In the context of the 2010 international year of Biodiversity, the Beauty industry was gathered on April 16 in Paris, at the Palais de Tokyo, for a conference titled : “The Beauty of Sourcing with Respect” organized by the l’UEBT (Union for Ethical Biotrade).
Why should we be interested? How does this theme influence the Beauty industry? Many of such questions have been discussed during this one day event.
Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms. But biodiversity is also a fragile eco-system, threatened today, and the loss of biodiversity has reached an alarming stage (the CBD estimated that species have been disappearing at up to 1000 times the natural rate, due to unsustainable uses and practices).
The Beauty industry is supplying more and more of its ingredients from nature, source of performance, but also source of interesting stories or properties coming from traditional knowledge.
How can the industry and the companies be sure that their natural ingredients are respectfully sourced? How can the traditional knowledge from indigenous populations
living from the biodiversity richness be preserved? How can the industry avoid the risk of being accused of biopiracy?
How can companies make sure that the practices are Ethical and that their natural active ingredients are sourced in a sustainable way?
During the conference, more 15 speakers have made an update on the situation, the possible evolution and the impact for the Beauty Industry.
Joshua Bishop, Coordinator for the “TEEB for Business” report (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) has highlighted the importance of a study made by 200 Scientifics on the subject, report that will be revealed in October 2010, at the international conference of Nagoya, organized by the United Nations in the context of the Convention for Biodiversity (CBD).
Marcos Vaz, Sustainable Development Director for Natura, has exposed some concrete examples and practices his company made to help preserve biodiversity. He also insisted on looking at the conservation of biodiversity as source of innovation for the companies and the importance of respecting traditional knowledge of the indigenous collectivities: “Natura does not protect any technology that is derived from traditional knowledge”.

Picture Credit – Dominique Silberstein for the UEBT

This conference revealed the result of the second International Barometer on Biodiversity ran by the UEBT.
The Consumer part of the Barometer, made by IPSOS amongst 5000 people in France, Germany, UK, USA and Brazil, underlined that Biodiversity is an emerging trend that was confirmed in 2010:

* 60% of consumers in Europe and USA say they know what it means while in Brazil, they reach the level of 94%.

* 97%of consumers in Europe and USA would like to receive more information on how the natural ingredients are sourced from biodiversity and 81% indicted that they would stop purchasing products from companies not respecting biodiversity.

The « Industry » part of the Barometer, made from the analysis of the communication of the 100 biggest Beauty companies (ranking from the top 100 WWD), showed that while 52% of companies report on the theme of sustainable practices, only 21 mention biodiversity and only 12 refer to respectful sourcing practices of biodiversity. Surprisingly, the Natural or Organic beauty companies do not communicate more than others on these topics. Rik Kutsch Lojenga, Executive director of the UEBT who presented these results indicated that “This does not mean that they do not take action, the study only reveal they do not communicate on this topic”.
Last, another sign of the potential development of this theme is the media coverage, the third part of the UEBT Barometer. There has been a rise of 32% of the mention of biodiversity in the press in 2009. However the number of articles on practices linked to biodiversity in the Beauty industry has been very often negative…
The Barometer indicated the emergence of the themes around Biodiversity and the necessity for the Beauty Industry to engage into more transparent and more respectful sourcing of the biodiversity.
This conference was also the opportunity from the private and public sector to exchange views and practices taking place in the industry.
Fleur Rodriguez-Gallois, from Kenzo, presented her company’s strategy towards biodiversity.
Claude Fromageot, R&D Director for Yves Rocher explained the position of his company on the traditional knowledge protection in the context of the patents.
A lot of projects are being in progress or starting amongst companies, but will need time as the complexity of the sourcing of ingredients is complex as well as the number of different suppliers/stakeholders in the process.
Pierre Cornette de Saint Cyr, President of the Palais de Tokyo, had welcomed the participants by quoting Dostoïevski : « Beauty will save the world » and to follow by “Let”s save the world with beauty and intelligence”!
For more information on the conferences, visit the press page of the UEBT

Leïla Rochet-Podvin – CosmeticSeeds