In-cosmetics Global 2026: AAK on plant-based beauty and responsible supply chains
21 Apr 2026 | AAK
AAK told us about its approach to sustainable innovation in personal care, as showcased at In-cosmetics, with a focus on plant-based emollients such as shea and canola. Three experts explored how the company’s emphasis on ethical sourcing shapes supply chains, product development, and industry participation. The discussion also considered the business and reputational implications of responsible sourcing, AAK’s role in advancing human rights standards, and how it is responding to key trends.
This is Sabina Waldeck for Personal care Insights at In Cosmetics Global 2026, joined by Milana Stamofa, sustainability and compliance and reporting manager, Elena Ganeska, commercial product manager, and Lisette Townsend, global business director and marketing director, personal care at AAK.
Welcome.
Thank you.
So my first question is, AAK is showcasing formulations for skin, hair, and sun care at In Cosmetics.
How do your plant-based emollients like those derived from shea and canola, align with current industry demands for clean and sustainable beauty?
Yeah, so I'll, I'll take this one.
So what we see is that in personal care, the concept of clean has really evolved into a more holistic perspective of sustainability where we really look at the whole impact of products and solutions from an environmental perspective but also looking at the impact on people.
But we also know that sustainability is a part, but consumers are not going to keep using a product if it doesn't really perform or if they have a bad experience with it.
And here is where like AAK's lipid expertise comes into play.
And because we are able to develop emollients that really like target the specific functionalities and sensories that are needed for the different applications, but also at the same time, we look into reducing some of the challenges that consumers experience.
When working with naturals such as oxidation, like crystallization or the presence of graininess or texture changes, which we know are a barrier for the use of naturals, and by doing that we support this transition and this trend of more like clean and sustainable formulations.
And AAK emphasizes ethical sourcing, particularly in West Africa, with Klo NAFFSO, Fair Wild Certified Shay.
How does this commitment impact both the supply chain and the product development for your customers?
Thank you.
I'll take this one.
It is very important for our customers, for customers to secure their impact and also live up to the ESD requirements, of being in control of supply chains, but also securing supply.
Therefore, it's super important that we are in control of our supply chains and that our supply chains, our direct sourcing is certified, which Polona Faso is.
But that's one part of it.
Another thing is that we use this supply chain to create these beautiful ingredients that the customers can actually use, like high performance emollients based on the shade coming from Kona Faso, a liquid form, bioactives, and so forth, so that they can work with a lot more ingredients to create beautiful formulations.
And why is it important for members in the personal care industry to participate in ethical sourcing of Shay, and what impact does it have on the overall business image and in turn financially?
She is one of the most used plant-based emollients.
Up to 25% of all new skincare formulations are launched with She, so it's a very important crop for a lot of cosmetic companies.
So that makes it vulnerable.
You have to be in control of your supply chain.
You have to make sure that there's no risks in the supply chain, either to the environment or to the people that are involved in that supply chain.
But it also generates a possibility to drive positive impact.
So we can do that through our supply chains, and that's where we work very close with our customers and they engage in this.
So it's an important supply chain.
If they're not in control, they also run a risk of brand reputation, which in turn can be a financial risk to the company.
And then with many advocating for better legislation on human rights for sourcing in the cosmetics industry, what role does AAK play in driving meaningful impact?
You're right, human rights is top of mind for our customers, and I've asked Melina to join us answering this question.
She's our absolute expert in human rights.
I will take this.
We are monitoring the legislation and we witness with the European Green Deal and the ambition for a just economy that the legislation around human rights is becoming more and more demanding.
And stricter for companies.
We are following the guidelines for responsible business conduct, the 6 steps in the guidelines, and it means that we work with human rights starting from our policies to the whole supplier management system.
But as, it's never only about the compliance and meeting the legislation.
It's about creating positive impact, so we engage with smallholders and with farmers and we try to be as possible closer to the people from which we.
Sourcing raw materials, so we have the program in Colonna Faso about which Lisette and Jacob are going to talk tomorrow at the Sustainability Theater.
So I recommend that you check it out.
Thank you.
And then lastly, what are the biggest trends you see in personal care right now, particularly in clean, silicone-free, and reef friendly beauty solutions, and how is AAK responding to these shifts in consumer preferences?
Yes, so, if I start with, silicon-free and, also re reef safe solutions, I think this is an example of, trends which are really driven from different angles.
No, so there's regulation driving the trend, there's consumers, and then there's like an overall industry interest in improving the sustainability of the products, but at the end of the day, what it means for formulators, is that there is this drive for reformulation, not this need to have like different tools that can actually.
Support those trends and in some cases to have it quite soon because regulations are really approaching so this is basically where here we play a role and where we can have a role to play that is by offering solutions that can be used as alternatives to silicons that can be used in saner formulations for like more mineral and hybrid formulations that would fit within this reef safe claim.
So really basically developing those but also supporting formulators in this journey of having to, reformulate their products to, to follow that trend.
And thank you for joining Personal Care Insights.
Thank you.
