
Be ACTIVEly Committed with Sederma
The Sederma Be ACTIVEly committed strategy is built on the wish to innovate sustainably in a dynamic of continuous improvement. In line with Croda’s purpose “Smart science to improve lives™” we are also contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Sederma intensively works to reduce its environmental impact through new green technologies, decarbonisation projects or even more transparent and win-win partnerships and are validated by certifications.

Ethical partnerships and sourcing with respect
Developing sourcing with local partners in the plant collection areas, respecting traditional know-how, improving the living conditions of local populations, mastering the traceability of raw materials of natural origin for more transparency and ethics are at the heart of Sederma development strategy for sustainable business.
Sederma recognises that its capacity to innovate and develop eco-socio-ingredients depends on biodiversity and its conservation.
As part of Sederma’s CSR strategy "Be Actively Committed" and more broadly of the Croda Group's vision "Smart science to improve lives™", Sederma has gained Union for Ethical BioTrade - UEBT membership.
What about our ethical sourcing strategy? What exactly is UEBT?
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Naturality
Develop innovation conform to the need of natural products and reduce our environment impact with new products and technologies.
Our objectives:
- Promote Eco- (socio-) designed products by favouring renewable raw materials and natural formulas,
- Build customer loyalty through a high level of satisfaction by meeting their expectations and future needs,
- Optimise the use of natural resources to reduce our environmental and societal impacts.
Vegan
At Sederma, we selected some criterias in order to define our vegan ingredients. Our vegan ingredients don't contain products derived from animals.
Click here to discover our vegan ingredients.
Sustainable sourcing
Croda and its stakeholders are committed to the principles of Sustainable Development for the supply of their raw materials, taking into consideration the environmental, social and economic impacts relating to their respective activities.
Natural ingredients are at the heart of our products, with 67% of our raw materials coming from renewable natural sources. It is our duty to make every effort to preserve these resources and the people who rely on them.
Sederma has gained Union for Ethical BioTrade - UEBT membership. With growing consumer interest in natural products, Sederma recognises that its capacity to innovate and develop eco-socio-ingredients depends on biodiversity and its conservation. With this membership, Sederma will keep on improving its practices to #sourcingwithrespect for all people and biodiversity, and pursue its ambition to be a recognised responsible player of the Cosmetic industry
Becoming a UEBT member is part of Sederma’s CSR strategy "Be Actively Committed" and more broadly of the Croda Group's vision "Smart Science to Improve Lives™". This approach echoes Croda’s sustainable commitment to be Climate, Land and People Positive by 2030. Developing sourcing with local partners in the plant collection areas, respecting traditional know-how, improving the living conditions of local populations, mastering the traceability of raw materials of natural origin for more transparency and ethics are at the heart of Sederma development strategy for sustainable business. This strategy is in line with requirements of customers and consumers.
The UEBT standard is formally known as the Ethical BioTrade Standard and it consists of seven principles covering important social, environmental and economic issues:
- Conservation of biodiversitySustainable use of biodiversity
- Equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of biodiversity
- Socio-economic sustainability
- Compliance with national and international legislation and agreements
- Respect for the rights of actors involved in BioTrade activities
- Clarity about land tenure, use, and access to natural resources and knowledge
UEBT member companies commit to ensuring that their sourcing practices gradually advance sustainable business growth, local development and biodiversity conservation.
As part of UEBT membership, Sederma will continue to implement Ethical BioTrade requirements in its Biodiversity Management System. Sederma will also further develop its partnerships with its suppliers and communities to promote good practices throughout supply chains, giving initial priority to new botanicals supplies and historical ones on a risk-based approach.
Since 2021, 100% of Sederma new natural chains for new catalog products is sourced according to Sederma Biodiversity Management System.
In compliance with its UEBT commitment, Sederma set up the following Ethical BioTrade sourcing target linked to its CSR strategy:
- Since 2020, Sederma has established annual “Sustainable botanical supply chain” management review,
- Since 2020, Sederma has deploy its best practices about Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) in accordance with local ABS regulations,
- Since 2021, Sederma has set up performance indicators for achieving the UEBT Targets
- In 2025, 100% of palm oil derivatives used at Sederma will be RSPO certified according to Mass Balance (MB) supply chain model.
Sederma annually reports on its progress regarding UEBT membership requirements. Qualified verification body verifies compliance with our membership conditions and obligations every 3 years.
RSPO
The beauty industry uses around 2% of the world’s palm oil. Responsibly addressing the social and environmental issues associated with Palm Oil (PO) is a priority for us at Croda.
- What exactly is the Sustainable Palm Oil Roundtable (RSPO)?
- How do we use palm oil at Sederma, Crodarom and Alban Muller?
These questions were put to Magali Buresté, who is in charge of regulatory affairs.
Watch the video to hear her answers!
How do we use palm oil at Sederma, Crodarom and Alban Muller?
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RSPO Brochure

Eco-designed processes
1/3 of our products are manufactured using an eco-designed process:
- 19% of our active ingredients come from white and blue biotechnologies
- 4% of our active ingredients come from supercritical CO2 extraction
- 8% of our active ingredients come from plant cell culture

Plant cell culture
Eco-designed production mode of phytomolecules of interest. Access to rare, endangered and slow growing plants. Absolute reproductibility, quality and availability.

Biotechnology

Vegetal extraction
Methodological analysis to obtain full mapping of the plant to find molecules of interest. Perfect botanical traceability. Eco-designed supercritical CO2 extraction process.
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