Adressing sustainability in the ingredients supply chain

JAN DEKKER, A subsidiary of IMCD, places sustainability at the heart of its business. The subsidiary works hard to ensure that sustainable practices are embedded in its working culture, from optimising the use of by-products to minimise waste to taking every opportunity to reduce its carbon footprint. Its conscious efforts also benefit communities in developing regions, by creating opportunities for their economic empowerment. In the fight against resource exploitation, Jan Dekker makes use of “ugly” fruits or nuts – which don’t meet the incredibly high aesthetic standards established for fresh produce – to extract oils and produce butters ultimately sold as high-quality personal care ingredients. It also offers upcycled materials ethically sourced from the processing streams of apricot kernel oil, blackcurrant oil, peach kernel refined oil, rice bran oil and refined cocoa butter to name a few. For example, the Tocomix L series of antioxidant and vegetable oil blends are obtained from the refining process of soybean oil, where a by-product is transformed into highly pure tocopherols. Phytic Acid 50% solution is the product of a “double upcycling” process, whereby rice polishing results in a rice bran by-product which is used to obtain rice bran oil. Jan Dekker makes use of the defatted rice bran as a source of phytic acid, which is a COSMOS approved ingredient with interesting cosmetic benefits.

ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE SOURCING

To promote sustainable and ethical ingredient sourcing, Ashland, one of IMCD’s principals, categorises its products according to the following criteria: • naturality (ISO16128) • key raw material source • COSMOS standard validation • biodegradability (OECD) and the likelihood of environmental persistence. Ashland’s commitment to ethical and sustainable sourcing also includes rigorous standards for cellulose traceability and zero-deforestation practices, as well as Fair-for-Life Puraloe aloe vera. Its initiatives help consumers make ethical choices, assist brands to reduce their environmental footprint and enhance the quality of life of several communities. These initiatives also ensure the long-term sustainability of Ashland’s product lines. Ashland provides solutions that are readily biodegradable via standard OECD methods. Its Cellulosics portfolio includes cellulose ethers, which are natural-based substances and biodegradable based on the specific starting material. The cotton- and wood-derived cellulose ethers (HEC, HPMC, CMC, HPC and EC) offer formulators a wide range of nature-based options for thickening, rheology modification and film formation, with a natural origin content of up to 85%. The dissolving wood- and fluff pulp-based cellulose is sourced from suppliers who have active sustainability programmes and have implemented zero deforestation business practices. Ashland’s guar-based polymers are polysaccharides with substituted sugar residues. They are inherently biodegradable based on the charge density of the polymer structure and the overall viscosity. It also offers a broad selection of polysaccharide-based conditioning polymers. The N-Hance and AquaCat cationic guar ranges are based on guar gum while the ClearHance C polymer is based on cassia seeds. These nature-derived systems provide numerous benefits including “dialled-in” conditioning, enhanced deposition, rheology modification, static reduction and lather enhancement for clear and opaque shampoos, conditioners, body washes and liquid soaps. Providing effective moisturisation and to promote healthy skin by strengthening the natural barrier function, Ashland’s Prolipid lamellar gels are produced using plant-derived ingredients, such as RSPO-certified palm oil.

SOCIAL AND RESPONSIBLE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

CLR Berlin’s sustainability programme is based on the following pillars: environmental impact; social responsibility; and economic sustainability. Since 2014, this principal of IMCD has met the Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) standards for social and responsible corporate governance. CLR participates in Responsible Care as well as the sustainable initiative of the chemical industry in Germany, known as Initiative Chemie. As a privately owned company, CLR has the independence to live its values and the flexibility to respond quickly to the needs of its customers. It also develops and produces its products in house. CLR is committed to reducing its carbon emissions. All of its production sites use 100% renewable electricity and climate-neutral gas as energy sources to monitor, control and sustainably manage energy, natural gas and electricity consumption. The company works continuously to reduce energy demands and CO2 emissions, not only at its production sites but also along the value chain. Fermentation, purification and fragmentation to obtain CLR’s probiotic lysates require extreme precision and total control of all process parameters. The company’s high-tech equipment and highly educated production personnel allow for goal-oriented and sustainable production, helping to reduce resource consumption and actively minimise the environmental impact wherever possible. CLR also monitors and handles waste in a sustainable manner. All final products are standardised raw materials based on a standardised production process and with standardised activity. ProRenew Complex CLR provides postbiotic care for a healthy scalp, in rinse-off applications. It is obtained from a lysate of Lactococcus lactis and contains probiotic-derived metabolites and cellular fragments, which reduce scalp oiliness, perceivably improve scalp health, make the scalp less flaky and lead to noticeable improvements after one week. Natural, vegan, COSMOS approved, ProRenew Complex CLR is proven to improve the overall condition of the scalp. Repair Complex CLR PF provides immune strengthening against UV-induced ageing. This active ingredient stimulates the natural DNA repair mechanism after UV irradiation, acting against the formation of double strand breakages (micronuclei). It also reduces the risk of developing chronic photodamage and acts against UV-induced immunosuppression.

SUSTAINABLE SURFACTANT TECHNOLOGY

At Nouryon, enhancing sustainability means reinventing and evolving the nature of its science. It also means developing powerful ingredients derived from widely available and renewable resources, and creating more sustainable surfactants that are essential, effective, efficient and elegant. IMCD distributes Nouryon’s speciality Chemicals in South Africa. Armocare VGH-70 is a readily biodegradable vegetable based quaternary ammonium compound having two fatty acid chains based on natural C16 feedstocks. It is vegetable-derived, based on renewable resources, offers improved sustainability and has a preferable environmental profile and excellent eco-toxicity profile. Armocare VGH-70 is safe to use in rinse-off and leave-on personal care applications. Its low melting point makes it easy to process, requiring minimal heating and reducing energy consumption. Arquad PC SV-60 PG is a soy-based mono-alkyl quaternary ammonium compound, supplied in propylene glycol as a solvent. It is naturally derived from soy, increasingly renewable and has a sustainable environmental profile. The liquid form of Arquad PC SV-60 PG enables cold processing and reduces energy consumption. It is stable across a wide pH range and offers a broad formulation latitude. Both the Armocare VGH-70 and Arquad PC SV-60 PG cationic conditioning agents display improved environmental profiles in terms of upstream production and the raw materials utilised. This is due to the reduced energy consumption and fewer reaction steps associated with esterquat production. Armocare VGH-70 is biodegradable and based on natural C16, while soya is used as the foundation of Arquad PC SV-60 PG.

IMCD – www.imcdgroup.com