Greenwashing can be rife in the beauty and personal care industry. All too often, green claims are distorted, making it hard for brands and consumers to accurately gauge the environmental impact of a product, particularly around transparency and sourcing of raw materials and ingredients.
At Stephenson, we are resolute in our commitment to enable a more sustainable and ethical industry. We take every opportunity we can to enable change that will leave a positive and lasting impression on the planet.
One of the ways we do this is by increasing our use of natural and sustainably sourced raw materials. For us, this starts with the sourcing of RSPO-certified Palm Oil and Palm Oil derivatives.
Why choose Palm Oil?
Palm Oil is widely regarded as one of the most important and versatile raw materials used in FMCG products and a fantastic plant-based alternative to synthetic and animal-based chemicals.
It is also the only crop that yields two different products: Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil. It is estimated that up to 70% of beauty or personal care products contain one or more or more Palm Oil derivatives.1
While the planting and harvesting of Palm Oil remain controversial, it is one of the highest-yielding plant oils, using less land to produce equivalent quantities of oils when compared to other vegetable oil assets including Soyabean, Rapeseed, and Sunflower oil.2
High yield, super functional
In current formulations and new product developments, Palm Oil can add many functional characteristics not achievable with other vegetable oils.
It is truly a super ingredient, featuring little odour and colour, a great shelf life, and is extremely cost-effective to produce.
But while it has an important functional role to play, it must be sourced responsibly. This will enable Palm Oil to act as a force of good for communities and wildlife in the areas where it is grown, primarily in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Stephenson supports RSPO-certified palm oil
As responsible personal care and beauty product solution providers, we realise the importance of protecting natural habitats and biodiversity. When a forest ‘falls’ it compromises hugely important ecosystems but also impacts peatlands or wet forests, which can store massive amounts of carbon that escape into the atmosphere when destroyed.3
A substantial part of our sustainability drive is focused on partnering with suppliers that comply with The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification.
RSPO offers brands and manufacturers, and ultimately the end consumer, the assurance that the Palm Oil or Palm Oil derivative content in their final product is harvested from deforestation-free areas; acting as a force of good when it comes to protecting and preserving wildlife habitats and putting the welfare of communities, smallholders and farmers first.
We believe that by supporting RSPO-certified Palm Oil and Palm Oil derivatives and raw materials sourced within strict certification guidelines, including EUDR, we are helping to move the industry towards sustainability and protecting the wildlife and diversity of critically important ecosystems.
For more information on our Palm Oil policy or if you need additional information on the sustainability benefits, please contact our team today.
