How do you make fragrances sustainable?

Consumers, businesses and investors are becoming increasingly vocal about the sustainability credentials of the products and services they buy. This blog takes a look at how we are working to make scent and fragrances more sustainable.

Most people are aware of the concept of sustainability – especially with regard to energy use, plastics, water, and waste. But what about fragrances? They require a wide range of materials to manufacture, and should therefore also be considered when issues of sustainability arise. 

Fragrances can have complex supply chains with materials sourced from small producers in multiple countries worldwide. Many scents are extracted from plants that are not grown widely or are harvested from the wild by small producers and people in developing countries. (This in turn introduces more serious ethical and environmental issues as well).

Scent marketing

Our sense of smell is the most powerful of all our five senses and is closely linked with emotion and memory, probably more so than any of our other senses. Smell bypasses judgement and interpretation, and the memories we recall through odours are significantly more emotional than those recalled by auditory or visual triggers. But smell can have an effect on more than just emotion and memory, as we discussed can you harness the power of smell?

Scent in the workplace to boost productivity

Premium scenting harnesses the power of scent to enhance the mood of the occupants in the room, be it for the purpose of improving employee productivity or to give customers an experience that leaves your brand positively fixed in their memory as soon as they exit your doors.

If you missed it, take a look at this handy infographic which sums up the impact scent can have on various aspects of consumer behaviour, including perception and dwell time.  

Here we look at some of the sustainability issues that impact Premium Scenting – and how we are addressing them. 

Raw materials 

Rentokil Initial is a member of the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) and all the fragrances used by Premium Scenting comply with the IFRA code of conduct. This means that they are safe and good operating practices are followed in production.

Premium Scenting fragrances are supplied to us by Firmenich, the largest private fragrance and flavour company in the world. Fragrance production uses 100% renewable electricity and zero manufacturing waste-to-landfill globally, helping Firmenich gain an AAA rating from CDP*. Synthetic compounds, where used in fragrances, are manufactured using green chemistry and biotechnology processes.

The fragrances used in the Premium Scenting collection are created using renewable and responsibly sourced raw materials, whether they are directly extracted from a plant or reproduced synthetically.  Many people will think that the greenest way to create fragrances is to use natural, plant-based ingredients, but there are a number of very sound reasons why synthetic fragrances have to be used in some circumstances.

• Scarcity and risk of extinction: natural sources are not always sustainable and it can be difficult to prevent over-harvesting, which can have negative environmental impacts or even wipe out the source.
• Lack of production: there is not enough of the plant grown to supply the global demand for a particular fragrance.
• Variability: essential oils are variable, depending on the growing and harvesting conditions, which affects the price, quality and quantity of production.
• Consistency: synthetic fragrances are easier to manufacture and so can provide a consistent product. It is possible to create “nature-identical” fragrances in the lab that have exactly the same chemical structure and odour as those extracted from plants.

Social and ethical responsibility

Responsible sourcing is a key part of producing fragrances. Many natural products are sourced from local farming communities in developing countries and also in areas where there is risk of deforestation. Firmenich has a responsible sourcing policy that follows the principles of the Union for Ethical BioTrade.

To show their commitment to responsible sourcing and traceability, Firmenich set up the Path2Farm^TM project. This provides customers with sourcing information from the farm —its network of suppliers and farming communities — to the final product, giving customers transparency of the supply chain and monitoring of social and environmental measures.

Containers and packaging

Rentokil Initial is an ISO 9001 Quality Management System compliant company and it is part of the sustainability policy to ensure that as much waste as possible is recycled. For Premium Scenting, during the service visits, any replaced fragrance cartridges are returned to the service office. These cartridges may still have liquids present and are either retained for sample testing with customers or placed in the normal waste recycling streams for hazardous waste to be disposed of through ISO certified third-party contractors.

Premium scenting for your business

Premium Scenting is safe and sustainable, and this tailor-made service is carefully designed by a scenting expert, who – working closely with the business – chooses a scent which not only reflects the brand image of the business, but also achieves specific business goals, for example increased dwell time (in retail), invigorating of employees (call centre environments) or a positive guest experience (hospitality).

For more information on how Premium Scenting can enhance your business, contact the experts at Initial.