Neal’s Yard Remedies blaze a path with FairWild ingredients at the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, Paris!

24th November 2014, Paris – This week saw the cosmetics industry gather at the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit to celebrate innovations in sustainability and honour those who are making a valuable contribution to the development of the beauty industry, through the Sustainable Beauty Awards. And developments with the FairWild Standard and certification scheme did not go unnoticed.

FairWild-licensee Neal’s Yard Remedies was awarded runner-up in the Sustainable Beauty Awards category “Sustainability Pioneer”. This award recognises leadership in the beauty industry in aspects of sustainability – it is given to organisations that demonstrate a pioneering position.

Harvesting of the frankincense resin in Kenya. Neal’s Yard Remedies were commended for their efforts in certification of sustainable ingredients and carbon-neutral retailing. Their entry included their ground-breaking efforts to become the first UK-cosmetics manufacturer to use FairWild-certified ingredients in their products. In 2013 they introduced the world's first FairWild certified organic frankincense in their product “Frankincense Intense.” The first place award in the “Sustainability Pioneer” category went to Cruelty Free International.

Vicky Murray, Head of Sustainability at Neal’s Yard Remedies, spoke at the Summit about the company’s ethos and commitment to Fair Trade as well as sustainability, introducing FairWild as one of the three Fair Trade certification schemes they are using. The company has selected FairWild as the scheme best suited to meet the special situation of wild collection.

Vicky explained, “FairWild certification helps us to ensure our continued supply of wild collected ingredients in two ways; by ensuring that ecosystems are not damaged during collection so continue to be productive, and by ensuring a fair deal for collectors so that it continues to be a viable source of income.  Without collectors there is no access to wild ingredients!  And by being an independently verified scheme, our customers can be assured that we are sourcing ethically.”

The FairWild Standard and certification scheme has much in common with other Fair Trade schemes, ensuring a fair price is paid to producers, and a Premium fund is established for social development projects. However, the FairWild scheme is designed specifically for the social and economic structures found in wild collection, meeting the needs of collectors and their communities.

Combined with ecological criteria and indicators, FairWild encourages sustainable wild collection and fair trade practices along the entire trade chain, source to consumer. Also, no geographic restrictions are placed on the availability of FairWild certification, unlike many other Fair Trade schemes – recognising that collectors are often from the most marginalised sectors of society, and Fair Trade principles may be equally valid in “developed” countries.

Vicky Murray accepts the award on behalf of Neal's Yard Remedies. Said Murray, "Neal's Yard Remedies are proud supporters of FairWild and have been since its inception, and so we are thrilled that our efforts to work with our wild product suppliers in Kenya and beyond were recognised as part of our Sustainability Pioneer entry. We are excited to be expanding our range of FairWild certified ingredients in the near future.”

Organised by Organic Monitor, the aim of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit is to encourage sustainability in the beauty industry by bringing together key stake-holders and debate key issues in a high-level forum. This year’s European edition of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit had a special focus on green ingredients, as well as marketing developments and customer behaviour, making it the ideal place to share experience with the FairWild Standard and certification scheme.

Bryony Morgan, FairWild Foundation Secretariat, said “This award rightly recognises the leadership shown by Neal’s Yard Remedies, who are going the extra mile on sustainable supply chain issues. We hope others in the beauty industry will likewise follow suit to investigate where their ingredients are coming from, and take action to support their suppliers on sustainable wild harvesting.”

For more information about the event and awards, see: http://www.sustainablecosmeticssummit.com/