IFF releases sustainability report focusing on responsible sourcing and eco-efficiency

The company’s targets for responsible sourcing include raw materials for ingredients that are environmentally and socially sustainable.

Natural vs synthetic materials​

As part of this, the company emphasized its focus on sustainability rather than just sourcing all raw materials naturally, stating that “consumers often assume that natural ingredients are more sustainable — and better for you — than synthetic ingredients​”.

While sourcing naturally is more sustainable in some cases, the company added that this is not always so, as some synthetic ingredients prove to be more sustainable.

In line with this, the company says the intention is to work toward a more sustainable solution regardless of the natural or synthetic status of ingredients.

According to IFF, the company’s use of a synthetic molecule Helional for fragrances instead of natural oils from rare sassafras trees has saved 110,000 trees per year.

IFF emphasized that it has around 35,000 suppliers providing more than 10,000 natural and synthetic raw materials.

Eco-efficiency​

Likewise, the company also set out environmental targets to improve eco-efficiency including operational goals for 2012.

IFF intends to reduce electricity use, water use and hazardous waste generation by ten percent, reduce natural gas and oil use by five percent and have zero lost-time accidents.

In 2010, the company claims to have reduced its use of energy per metric ton of production by five percent, in comparison with the total energy used and the total amount of CO2 emissions.