Biodiversity
From vanilla in Madagascar to citrus in California, we source ingredients from all over the world. As such, we take our responsibility to preserve biodiversity extremely seriously.
Biodiversity is essential for the survival of all species; it is the natural heritage we leave as a legacy for future generations.
The importance of biodiversity
We recognise the urgent need to protect biodiversity as the planet experiences an unprecedented rate of biodiversity loss, with direct consequences for humanity. We are actively working to reduce or even nullify our own impact by assessing and monitoring each step of our activity throughout the life cycle of our products.
Givaudan relies on a supply of more than 11,900 raw materials from across the globe, and these natural resources are used in the creation of our Taste & Wellbeing and Fragrance & Beauty products. Our activities are deeply intertwined with nurturing and protecting the biodiversity of the areas in which we operate. This is essential not only for our operations but for the wellbeing of the many communities we work with and support.
Protecting biodiversity on a global scale
Givaudan is committed to protecting biodiversity on a global scale. We have developed comprehensive policies aimed at preserving the environment from the impact of our direct operations. These include our Principles of Conduct and our EHS Policy on Safety and Environmental Protection. We also support the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as outlined by the United Nations.
We extend these expectations to our suppliers, holding them to the standards outlined in our Responsible Sourcing Policy. Suppliers of natural products are subject to a specific set of requirements related to ecosystem conservation, deforestation and forest degradation and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of biodiversity, the sustainable use of biodiversity, and sustainable agricultural practices. Across our whole supply chain, we are increasing our efforts towards supply chain transparency and traceability to assess our impacts.
Addressing biodiversity loss
Addressing biodiversity loss is a multifaceted endeavour that requires an increase in conservation efforts and more sustainable production and consumption practices. We recognise that our sourcing of natural raw materials presents the most significant impact on biodiversity. Practices such as deforestation, cultivation and wild-harvesting can pose risks to ecosystems and biodiversity.
Therefore, our approaches to climate, water, waste management and responsible sourcing are informed by the potential impacts on biodiversity.
To mitigate these risks and contribute positively to biodiversity preservation, we actively engage our suppliers in adopting sustainable cultivation and harvesting practices. We are committed to eliminating deforestation and conversion in our key supply chains. Through initiatives including regenerative agriculture programmes and pilot projects in our Naturals supply chains, we seek to promote sustainable practices and conserve biodiversity.
Accountability around biodiversity performance
Our commitment to preserving and restoring biodiversity and ecosystems extends throughout our value chain. Corporate accountability for biodiversity performance is evolving rapidly, and we are aligning our efforts with relevant nature-based targets and disclosure frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, these include SDG 2, ‘Zero Hunger’; SDG 3 ‘Good Health & WellBeing’; SDG 6, ‘Freshwater Availability and Sustainable Management’; SDG 12 ‘Sustainable Production and Consumption’; SDG 13 ‘Climate Action’; SDG 15 ‘Life on Land’ and SDG 17 ‘Partnerships to Achieve the Goal’.
To learn about our progress in these areas, read our 2023 Integrated Report on economic and ESG performance.
Contributing to change
We adhere to the mitigation and conservation hierarchy principles of ‘avoid’, ‘reduce’, ‘restore and regenerate’ to encourage industry transformation. By supporting the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), we advocate for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Additionally, we promote fair benefit-sharing and contribute to targets outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Read more about our position on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)*
* and particularly, on local legislations and regulations implementing the Nagoya Protocol
Conserving habitats and addressing palm oil and deforestation
Some of our natural raw materials may pose risks in terms of deforestation or land conversion, which can have significant impacts on biodiversity. Palm oil, for example, is within our supply chain and is categorised as ‘high risk’ for deforestation. We are actively working to minimise this risk and have demonstrated our commitment in our position statement on palm oil. This statement emphasises our adherence to ‘no Deforestation, no Peat, no Exploitation’ (NDPE) principles.
In 2023 the European Union released the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), aiming to curb the EU market’s impact on global deforestation and forest degradation. We comply with all requirements applicable to us according to our role in the supply chain.
Read more about our position on palm oil
Read more about our position on the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR)
Our first report on forests
Our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship is measured in our ratings by CDP, the organisation behind the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. In 2023, we received our fifth consecutive ‘Double A’ score from CDP for climate action and water security.
2023 was also the first year that we reported on forests. We completed the CDP forest questionnaire, which focuses on how organisations produce, source and use four key forest risk commodities: timber, cattle products, soy, and palm oil. We received an ‘A–’ rating, signalling significant progress in our efforts to address deforestation.
