Press release
Personal Care
August 5, 2015

Evonik advances RSPO certifications

Evonik's two new production facilities for cosmetics ingredients in Shanghai (China) and Americana (Brazil) were recently certified in accordance with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standard. "This creates an important prerequisite for offering additional certified products to our customers," said Dr. Tammo Boinowitz, the head of the Personal Care Business Line at Evonik.

Evonik is one of the leading suppliers of raw materials for the cosmetics industry and processes derivatives of palm oil and palm kernel oil, among other substances. As a member of the RSPO, Evonik advocates the use of sustainably produced palm oil in the supply chain. "We strive to use the largest possible share of RSPO-certified fatty acids and fatty alcohols from palm oil in our products for cosmetics, detergents and cleaning agents," said Boinowitz. Evonik has introduced a corresponding supply chain system for this purpose.

The first production sites in Essen and Steinau became RSPO-certified in late 2013, followed by the sites in Shanghai and Americana in the spring of 2015. Certification of additional Evonik production sites is planned in the near future.

The assortment of products made from sustainably produced palm oil derivatives is steadily growing as well. In addition to a range of emulsifiers, consistency enhancers for creams, and rinse ingredients that meet the RSPO mass balance standard, Evonik recently launched an RSPO-certified surfactant. TEGO® Betain P 50 C (Cocamidopropyl Betaine) is a new version of a surfactant commonly used in shower gels and shampoos. In addition to RSPO certification (SG certification), the product offers a number of application benefits.

"We are committed to the highest environmental and social standards and want to support our customers with reaching their own sustainability goals," explained Boinowitz. Among other measures, Evonik has developed the CAREtain® communication platform, which allows manufacturers to compare the environmental factors and application properties of cosmetic ingredients to compile environmentally sound, modern formulations.

Company information

Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals, operating in the Nutrition & Care, Resource Efficiency and Performance Materials segments. The company benefits from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms. In 2014 more than 33,000 employees generated sales of around €12.9 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about €1.9 billion.

About Nutrition & Care

The Nutrition & Care segment is led by Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH and contributes to fulfilling basic human needs. That includes applications for everyday consumer goods as well as animal nutrition and health care. This segment employed about 7,000 employees, and generated sales of around €4.2 billion in 2014.

Disclaimer

In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.