Givaudan and the Givaudan Foundation receive Conservation International’s Global Conservation Hero Award for Tonka Bean programme in Venezuela

Conservation International, a non-profit environmental organisation, presented Givaudan and the Givaudan Foundation with the Global Conservation Hero award at their gala dinner in Los Angeles, California on 8 June 2019. The award recognises Givaudan for its commitment to forest conservation, particularly in protecting natural resources and empowering local communities.

Givaudan’s Head of Fine Fragrances North America, Emily Bond, accepted the award at the gala and said: “We are deeply honoured to accept this award from Conservation International which is testament to the team’s efforts in supporting the local communities in exchange for their help in conserving the forests. This demonstrates Givaudan’s commitment to our sustainable practices which are core to our values. A programme like this benefits the environment while ensuring the supply of tonka beans, which is an important and precious ingredient used in crafting exquisite smelling perfumes.”

 
Through the conservation agreements model developed by Conservation International’s Conservation Stewards Program, indigenous communities such as the Aripao and La Colonial community receive technical and productivity assistance in exchange for their commitment to preserve the forests, the flora and fauna. They help to maintain the trails through the forest and monitor changes in biodiversity and can earn extra income by carrying out species counts and keeping watch for signs of logging. As part of the education programme, the local communities are taught better drying and storage processes, as well as new and more efficacious harvest routes to increase the amount of beans collected.

As part of this project, Givaudan developed an exclusive signature natural ingredient, Roasted Tonka Absolute. This ingredient brings notes of dried cocoa powder and coffee to craft fragrances with a unique novel gourmand effect.

The partnership with Conservation International and local NGO Phynatura as project implementer initiated by Givaudan and pursued since 2015 by the Givaudan Foundation has been ongoing for 12 years and to date, has already helped to conserve 150,000 hectares of forest area, roughly equivalent to 277,273 soccer fields.

”We are thrilled to receive this recognition from Conservation International for our work in the area of Sourcing for Shared Value and Acting for Our Environment, which are key areas under our sustainability approach, A Sense of Tomorrow. It demonstrates our commitment to preserving the ecosystem and ensuring that all of our raw materials are produced in a way that respects both people and the environment,” commented Givaudan Head of Sustainability, Hallvard Bremnes. “Givaudan works hand in hand with the Givaudan Foundation on many projects around the world and I am very happy that our organisations can share this award.”

 
Under Sourcing for Shared Value, Givaudan works in partnership with local producers and suppliers to transform the way we source and to create new value to be shared by all. Today, there are 15 projects impacting 14,000 beneficiaries in nine countries with 17 partner organisations, going beyond the immediate beneficiaries to positively impact their families and communities.

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About Givaudan
Givaudan is the global leader in the creation of flavours and fragrances. In close collaboration with food, beverage, consumer product and fragrance partners, Givaudan develops tastes and scents that delight consumers the world over. With a passion to understand consumers’ preferences and a relentless drive to innovate, Givaudan is at the forefront of creating flavours and fragrances that ‘engage your senses’. The Company achieved sales of CHF 5.5 billion in 2018. Headquartered in Switzerland with local presence in over 145 locations, the Company has almost 13,600 employees worldwide. Givaudan invites you to discover more at www.givaudan.com.

About the Givaudan Foundation
The Givaudan Foundation is a non-profit organisation created by Givaudan in 2013 as a result of the company’s desire to reinforce its commitment towards the communities in which it operates. Its purpose is to initiate and support projects as well as to grant donations in areas defined by its vision and mission. Our vision is to make a difference in the communities where Givaudan is active through contributions that are enriched with sensory expertise and employees’ dedication. Our aims are to support education, contribute to health, protect the environment and create awareness about the causes we care for: Communities at source, Blindness and Family nutrition. The Givaudan Foundation works closely with and relies on resources provided by Givaudan to conduct and monitor its projects. It also operates with local partners to ensure the efficient deployment of projects and their relevance for those who are intended to benefit from them. For further details, please consult: www.givaudan-foundation.org.

About Givaudan Fragrances
Givaudan is passionate about perfumery and is dedicated to combining creativity and innovation to design beautiful fragrances. With the industry’s largest perfumery team, Givaudan contributes to making life delightful and memorable through unique scent experiences for customers around the world. Currently present in all major markets, Givaudan strives to deliver fragrances for personal, home and laundry care, as well as prestige perfumes. Our customers benefit from Givaudan’s expertise in three business areas: Fine Fragrances, Consumer Products, and Fragrance and Cosmetics Ingredients. We invite you to ‘engage your senses’ and learn more about Fragrances at www.givaudan.com/fragrances.

About Conservation International
Conservation International uses science, policy and partnerships to protect the nature people rely on for food, fresh water and livelihoods. Founded in 1987, Conservation International works in more than 30 countries on six continents to ensure a healthy, prosperous planet that supports us all. Learn more about CI and its groundbreaking "Nature Is Speaking" campaign, and follow Conservation International’s work on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. www.conservation.org

For further information please contact
Peter Wullschleger, Givaudan Media and Investor Relations
T +41 22 780 9093
E peter_b.wullschleger@givaudan.com

Marie Laure André, Givaudan Fragrances
T +33 1 3998 4477
E marie-laure.andre@givaudan.com