Aromantic’s policy on purchasing raw materials is based on a holistic perspective, which considers the products we source and stock in relation to nature and to people. We believe that we can make a difference in the world by sourcing products and raw materials that nourish and sustain both the producers and our customers and to contribute to the demand for products that conserve our precious resources and are as environmentally friendly as possible.

In order to be part of a positive cycle of change that respects nature and people and improves the ability of future generations to sustain themselves, we give priority to raw materials that have been fairly traded or ethically sourced from:

and that are:

• grown using organic principles (preferably certified by a recognised certifying body)
• grown using biodynamic principles where possible
• grown and harvested/extracted using sustainable methods e.g. such as those set out by the Forestry Stewardship Council and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) production
• as natural or as natural as possible where natural alternatives are not available

Our direct suppliers

Of course, we can’t be everywhere at once so we choose our ethical intermediate suppliers very carefully. These suppliers have direct contact in many cases with the communities and projects that our products are sourced from. Our main organic essential oil supplier, for example, personally visits these small communities and projects around the world and keep in close contact with them. This same supplier is one of the first companies with Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) non-timber products certification for essential oils. We accept fairly traded products from our supplier even if the producer has not been certified as being FairTrade. This is because our hard-working and dedicated supplier continually visits the projects and for us that is good enough. Small projects that are often rural as well are too burdened to cope with the paperwork required to obtain and maintain the FairTrade certification. Aromantic, as a small company understands this, we too are too small just now to be certified either.

To see Aromantic’s Natural, Organic, Ethical and Fairly traded Purchasing Policy, click here.

Some examples of Aromantic products that have been sourced from Community Co-operatives, Projects or Traditional Communities through our responsible and ethical supplier

Many of our products have been fairly traded or sourced from community and co-operative projects e.g. most of our organic essential oils are fairly traded from community projects around the world see individual listings of our Organic Essential Oils for more information. We will update this page with more information and with pictures but here is a small selection in the meantime.

Fairly traded from a co-operative of 15 small farmers in Calabria, Italy

• Bergamot (Organic) Essential Oil
• Bergamot Bergapten-free (Organic) Essential Oil
  
  

Sourced from a women’s co-operative in North Ghana

• Shea Butter (Organic)
  

Sourced from various co-operatives in South Africa

Examples of organic essential oils: Spearmint (Organic), Lemon Balm (Organic).

Sourced from small traditional community project in Somalia

• Frankincense (Organic) Essential Oil
  
  

Sourced from community project in India

• Castor Oil (Organic)
  
  

Sourced from community project in Kenya

• Macadamia Nut Oil (Organic)
  
  

Sourced from community project in the Dominican Republic

• Coconut Butter (Organic)
  
  

Sourced from community project in the Philippines and qualified by the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil

• Palm Kernel Oil (Organic)

Some examples of Aromantic products that have been sourced using a supplier that has been one of the first to receive Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for non-timber products.

Sourced from a community project in Nepal, these organic essential oil have been given a FSC Chain of Custody Certificate

Juniper Needle (Organic) Essential Oil

About The Forest Stewardship Council

Our main supplier of organic essential oils has been one of the first companies to receive Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for non-timber products. The Forest Stewardship Council was former in the early 1990's to protect forests all over the world. Currently there are in excess of 82 million hectares in 82 countries certified to FSC standards, ensuring responsible forest management.

Environmentally appropriate forest management ensures that the harvest of non-timber products maintains the forest's biodiversity, productivity and ecological processes. Socially beneficial forest management helps both local people and society at large to enjoy long term benefits and also provides strong incentives to local people to sustain the forest resources and adhere to long-term management plans.

What is a community project?

A community project is where a village or a group people depend, for their livelihood, on one or several crops. To maximise this crop, they pool their resources, skills and knowledge for the benefit of the whole community, forming co-operatives. This is also how I started out in natural cosmetics; when the forerunner company of Aromantic was formed 24 years ago in Sweden, it was a part of a small co-operative.

We support these local communities to maximise the value of their crops and ultimately provide a sustainable, developing, programme to benefit the communities on an ongoing basis. We are working with local communities in many different countries.

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)

Our producer of VE and MF Emulsifiers has joined the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The membership of RSPO is yet another initiative of our Emulsifier producer in the pursuit of responsible manufacturing. RSPO is an association created by organisations carrying out their activities in and around the entire supply chain for palm oil to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil through co-operation within the supply chain and open dialogue with its stakeholders.

In particular, the RSPO will work on the following tasks:

• Research and develop definitions and criteria for the sustainable production and use of palm oil;
• Undertake practical projects designed to facilitate implementation of sustainable best practices;
• Develop solutions to practical problems related to the adoption and verification of best practices for plantation establishment and management, procurement, trade and logistics;
• Acquire financial resources from private and public funds to finance projects under the auspices of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil;
• Communicate the Roundtable's work to all stakeholders and to a broader public.

Read more about RSPO at www.rspo.org

What Aromantic are doing?

Aromantic have started working with all of our palm oil suppliers and producers, requiring that they all get the Palm Oil they supply to us from sustainable sources. This will be a long term process, but we have made a good start!

Aromantic products that have been qualified by RSPO (our producers are qualified):

• VE Emulsifier
• MF Emulsifier
• Palm Kernel Oil (Organic)
• Glycerine (Organic)

Related links

Aromantic’s Natural, Organic, Ethical and Fairly traded Purchasing Policy

Aromantic’s OF&G Organic Certification

About Aromantic

About Kolbjorn Borseth

Aromantic’s Purchasing & Sales Policy for Essential Oils

Natural vs Organic article