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In-Cosmetics Global’s Sustainability Zone Takes Holistic Approach to Green Beauty

The Sustainability Zone is a comprehensive space designed to help brands reduce environmental impact and enhance their sustainability credentials.

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By: TOM BRANNA

Chief Content Officer

In-Cosmetics Global welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world.

In-Cosmetics Global’s Sustainability Zone provides invaluable opportunities to explore green solutions across four key areas: the Forum, Display, Theatre and Pavilion. All will serve as a catalyst for learning, networking and discovering sustainable solutions, according to organizers. The Zone is sponsored by AAK and in partnership with The Green Chemist Consultancy and Ecovia Intelligence.

In-Cosmetics Global is set for April 8-10 at RAI exhibition center, Amsterdam. The zone will be led by leading organizations, including AAK, The Carbon Trust, Provital, the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS), Givaudan, NaTrue, Syensqo, Carbonwave and more, featuring interactive sessions, exhibits, showcases and expert presentations.

Sustainability Zone Forum

The Sustainability Zone Forum is sponsored by AAK and curated by The Green Chemist Consultancy. It features two days of expert-led discussions on green chemistry, regulatory compliance, life cycle analysis and ethical ingredient sourcing. Speakers will explore ways to drive sustainability improvements, minimize environmental impact and address unmet industry needs, offering valuable insights into sustainable practices across formulation, packaging and beyond. This year, the forum is on the show floor, ensuring better accessibility for attendees.

Speakers from The Carbon Trust will share insights into ways the beauty industry can update its practices to align with net-zero targets and avoid greenwashing. The presentation is entitled “Navigating Net Zero: Communicating with Credibility in the Context of the EU Green Claims Directive.”

Delving into the benefits of upcycling, Judit Camargo, founder & CEO of Roka Furadada, will explore the antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-acne properties of Sotabosk. This lignin-based ingredient is derived from upcycled biomass byproducts. The session, “Roka Cirkle Sotabosk: Redefining Sustainability Through Upcycling.”

The interactive display area will spotlight product advancements in sustainable personal care. This space will feature display pods showcasing sustainable projects and initiatives, and responsibly sourced raw materials that deliver high performance and a reduced environmental impact. Oleon NV is demonstrating the benefits of recyclable and reusable esters produced by enzymes. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the latest innovations in sustainability and gain insight into the industry’s most forward-thinking solutions from suppliers like Provital, Nouryon, AAK and more.

Sustainability Theater

The Sustainability Theater provides a platform for expert insights. Presenters include AAK, Lanxess Deutschland, Beauty Kitchen and others discussing eco-design and transparent, responsible ingredient sourcing, circular economy strategies, and how reducing Scope 3 emissions improves a brand’s environmental impact.

The Formulation Lab is always a highlight of In-Cosmetics Global.

Kicking off the Theater program on Day One, Dr. Barbara Olioso, managing director of The Green Chemist, will explore the transformative role of sustainability in cosmetics development. Her presentation, “Regenerative Beauty with Green Chemistry.” Olioso will highlight the importance of eco-design in formulation, ethical ingredient sourcing and sustainable packaging. She’ll offer insights into how circular design strategies and groundbreaking materials can shape a greener, more equitable future for beauty.

Other speakers include Jacques Courtès, senior account representative, Transparency-One and Dr. Sophie Roelants, chief operating officer and co-founder of AmphiStar. They will explain how brands can use data and new ingredients to meet net-zero targets and preserve the environment’s natural biodiversity.

Courtès from Transparency-One will present “Mapping Your Supply Chain and Tackling Worldwide Regulations,” It explores how industry leaders manage supply chains and social risks and track progress toward ESG goals. The session will demonstrate how businesses can stay compliant with evolving global regulations by efficiently collecting supplier documentation, certifications, and necessary compliance data.

More Sustainability Help

In “Sourcing & Valuing Low Carbon Products,” Kelly Gilroy, VP-commercial sustainability at Univar Solutions, explores the growing market demand for low-carbon products and the crucial role of Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) data in helping brands achieve their sustainability goals.

Mélanie Marquis Schiffer, sustainability project manager at Symrise, will discuss the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. Her presentation: “Integrating Planetary Boundaries into Portfolio Management and Driving Innovation Toward a Sustainable Future.” Planetary boundaries define the ecological limits within which humanity can safely operate, while preserving natural resources and ecosystems. Symrise utilizes this framework to highlight how companies can strive to reduce carbon emissions, conserve biodiversity and ensure responsible sourcing of raw materials.

Dr. Roelants from AmphiStar will lead “From Waste to Wonders: Bringing Performing and Affordable Biosurfactants to the Market.” Roelants explains the creation of microbial biosurfactants from locally sourced waste and side-products, such as supermarket food waste and the agri-food industry. These circular biosurfactants serve as drop-in replacements for traditional ingredients, without competing with food production or impacting land use, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of finished products.

Sustainability Pavilion

The Sustainability Pavilion connects attendees with experts and suppliers in sustainable beauty practice. It covers consultancy, accreditation, packaging, distribution and life cycle analysis. Participants include Ecovia Intelligence, Fairglow and Natrue. The will showcase solutions that enhance transparency and reduce environmental impact across the supply chain.

Said Roziani Zulkifli, event director, In-Cosmetics Global, “Sustainability has been a core part of the beauty industry for a long time, and it’s essential to keep pushing for new solutions that benefit both consumers and the planet. Through innovative technologies, alternative solutions, and new ways of sourcing and creating ingredients, the Sustainability Zone offers an expansive hub for the personal care community to explore these new, creative ideas. It also helps ensure the industry is prepared for evolving regulations and policies while supporting companies in making the necessary changes to stay ahead.”

In-Cosmetics Global, presented by KSM, returns April 8-10, 2025 at RAI, Amsterdam. 

Register at www.in-cosmetics.com/global/en-gb.html

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