Evonik sees sustainable edge with baobab oil for circular beauty

06 Dec 2023 --- Circular beauty with baobob oil is our focus in this exclusive Personal Care Insights interview with Evonik’s VP of Cosmetic Solutions, Dr. Wolfgang Goertz.

We look at how the company’s Ecohance Soft Baobab oil is spearheading its mission for circular beauty by aligning environmental protection, social responsibility and economic development. 

Evonik sources high-quality baobab oil from the Sahel region of Ghana in collaboration with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), while also endorsing the Great Green Wall Initiative. Baobab trees, growing on “poor soil” and resilient to heat and drought, are essential in preventing desertification in the Sahel region.

What are the key benefits of Evonik’s new Ecohance Soft Baobab oil for cosmetic formulations?
Goertz: Ecohance Soft Baobab is the latest addition to Evonik’s Ecohance program and offers the following benefits: 

Positive socio-ecological impact sourcing initiative by a partnership with the UNCCD and certified by FairWild, superior quality and proven purity.

We match the highest quality standards for cosmetic applications with light color and neutral odor.

(Image credit: Evonik).Profound claims substantiation via various dermatological tests.

How does Evonik ensure that sourcing baobab oil aligns with environmental protection, social responsibility and economic development in the Sahel region?
Goertz: The wild harvest baobab fruits are traceable down to the collector. Through responsible sourcing of baobab oil in the region, Evonik is contributing to the aspirations of the Great Green Wall Initiative, which aims to restore and preserve areas of the Sahel. 

The FairWild certification of Ecohance Soft Baobab demonstrates traceable and transparent supply chains. In addition, we combine commercial activities with social and eco-projects for the local community and create local value in Ghana. We keep a specific value generated by sourcing baobab seed oil for reinvestment in local social projects, for example, training for local women and sponsorship of community funds.

How does Ecohance Soft Baobab offer circular solutions for the cosmetic industry?
Goertz: Evonik aims to offer more next-generation ingredients to the markets to obtain the utmost environmental, commercial and social value for consumer products. This type of portfolio transformation is guided by defined steering categories such as carbon reduction, process and application efficiency and circularity. 

Also, traceability and positive contributions to societies along the value chain are considered. Ecohance Soft Baobab is a master example of utilizing alternative non-food feedstocks to reduce the exploitation of natural resources and improve people’s livelihoods on the ground.

What criteria does the certification entail, and how does it ensure a sustainable wild collection process?
Goertz: Achieving FairWild certification is a testament to our commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. 

Our vision is to continuously challenge and optimize our operations and the value chain to ensure biodiversity protection locally and globally. Certifications such as FairWild make transparent how we meet the high standards expected by our customers and confirm our position as the preferred sustainable specialties partner.

Evonik recently launched Ecohance Soft Baobab oil. We reported on the Ecohance program, fair trade certification and Evonik’s collaboration with the UNCCD.

By Venya Patel