Sustainability

The ISO 16128 Standard defines a common international language for natural and organic ingredients that is based on the 12 principles of Green Chemistry. ISO 16128 is not a label, not a set of technical specifications, not a law, but is rather a framework for harmonizing and structuring terminologies related to organic and natural ingredients among the different countries of the world.

The ISO 16128 Standard establishes four categories of ingredients and indicates calculations for their naturalness indexes. In Syensqo's portfolio, this “naturalness index” reflects:

• Natural Index (In) for pure natural products with no chemical modifications
• Natural Origin Index (Ino) for products derived from natural resources that have been modified by chemical/biological reaction

An index of Ino > 0.5 refers to products originating from renewable resources.

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The vast majority of consumers want to understand the added value and benefits each ingredient brings to the products used in their beauty routines. So, a designation as natural or naturally derived typically results in a product being perceived more pure and more safe for consumers. Today, consumers no longer want to choose between a lower-performing, eco-friendly solution and an effective, yet conventional solution.

With the expectation that personal care products should be made with more natural-inspired ingredients, Syensqo Research and Innovation (R&I) teams are exploring ways to find naturally derived alternatives that can replace synthetic ingredients. Brands have begun to reformulate by removing undesirable synthetic ingredients, such as sulfates, polyquaterniums or styrene/acrylates copolymers and replacing them with alternatives that deliver similar, or even better, performance. 

Through years of innovation Syensqo teams have found innovative solutions that replace the functions of these existing products and have added new benefits and sensory experiences.
 

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Why is palm oil still important?Palm oil is an incredibly efficient crop, producing more oil per land area than any other equivalent vegetable oil crop. Globally, palm oil provides 35% of the world’s vegetable oil demand using just 10% of the land.* While oil palm is more efficient than other vegetable crops, concerns over its growing demand could lead to serious environmental and social consequences such as deforestation, loss of natural habitats, illegal fires and land conflicts.

Even though the volumes used by Syensqo remain low compared to the total market for palm oil, we are committed to respecting Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) principles and ensuring our palm oil supplies are sustainably produced.

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What is RSPO Mass Balanced (MB)?
Palm oil can be produced in a responsible manner that respects the environment and communities. The RSPO label ensures that a product is made with certified sustainable palm oil. This label gives confidence that the palm oil was produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

What are Syensqo's commitments?

• A sustainable sourcing policy of palm and palm kernel oil derivatives
• A stringent selection of our suppliers based on sustainability criteria 
• A time-bound plan to ensure the full traceability of our raw materials 
• The RSPO certification of our manufacturing sites 
• Work on traceability by joining Action for Sustainable Derivatives (ASD*)

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Contact us to know more.

Circular Beauty includes ingredients based on renewable and recyclable resources that are transformed into valuable, new products. Circular Beauty is a challenge that companies like Syensqo are willing to take on to make positive steps toward reducing our impact and helping our clients do the same. Our goal is to promote the use of sustainable skin cleansing products to customers and to have a greener value chain from beginning to end. We are dedicated to continue improving on this topic and proposing more and more eco-conscious and efficient solutions. 

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Microplastics are tiny plastic particles, fewer than 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter, smaller than a grain of rice. They are found in everyday items, such as water bottles, textiles, and some personal care products. As concerns are raised over the consequences these tiny particles have on marine life, Syensqo offers alternatives to microplastics for the most challenging formulations.

The Sustainable Guar Initiative is a multi-year project to teach and promote sustainable agricultural practices to farmers of rain-fed guar bean crops grown in India’s desert region of Bikaner. Launched in 2015, Syensqo's Sustainable Guar Initiative (SGI) aims to empower farmers with tools and knowledge to cultivate guar crops through good agricultural practices that will result in more continuous, high-yield production. The program was designed to improve the livelihood of farmers, protect local resources and ensure a durability of income for guar bean farmers while also considering the impact of climate change into their activities.

More than 7,300 farmers in 36 villages have already registered to participate in the project. We commissioned Technoserve, a global non-governmental  organization, to spearhead on-the-ground implementation. Technoserve experts train farmers to show how sustainable farming practices can be implemented in a practical way. By comparing crops grown on the demonstration land to those grown under normal field conditions, farmers learn to recognize the benefits of sustainable agricultural practices. 

Our efforts also focus on expanded societal inputs to help women establish kitchen gardens that provide produce for their families, and serve as a potential secondary source of income.

On the environmental side, data collected on more than 3,000 farmers show the changes in cultivation practices with benefits on guar production yield demonstrating no deterioration on the guar bean environmental footprint.

Integrated approach of the environment and societal life cycle analysis of the first three years of the Sustainable Guar Initiative program.

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Cosmetic Organic and Natural Standard (COSMOS-validated ingredients) meet standards and requirements responsible for the use of natural resources and ingredients from completely natural or organic origins. The certification is recognized by the cosmetics industry around the world. By adhering to specific guidelines, cosmetics marketers can use COSMOS trademarks on packaging to confirm their products meet industry requirements. Syensqo offers a variety of ingredients validated by COSMOS.

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Syensqo understands the importance of eco-certifications on the market and accompanies its customers by providing the chemistry they need to market eco-certified products. Following the announcements of the European Green deal, the EU Ecolabel committee applied new guidance in October, 2021 (Commission Decision 2021/1870) in order to target the best environmental products on the market.

The cosmetic scope evolves through two categories instead of one and now we can distinguish:

• Rinse-off products: soaps, shampoos, shower preparations, hair conditioners, shaving preparations, toothpaste…
• Leave-on products: creams, oils and lotions, hair styling products, sunscreens, decorative cosmetics, deodorants.

There is no official vegan label or "gold standard" certification, but many vegan labels exist on the market. Whether specific to cosmetics or not, this labeling can be combined with "cruelty-free" certification, with each label carrying its own certain specificities.

Syensqo has a long-term commitment toward a more sustainable, responsible and ethical chemistry. To reach these objectives, we strive to reduce or even avoid the use of animal testing. We consider animal welfare as a top priority, while never overlooking the optimal safety level of our products, the health of our workers, and the protection of the environment.

For information about all vegan/cruelty-free certifications of our products, please contact your Syensqo representative to receive a personalized answer to your specific questions.

For information about all halal and kosher certifications of our products, please contact your Syensqo representative. 

New York recently passed a law requiring new limits on 1,4-dioxane residuals in finished personal care, cosmetic products. Syensqo has a fundamental understanding of 1,4-dioxane generation and reduction in raw materials. Our priority is to continue providing customers in North America with products that are safe, effective and meet mandated regulations by the government. 

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