While there are nutraceutical companies pushing the envelope with new models and innovative initiatives, the fact remains that for most companies sustainability starts small, and there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. A good starting point is an audit or risk assessment to identify problems and establish priorities. “We do an audit of a company to tell them ‘Here are your challenges and concerns,’ so they can work on priorities based on their business strategies,” said Parihar. For many companies, this begins with an evaluation of their supply chain, which crosses all the pillars of sustainability. For example, procuring raw material in a way that yields harvest after harvest involves plant breeding, healthy farming, relationships with farmers, processing and composting that ultimately produces quality products that consumers want. “At Arjuna, responsible sourcing reflects the commitment to source all of our raw materials in a transparent, sustainable and ethical way,” Antony said. “This also means minimizing fossil fuel use and replacing artificial ingredients with natural alternatives, such as green solvents, natural ingredients and enzymes.”
That said, it is often not enough just to source ingredients responsibly. Today, sustainability also requires complete transparency, which adds layers of difficulty. “Traceability adds a new element of complexity: the need to collaborate closely with a large ecosystem of value chain partners,” said Eva Criado, communications manager for Madrid-based Pharmactive. “We warranty complete traceability with locally grown ingredients from fields to manufacturing facility, allowing savings. In addition, traceability enables companies to meet and balance business objectives, including efficiency, resilience, responsiveness, and sustainability.”
Traceability enables companies to meet and balance business objectives, including efficiency, resilience, responsiveness, and sustainability."
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