Lucie DEJOUHANET, Laboratoires Clarins, France
Sandrine WEBER, Laboratoires Clarins, France
Sandrine MILESI, Laboratoires Clarins, France
The TRAFFIC NGO estimated that in 2018 60 to 90% of aromatic and medicinal plants used globally were collected from the wild. In cosmetic sector, the consumers’ interest for natural products led to a growing plant exploitation and questions natural resources’ management. Research projects on wild collection on plant populations and habitats in France are developing (Observatoire de la cueillette, studies from CBNPMP, CARE project, etc.), stating a lack of information regarding collection practices, high market demand and pressure on biodiversity.
Cosmetic industries are directly concerned by collection sustainability, with economic impacts in case of resource depletion. The implementation of CSR guidelines and the commitment of brands for environmental protection compel companies to more responsibilities for their supply. Opacity of collection activities and plant circulations create for them a risk of chain breaking as well as a reputational risk in case of bad practices. Traceability is therefore crucial, as well as a kind of “control” on practices along the supply chain. In contradiction with informality of collection activities and gatherers’ attachment to autonomy, this “control” is nevertheless necessary for companies to play a leverage function for improvement of resource management.
We propose to share the cosmetic company Clarins’ approach to its supply chains of wild material, challenges it faces and strategies implemented for securing supply chains. Through the example of the 17 plants gathered in France and used in its cosmetic formulations (arnica, rhododendron, gentian, etc.), we will underline the efforts made so far, as well as the encountered obstacles to improve wild plant supply and the limits to market capacity to drive an effective action for resource sustainability.
Mots clés : wild collection|supply chain|sustainability|resource management|cosmetic industry
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