Weleda Receives First-ever UEBT Certification and Label for Sourcing with Respect

ARLESHEIM, Switzerland and SCHWÄBISCH GMÜND, Germany, June 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Weleda is one of two leading brands worldwide to be the first to obtain the new UEBT (Union for Ethical Biotrade) certification for sourcing with respect. UEBT is a non-profit organization that provides a globally recognized standard for sustainable sourcing and the use of raw materials. The new certification and label was introduced at the UEBT conference in Paris on June 20, 2018.

The UEBT certification will help consumers tell that they are buying products from a company that treats people and biodiversity with respect. Weleda has a responsibility for the environments in which it operates, and for the people involved in manufacturing Weleda products. "With the certification we take the next step. We are thus creating a significant impact for the growers, collectors and producers working for us," says Bas Schneiders, Head International Strategic Sourcing at Weleda.

In order for a brand to be certified, UEBT looks at its entire sourcing system. One part of the process is to validate that the brand has incorporated the requirements from the UEBT standard into its systems for sourcing and processing natural ingredients. Another part of the certification requirements concerns the sourcing practices: Certified companies need to verify that they have implemented these throughout the supply chains for their natural ingredients. The new UEBT label will first appear on Weleda products in the beginning of next year.

"We have received many awards in recent years for our efforts to achieve sustainability in our supply chains," says Annette Piperidis, Manager Sustainable Sourcing at Weleda. "Sustainability is not a goal for us, but rather a process in which we constantly strive for optimization. For this reason, it was important to us to take our efforts to the next level and to face further challenges."

"We are so proud that Weleda has achieved ethical sourcing system certification by UEBT and will be one of the first brands to place the UEBT trust mark on its products. By meeting our internationally recognized standard, a company assures customers that, when sourcing raw materials, biodiversity is conserved and used sustainably, and that all partners along the chain are treated equitably and paid fairly," added Rik Kutsch Lojenga, UEBT's Executive Director and a global expert on ethical sourcing of natural ingredients.

"Ethical and responsible sourcing is at the heart of who Weleda is and we are honored to be recognized with this inaugural UEBT certification," says Rob Keen, CEO of Weleda North America. "We take our leadership role in the global community seriously and hope more companies follow our lead and join us to work in harmony with both nature and the global supply chain to protect and nurture the environment, biodiversity and the lives of the farmers and gardeners that share in this commitment. We are thrilled to be able to communicate these guiding principles with like-minded consumers here in North America."

Weleda became a full member of the Union for Ethical Biotrade in 2011. With its membership, Weleda reaffirmed its traditional principles of ethical business practice and applied the UEBT standard to its raw material procurement. UEBT values such as conservation, the sustainable use of biodiversity and the fair compensation of all partners in the supply chain, correspond with Weleda's own long-held principles. Weleda secures an appropriate basic income for all its delivery partners. Weleda aims to have long-term contracts with suppliers as they allow for reliable planning on both sides.

Weleda AG Arlesheim is a stock corporation regulated by Swiss law that is headquartered in Arlesheim, Switzerland and has a branch office and a garden in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany which follows the principles of Biodynamic® agriculture. Weleda Group consists of 20 companies worldwide and employs a workforce of approximately 2,400 people. Weleda is represented in around 50 countries and is the world's leading manufacturer of certified natural beauty and personal care products, and anthroposophic pharmaceuticals. Weleda's beauty and personal care products are certified natural according to NATRUE standards.

Information on the Weleda Group can be found at https://www.weleda.com/about-us 

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SOURCE Weleda

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