The transition towards more responsible economic models is inevitably taking off.

More than just an option, the CSR today is recognised by company leaders as being a lever for innovation and performance and a guarantee for quality for consumers.

Lets’ take another look at the definition, the challenges and the impacts of a CSR system for your plant raw materials and your procurement supply chains.

Definition of corporate social responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a voluntary approach, implemented by companies, reflecting their contribution to sustainable development. In other words, it constitutes an improvement process based on 3 points:

• The human dimension: how to ensure good working conditions, firstly in-house but also from the start with the suppliers?
• The environmental dimension: how to monitor and evaluate one’s environmental impact and determine the steps for improvement and its implementation?
• The economy: how to fulfill one’s role in a profit society in due respect with the human and environmental dimension?

To justify their commitments, companies can choose to be evaluated by different certifications, which they choose based on their priorities and their values.

At Natural Origins for example, we have chosen the For Life label, which recognises the CSR approach of companies involved in the production, the transformation and the marketing of natural products and ingredients.

The challenges of a CSR policy for plant raw materials

Consumers nowadays are very concerned by the impacts of company activities and their purchases. They seek the responsible consumption of quality products in due respect with the producers and the environment.

To ensure greater clarity, companies must reassure the buyer by offering clear references backed by guarantees. Labels have thus become essential tools for CSR operating policies as they indicate, define and guarantee a responsible purchase.

Natural Origins guarantees natural raw materials made from sustainable, ethical and transparent supply chains to all their customers.

The positive impacts of CSR systems for your procurement supply chains

We have enough hindsight to note the results of the supply chains and we have observed that implementing a CSR approach and more specifically sustainable development labels can have a real economic, social and environmentally positive impact:

• This approach provides stability and economic security to producers
• This approach finances the development of training and health infrastructures
• It provides medecine, material and supplies, etc.
• It strengthens the organisation, the autonomy and fairness with setting up of worker committees
• This approach develops more environmentally friendly practices

Natural Origins’ investment in these procurement supply chains in natural raw materials is reflected in:

• The establishment of multiannual contracts in order to ensure revenue for the producers,
• The development of increasing numbers of organic supply chains guaranteeing the use of fewer pesticides
• Financing new equipment to improve safety and work conditions.

You want to take advantage of responsible organic ingredients procurement? Discover how to promote these ingredients with your consumers!