The involvement of manufacturers on site can go far and requires adaptability, taking into account the sometimes complex political and social conditions encountered. But the game is worth the candle for those who in any case wage the bet of innovating by relying on plant-active ingredients. “There is renewed interest in natural substances,” says Philippe Bernard, cofounder of Greenpharma, which makes molecules taken from natural substances for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. “Combinatorial chemistry in the 20th century placed botanists and ethnobotanists in the closet – they have information difficult to obtain,” he adds. The work to be done is to talk with the peoples who have preserved their traditional knowledge by oral transmission. “The dialogue is difficult,” recognizes Mr. Bernard, “but when it works, interesting things come out of it.” The combination of modern research with ancestral knowledge could alleviate what’s lacking from combinatory chemistry, which did become very diversified and rich but hasn’t met expect- ations, substantively affirms Mr. Bernard. “The chemistry is too basic. It doesn’t perhaps offer enough diversity, while nature is very rich.”

Cosmetics is as much concerned as other sectors by “green chemistry,” with some very sophisticated initiatives. “We start by purifying the molecules that interest us, then we distribute them in panels containing 96 holes, each holding a natural molecule, panels we then sell to the industry,” says Mr. Bernard. “This combinatorial library is compatible with the robots that do biological tests.” The Pierre Fabre laboratories have long since broken away from these techniques that enable you to transform natural substances to use them in marketable products. “We have a collection of 12,000 plants to which 2,000 plants per year are added,” explains Yves Barbin, phyto-sector center manager of Pierre Fabre laboratories. “We have a robotized system to ensure fast screening: the robot puts the panels into contact on targets on which a battery of tests are made, then the robot says that an extract has reacted positively, and in eliminating the evidence we already know, we find the active molecules that then go into a development process.” The giant L’Oréal is also working on green chemistry: “This makes it possible to develop molecules with low environmental impact, intended for the manufacturing of new products thanks to less polluting processes that consume less energy and less waste,” explains a company spokesperson. “Several indicators of green processes have been introduced into the work of L’Oréal laboratories. Concretely, this method makes it possible to modify the initial approach of chemists and lead them to reducing waste, the amount of solvents, to use more effective synthetic processes.” At LVMH, an environmental trends book has been launched: among other things the creative teams use it to search for materials with less impact on the environment.

Innovation also affects manufacturing processes, so as to pollute less. “Some products such as exfoliating creams stick to the walls of vats that are then difficult to clean,” illustrates Nicolas Fouchère. “You have to exclude bleach and solvents with sur-face-active properties and use biodegradable products, of which a rather wide array is currently available.” Innovation also comes into play for packaging and recycling: companies like Solvay sort and recycle their packaging cartons and palette wraps. Rexam, the packaging specialist, does as well. “Our first effort has been to supply more and more light, recyclable packaging,” explains Jonathan Thornton, Group Communications Director of Rexam PLC. “Besides, costs are high in making plastic, so it’s important to work on the lightness of this type of packaging. It has both economic and environmental advantages, while providing the qualities required for this type of packaging, with benefits that cascade onto the entire logistics chain, because in reducing the volume of our deliveries, we reduce greenhouse-effect gas emissions.”

Integrating risk management is also necessary by obviously respecting current regulations. For traditional family medication and cosmetology, European regulations are special in terms of toxicology, because it’s the drop in use on the market that makes the substance valid. In the United States it works differently, explains Mr. Barbin. “All plant extracts can be used in products but be careful of the risk of litigation.” This is a real sword of Damocles that has lead manufacturers to be vigilant about risk management. Of whatever kind. “A global company like Rexam has to confront risk of all kinds, not only on the market but on an environmental, social and financial level,” explains Mr. Thornton. “The financial and economic crisis reinforced them. We have processes adapted to risk prevention, enabling us to identify and evaluate them in order to manage them so as to prevent, or at least minimize, the effects and this is done through an audit and risk committee.”

So adapting to sustainable development requires that companies come up with a new strategy, all the more difficult because it must be done as awareness is raised and must enable the entire company to enter into a process of ongoing improvement. The financial cost of such a trans- formation could be frightening. And yet, cosmetics players seem to be rather serene. “Yes, it costs a bit of money,” acknowledges Nicolas Fouchère. “But sustainable development enables us to economize, because we are able to buy raw materials that are a bit more expensive due to our commitments. We also consume less water and energy.” Generally speaking, the cost overruns, because there are some, are manageable, from the moment they are well integrated upstream.