Preserving our environment

On a daily basis and at all levels of the company, we want to focus on reducing our impact generated directly or indirectly by our activities on the climate, natural resources and biodiversity. “In this area, every little bit counts!”

Our key figures for 2024

100%
of our personal care ingredients are RSPO MB certified.
56%
of waste recovered at our Saint-Priest site (France).
95%
of our suppliers are signatories to our Responsible Purchasing Charter.

Focus on palm oil

We constantly strive to guarantee transparent, traceable and responsible sourcing of our raw materials. This commitment requires us to pay particular attention to the environmental and social impacts of our raw materials supply chains. Some, less transparent than others, requiring us to redouble our efforts. This is the case for palm and palm kernel oil, where we need to move towards responsible production that respects the environment and communities, while retaining the added value of this oil. This is why, since 2010, we are a member of the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil). Our manufacturing site in Saint-Priest and Singapore are RSPO-certified.

Since 2018, all new ingredients using palm and palm kernel derivatives in their manufacturing processes must comply at least with the mass Balance Model. Now, 100% of the palm oil and palm kernel oil derivatives we use in the development of our personal care ingredients are certified sustainable (model MB or SG) according to RSPO criteria.

To go a step further in our approach to transparency and traceability of palm oil derivatives, we have joined the ASD (Action for Sustainable Derivatives) collective. In 2024, the traceability investigation (based on our 2023 palm derivatives supplies) enabled us to achieve a very good level of transparency in our supply chain:

96%
of our volumes are traceable to the refineries.
96%
of our volumes are straceable to the mills.
74%
of our volumes are traceable to the plantations.

Initiatives to limit our environmental impact

To tackle the emergency of climate change, we have integrated technical skills in-house in order to implement our carbon trajectory and reduce our impact on resources and ecosystems.

Limiting our carbon footprint

In 2023, we submitted two science-based targets to the Science Based Target initiative, which validated them in April:

  • Reduce emissions linked to scopes 1 and 2 (direct emissions) by 42% by 2030 compared to 2021.
  • Reduce Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions) by 25% by 2030 compared to 2021.

To achieve these objectives, a short- and long-term action plan is currently being rolled out. More than 60 actions have been identified, carried out by various departments within the company. Some of these actions have already been implemented (adaptation of certain industrial processes), while others are more complex will require various studies over the coming months.

Developing responsibly

In order to secure our supplies and guarantee the quality of our raw materials, our personal care ingredients are developed according to responsible sourcing criteria with regard to their ethical, environmental and social impact, from harvesting to the factory gate.

Our eco-responsible approach is recognized by the certification of our personal care ingredients via the French label, ERI 360° (Eco responsible ingredient). We currently have 6 certified ingredients.

We also contribute through our sourcing to the fight against deforestation and respect for human rights. This is notably the case with our palm oil derivatives supply chain, through the implementation of our "NDPE" policy.

Managing our water consumption

Water is an essential resource for our manufacturing operations. In order to manage water resources sustainably, we launched a specific project in 2022, with the aim of reducing water consumption at the Saint-Priest site and managing it more effectively. Every week, several services work together to implement actions in the sectors that consume the most water. The first results are already visible. By working on our production campaigns, we have reduced our water consumption per tonne of product produced by 14% in 2024. 

This commitment is directly in line with the sixth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, which aims to reach universal access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030.

Reducing and recovering our waste

In our waste management system, waste recovery is a priority. In 2024, on our main manufacturing site at Saint-Priest (France), 56% of our waste was recycled and/or recovered with the regular adoption of new sorting channels, and 44% incinerated with energy recovery.

The HSE team raises employees' awareness about waste, and there are clearly identified waste containers all over the Saint-Priest site.

We are also working on the notion of Upcycling in the development of our ingredients.This is the case for some of our Original Extracts™ derived from food industry waste, but also for our active ingredient Gatuline® Age Defense NP extracted from pressed walnut seedcake and our new active ingredient Eyeglorius™ derived from upcycled sea buckthorn leaves.

Related content

Corporate social responsability

  • CSR

Gattefossé has always combined science and consciousness to innovate in cosmetic and pharmaceutical ingredients. A science of excellence that respects the living world in all its forms. We take particular care to control our operations to limit any impact on the ecosystems surrounding us.Let's discover together how we are committed to an elevated level of responsible science.

Caring for our people

  • CSR

As a family run group since 1880, we are committed to taking care of our talents all over the world. All our employees represent the main resource to ensure our development and are a true source of dynamism and diversity. Their well-being, health, safety and personal fulfillment are at the heart of our concerns.

Acting as a world citizen

  • CSR

The societal pillar of our CSR roadmap is one of the fundamentals of Gattefossé's culture and is structured around two priority issues: ethical relationships with the various stakeholders in our value chain, and the civic engagement of the company and all its employees. This commitment is expressed through concrete corporate philanthropy actions in the service of the common good.