Even before corporate social responsibility (CSR) became a trend, Robertet was working towards the goal of sustainable development. In this issue, we take a look at the brand’s work in the domain of CSR
Founded in 1850, the Robertet Group is a family-owned company in Grasse, whose main activities are the sourcing and transformation of plant ingredients used to create fragrances, flavours and active ingredients for the health, beauty and household sectors.
“Long before it became a trend, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethics have always governed our relationships with our partners. Our vision is to control the entire chain of natural products, from their cultivation to the perfume bottle: it is our ‘Seed to Scent’™ approach that makes the difference, thanks to a particularly integrated sourcing approach that respects people and the environment. Robertet has developed real expertise in naturals and became an indisputable specialist in natural raw materials. Our customers currently have a very strong need for traceability, a strict CSR policy and implementation at the source. They are increasingly developing an ethical consciousness that guides their choices. This reinforces our strategy deployed for more than 170 years.” says Philippe Maubert, CEO and Chairman,
Robertet Group.
As an expert in the naturals, Robertet has always considered that CSR was essential for its sustainability. “It appeared to us that this was the best and above all- the only way to work,” says Julien Maubert, Director, Natural Ingredients Division. “We have set ambitious objectives not only in terms of good agricultural practices and the protection of biodiversity and the environment, respect for people and working conditions, but also in terms of processes and innovation”.
Interestingly, CSR is at the origin of Robertet’s entire sourcing policy. It has been fully integrated into the company’s policy for the management of natural resource sectors for several decades. When they are working with natural products, sustainability is a matter of course.
To support suppliers financially, partnership agreements usually include pre-financing or product purchases at predefined prices. With farmers, Robertet has generally committed to pre-financing the harvest. For example: In Turkey, the Group has been financing rose plantations for more than 60 years to provide advanced minimum income to the 20,000 producers who harvest the rose petals every year.
Robertet also offers pre-financed equipment to help suppliers who have production facilities in order to improve their production technologies and processes. For example, in Madagascar, the Group contributed to the purchase of stainless steel equipment, which both reduced the environmental impact of the distillation process and increased the quality of the ylang-ylang oil produced. In New Caledonia, Robertet built a distillation and extraction unit that operates with 100% recycled solvents.
The Road Ahead
Today, Robertet wants to strengthen its contribution with an objective of sourcing 30% of natural raw materials in volume from organic agriculture by 2025.
By 2025, the Group plans to increase its investments in green chemistry processes, in a big way. The research and development department of Robertet on naturals constantly searches for new extracts, looking for alternative sources as well as more sustainable and upcycling processes.
Their perfumers explore unique olfactory emotions and create high-quality fragrances from natural raw materials. Being an indisputable specialist in natural ingredients, Robertet offers access to a unique range of products to its perfumers. The Robertet Group can rely on both its mastery of natural raw materials and the know-how of its perfumers to highlight the quality of natural fragrances.
