How Covalo backs up its sustainability claims

Covalo & Sustainability: Practicing what we preach

In today’s business landscape, the emphasis on sustainability has transitioned from a mere trend to a fundamental operational ethos. At Covalo, we understand that while promises and commitments to sustainability are commendable, the true measure of our dedication lies in our actions. If we don’t act on our promises, how can we truly pioneer sustainability in the consumer goods and personal care industries? In this blog article, we reflect on and articulate how we “practice what we preach,” ensuring that sustainability is not just an abstract, trendy principle, but is truly embedded into the very fabric of our operations. This article explores what makes Covalo a credible voice pioneering the sustainability initiative in the industry.

We’re only as green as our people

Our journey towards sustainability starts at the very core of our organization – our people. Recognizing that genuine commitment to sustainability begins with personal values and individual actions, we prioritize recruiting individuals who not only profess sustainability-driven values, but also embody them in their daily lives. This foundational principle ensures that our team is not just working towards a sustainable future, but living it through their everyday actions and decisions. In turn, ensuring this baseline of people who care about living sustainably has helped align the company around our vision for a sustainable future that we strive towards. We often hear in the recruiting process that our sustainability mission is what attracted certain employees to want to work at Covalo in the first place, as it aligns with their own values. Needless to say, this alignment in values enables our work to be more synchronized and impactful!

Operationalizing sustainability in our everyday choices

Sustainability at Covalo extends beyond our immediate business operations, to the seemingly small and invisible decisions that collectively have a profound impact. We are meticulous in our selection of operational essentials, from choosing Nest for our pension fund—a fund committed exclusively to ethical and sustainable investments in Switzerland—to embracing sustainable office practices, like using recycled paper and virtual business cards. These choices, while seemingly minor, reflect our unwavering commitment to sustainability in all facets of our operations, no matter how big or small. We truly believe in the compounding effect of our small actions and choices, encouraging us all to stop and think whether there’s a more sustainable approach that we should be considering.

A balanced approach to sustainable travel

Acknowledging the environmental impact of business travel, we strive for a balanced and responsible approach. Wherever feasible, we opt for train travel, a more sustainable alternative to flying. Recognizing that air travel is sometimes inevitable, we make sure to compensate for our carbon footprint, thereby mitigating the environmental impact of our necessary travel.

Sustainability is front and center on the Covalo Platform

On the Covalo platform, sustainability is not just a feature — it's a priority. We enhance the visibility of sustainable products, recognizing the importance of making responsible choices accessible and prominent. This boosted visibility enables beauty brands and formulators to make better, more sustainable choices, helping to elevate the industry standards for sustainability as a whole. Our platform boasts the largest database of sustainable ingredients globally, with over 12,000 natural ingredients, 5,000+ Cosmos-certified ingredients, and 4,500+ plant-based ingredients, among others. By promoting suppliers with strong sustainable commitments and by educating our audience against greenwashing, we are at the forefront of fostering a more sustainable and ethical industry. We also continue these educational efforts on the Covalo blog, where we have a dedicated section on sustainability, and often write thought leadership articles around sustainable practices in the cosmetics industry (such as upcycled ingredients), and introduce new sustainable ingredients developed by our supplier network.

Innovating with sustainability in mind

Our commitment to sustainability is also reflected in our continuous pursuit of innovation. We are actively working to integrate carbon footprint and ESG data into our platform through strategic partnerships, enhancing transparency and enabling informed decision-making. Our collaboration with leading Swiss engineering schools, ETH and EPFL, supported by a grant from Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency, aims to develop the world's first AI-driven recommendation engine for sustainable alternatives. Furthermore, our partnership with Formula Botanica, the world's largest online organic formulation school, underscores our commitment to advancing sustainability through education and collaboration. We believe in the power of partnerships that share a common goal, and we’re pleased to be working on some exciting new developments that will help us further our progress toward a sustainable future.

Reducing environmental impact through information accessibility

Covalo is the world’s largest personal care ingredients platform, providing formulators and personal care professionals with access to crucial data, and as a result, reducing the need for expensive and polluting travel. By centralizing information and data into one valuable resource, Covalo not only facilitates innovation and development within the industry, but also significantly reduces the environmental footprint associated with sourcing this information.

In conclusion, at Covalo, sustainability is more than a buzzword — it is a guiding principle that permeates every aspect of our operations. Through intentional actions, innovative partnerships, and a steadfast commitment to living our values, we are not just advocating for a more sustainable future; we are actively creating it.

Looking for sustainable ingredients? Discover them on Covalo here.

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