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Givaudan takes “leading step in sustainability reporting”

Givaudan has taken what it describes as a leading step in sustainability reporting by transitioning to the G4 guidelines. These guidelines, developed by the Global Reporting Initiative, offer the latest international standard for companies wanting to disclose management and performance information for their environmental, social and economic impacts. “If we want to be a leader […]

Givaudan has taken what it describes as a leading step in sustainability reporting by transitioning to the G4 guidelines. These guidelines, developed by the Global Reporting Initiative, offer the latest international standard for companies wanting to disclose management and performance information for their environmental, social and economic impacts.

“If we want to be a leader in sustainability, then it is imperative that we are transparent about which topics matter most to us, and that we share our progress as well as our challenges,” said Chief Executive Officer, Gilles Andrier. “Transitioning to the G4 framework has allowed us to do just that, presenting our impacts in a way that is easy for people to assess and compare.”

The company says it has also evolved the way it communicates with a broader audience by starting to use the newly rebranded Givaudan website to provide regular updates, grouped under four key themes. Highlights so far include:

The way we source: In 2014, Givaudan announced the establishment of its own patchouli collection network on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi to ensure a stable supply and to monitor patchouli oil purchase at source while offering a more stable livelihood to the community that produce it. The Company also made progress in the sustainable palm oil area with 95% of the palm oils, fats and derivatives sourced in Europe for the Flavour Division certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) through the Mass Balance system. The remaining being covered by GreenPalm certificates.

The way we innovate: Progress in 2014 included the development of Akigalawood, a fragrance ingredient obtained through an enzymatic process to transform raw materials into a new natural and captive perfume compound. Other activities included the development of TasteSolutions Richness, which offers the potential to develop rich, home-cooked tasting flavours, with reduced salt and MSG.

The way we produce: Significant progress has been made towards achieving Givaudan’s 2020 eco-efficiency targets, which were set using a 2009 baseline for energy, water, waste and carbon emissions. The Company is well on track to meet its targets across all four areas. Notably, it has achieved a 24.6% reduction in carbon emissions per tonne produced, stabilising absolute emissions while activity continues to grow.
The way we partner: Understanding the sustainability challenges that suppliers and customers face is critical to forming strong and long-lasting partnerships. In 2014, Givaudan sponsored an AIM-PROGRESS event on responsible sourcing, which was co-sponsored by Nestlé and Bacardi, and gave insight into some of the biggest challenges faced by customers in their supply chains.