Croda Personal Care reports it has 100% FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification at all levels of operation for its Crodamazon range of exotic oils sourced from the Amazon Rainforest.
FSC certification covers products made from fruits and nuts growing naturally in the forest, including Crodamazon Castanha do Brazil (Brazil nut) and Crodamazon Buriti. The Crodamazon project was first pioneered in 2001 at the company’s plant in Manaus in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest. Crodamazon’s aim was to research and develop uses for products derived from native plants, while at the same time pursuing a policy of preserving natural resources and promoting the socio-economic development of the region.
“Crodamazon created the first handling plan for a non-wooden forest product for cosmetics (Buriti) which was approved by the IBAMA in 2003. Since our launch we have achieved numerous certifications, including FSC, IBD (Biodynamic Institute) and Rainforest Alliance, in our pursuit of sustainability and product traceability,” commented a company spokesperson.
The FSC began certifying timber products during the 1980s, and since then its focus has shifted towards monitoring activities in forest handling areas. Unlike certificates issued by IBAMA (the Brazilian government’s Environment Agency) which are mandatory, certification by the FSC is entirely voluntary. The Crodamazon forest handling plans follow the directions of environmentalist organisations that ensure that methods used conform to good forest handling practices. Their certificates, which are respected internationally, cover the whole business chain to guarantee traceability of each batch. As a result, the respective organisation stamps can also be used on end product packaging. Cosmetic manufacturers are thereby able to guarantee consumers that ingredients have been obtained from sustainable sources following ecologically correct methods.
