key milestone for our 2030 ESG objectives on responsible sourcing. By integrating biodiversity protection in all our natural sourcing from 50 countries, we are making a real difference to people, planet and society, and offering our customers the highest quality, sustainably sourced, natural raw materials.”
Boet Brinkgreve, president, ingredients said, “With UEBT, we have designed and agreed on a clear work-plan for the next three years. Our objective is to drive continuous improvement towards the local producers in our value chains and ensure proper risk management systems across our natural sourcing portfolio. Through this collaboration, we also want to achieve certification for a large number of our critical ingredients by 2030.”
Rik Kutsch Lojenga, executive director of UEBT, said, “Firmenich has set clear targets for 2030 on sourcing with respect for people and biodiversity. A solid implementation strategy is currently being rolled out by Firmenich to ensure these targets are met and a positive impact is created for people and biodiversity. With Firmenich group joining UEBT, it is committing to continuous improvement with a focus on local sourcing practices in its responsible sourcing due diligence system and supplier support program. We look forward to working with Firmenich on this.”
