DSM awarded fair trade certification

The company’s Vouvry site has been awarded the certification meeting the ESR Standard, which stands for ‘fairness, solidarity and responsibility’, by Ecocert Environment.

The site has been awarded for DSM’s certified-organic Alpaflor portfolio for personal care formulation, which is produced there.

“​For DSM, fair trade represents a long-term commitment to ethical pricing, creditable working conditions, agricultural education and sustainability for farmers,​” the company states.

“It’s about dealing transparently and honestly with the people who are responsible for the high quality of DSM’s products.”​

Natural on top​

The company notes that being both Fair Trade and organic, its Alpaflor portfolio meets various rising consumer demands within the personal care market.

Consumer appetite for organics and naturals continues to grow undaunted, and is becoming an increasingly crucial element to personal care formulation.

Indeed, fellow ingredients firm Cargill recently described the trend as an increasingly essential consideration within personal care.

“It’s a key strategy for most of our customers - it’s a key component for personal care brands,​” said Tony Jaillot.​

Ethical profile​

DSM’s new Fair Trade certification will also raise its profile as an ethical brand: another trend seeing increasing consumer demand.

“DSM’s success at Vouvry comes in the wake of being named the worldwide leader in the Materials industry group in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index,​” the company notes.

Indeed, Organic Monitor recently picked out ethical labelling as dominant trend coming into personal care from the neighbouring food industry.

“Ethical labels are crossing over from the food to personal care industry because of transparency​,​” explains the firm.

“Consumers are demanding the same level of traceability and safety from personal care products as they are getting from natural and organic foods.”​