Our Sustainability Policy
We believe in the scientific evidence that global warming and climate change are a real threat to the future of our planet. We are mindful that our choices and actions matter today, as well as in the future. Our sustainability policy guides us in respecting our planet, its resources and each other while working to reduce any negative impact we may have on our planet.
To achieve our goals, we have created our Sustainability Policy which is described below and is a work in progress.
SCENTURIE SUSTAINABILITY POLICY
We ensure that we meet all relevant legal requirements. This has helped us in our goal to minimise our ecological & carbon footprint on our planet. We use the following steps towards sustainability. We also encourage our co-workers and suppliers to follow these:
REDUCE WASTE
1. Sustainable Product Packaging
Our skincare products are packaged in reusable and recyclable amber glass bottles and jars with aluminium lids, which can be returned to us for reuse, or recycled in the kerbside collection. As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainable skincare packaging and reducing waste we offer a Returnable Product Packaging Service whereby customers may return their empty Scenturie jars and bottles to us in exchange for Eco-points. This enables a single jar to be used more than once, reducing the amount of raw materials and energy needed to produce new jars. To learn more about Why Plastic-Free Packaging Matters, click HERE.
2. No External Boxes
Our skincare products are sold without an external box. We see no need for these as they are just another source of waste that is thrown in the rubbish once opened. Trees are a precious resource that shouldn’t be wasted, and the energy required to make a cardboard box contributes to climate change, the thing we all want to reduce.
3. Recycled Paper Packaging
We wrap our products for transport in recycled kraft paper and corrugated cardboard and encourage our customers to keep this for their own reuse, like we do. We use compostable and recyclable cardboard courier bags made from recycled and FSC-certified paper which means they can be easily recycled at home. We use paper or eco-cellulose tape, never plastic! We ask our suppliers to not use plastic bubble wrap or packaging, and we support businesses that show a commitment to sustainability and offer alternatives to plastic packaging.
REDUCE POLLUTION
1. Avoid Animal Products
The animal agriculture industry contributes heavily to environmental destruction including deforestation, the reduction of biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and more. Continuing to buy beauty products that contain animal ingredients (such as beeswax, honey, milk, and silk to name a few), unfortunately, supports these industries and contributes to pollution and ultimately climate change.
We believe that by avoiding animal products altogether in our skincare range and being a 100% vegan skincare company, we are helping to reduce the beauty industry’s environmental impact, and highlighting to consumers, and other brands, how important protecting our planet is. In addition to this we can genuinely claim that our skincare products are completely cruelty-free and prevent harm to animals.
2. Avoid Palm Oil
Palm oil is one of the biggest contributors to climate change in the world. Palm oil is used extensively in the cosmetic and food industries and the global demand for it continues to rise with consumption exceeding 70 million metric tonnes annually. The unsustainable harvesting of palm oil contributes to climate change by releasing millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Palm oil has been, and continues to be, a major driver of deforestation of some of the world’s most biodiverse forests, causing mass destruction to the habitats of already endangered species and devastation to the lives of people living there.
We avoid using unsustainable palm oil in our skincare products.
3. Support Local
We believe in supporting local because our people and their livelihoods matter. All our processes, from raw material selection to packaging, are sourced locally where possible which also reduces travel miles and carbon emissions. We incorporate sustainable, ethically-sourced New Zealand native ingredients in most of our products.
USE ETHICALLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS
1. Support Fair Trade Initiatives
Fair trade advocates for better working conditions and improved terms of trade to empower farmers and workers in developing countries. By ensuring fair prices, fair wages, and humane working conditions people are empowered and the whole community benefits. This results in better education, health care and environmental sustainability.
We purchase ingredients from suppliers who support fair trade initiatives. The Ghanaian Shea butter we use in our Ultra-Rich Natural Night Cream is purchased from a collective whose mission is to help eradicate poverty through the empowerment of the rural women of Ghana.
The organic Argan oil we use in our Nourishing Natural Day Cream is sourced from a Moroccan company Marocavie, who support Charitable Organisations within the communities they work with and contribute to sustainable development of their country.
We use Fairtrade coffee in our Espresso Coffee Scrub and our Men’s Charcoal Coffee Face Scrub.
2. Protect Endangered Species
The popularity of aromatherapy and natural beauty products in recent years has led to increased supply and demand for natural crops that have not been able to meet the needs of consumers. This has led to the over-exploitation of resources affecting the biodiversity of many species including essential and carrier oil-bearing plants.
At Scenturie we are aware of the urgent need to be mindful of the natural ingredients we use and to find a balance between what is appropriate and when to use it. We thoroughly research all our ingredients to ensure they are safe, sustainable, and produced from renewable raw materials. The essential oils we choose to use in our skincare products are sustainable and rated as stable and of ‘Least Concern’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
3. Utilise Upcycled Ingredients
Upcycled ingredients are byproducts from other processes that would have ended up as waste but instead are reused. Upcycling lowers our impact on the environment by reducing the natural resources necessary to grow plants, limiting the over-harvesting of plants, and reducing overall waste. It helps put the surplus of leftover materials from other processes to good use, as well as helping to prevent the emission of greenhouse gases, such as methane, which occur with natural decomposition.
At Scenturie we have chosen to use upcycled apple seed oil in our new Regenerate Natural Eye Cream, which is created from the waste material left over from apple juice manufacturing. We are keen to explore the use of upcycled ingredients much more as we expand our skincare range.
By utilising upcycled skincare ingredients that started as waste products and have been transformed into nutritious, useful skincare ingredients, we are contributing to a more sustainable and circular approach to the beauty industry that aligns with the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly skincare options.
In Summary
We are following the steps of sustainability.
We are committed to reducing our Ecological footprint, as well as any negative impact we may have on our planet, while striving to create a viable sustainable natural skincare business.
Read more about Scenturie Natural Skincare HERE.
CLICK TO READ MORE:
“Sustainable Living: What on EARTH does it all mean and why does it matter?”
For more information on how to do your bit for the planet click on this link: https://www.ourplanet.com/en/video/how-to-save-our-planet/
