Givaudan Receives Conservation International’s Global Conservation Hero Award

Givaudan and the Givaudan Foundation receive Conservation International’s Global Conservation Hero Award for Tonka Bean programme in Venezuela

• Empowering local communities to conserve 150,000 hectares of forests in the Caura Basin
• Progressing towards ambitious climate and sourcing targets set under Givaudan’s approach

  to sustainability, A Sense of Tomorrow

  Conservation International, a non-profit environmental organisation, presented Givaudan and the Givaudan Foundation with the Global Conservation Hero award at their gala dinner in Los Angeles, California on 8 June 2019. The award recognises Givaudan for its commitment to forest conservation, particularly in protecting natural resources and empowering local communities.

  Givaudan’s Head of Fine Fragrances North America, Emily Bond, accepted the award at the gala and said:

  Through the conservation agreements model developed by Conservation International’s Conservation Stewards Program, indigenous communities such as the Aripao and La Colonial community receive technical and productivity assistance in exchange for their commitment to preserve the forests, the flora and fauna. They help to maintain the trails through the forest and monitor changes in biodiversity and can earn extra income by carrying out species counts and keeping watch for signs of logging. As part of the education program, the local communities are taught better drying and storage processes, as well as new and more efficacious harvest routes to increase the amount of beans collected.

  As part of this project, Givaudan developed an exclusive signature natural ingredient, Roasted Tonka Absolute. This ingredient brings notes of dried cocoa powder and coffee to craft fragrances with a unique novel gourmand effect.

  The partnership with Conservation International and local NGO Phynatura as project implementer initiated by Givaudan and pursued since 2015 by the Givaudan Foundation has been ongoing for 12 years and to date, has already helped to conserve 150,000 hectares of forest area, roughly equivalent to 277,273 soccer fields.

  ”We are thrilled to receive this recognition from Conservation International for our work in the area of Sourcing for Shared Value and Acting for Our Environment, which are key areas under our sustainability approach, A Sense of Tomorrow. It demonstrates our commitment to preserving the ecosystem and ensuring that all of our raw materials are produced in a way that respects both people and the environment,” commented Givaudan Head of Sustainability, Hallvard Bremnes. “Givaudan works hand in hand with the Givaudan Foundation on many projects around the world and I am very happy that our organizations can share this award.”

  Under Sourcing for Shared Value, Givaudan works in partnership with local producers and suppliers to transform the way we source and to create new value to be shared by all. Today, there are 15 projects impacting 14,000 beneficiaries in nine countries with 17 partner organizations, going beyond the immediate beneficiaries to positively impact their families and communities.