Symrise moves towards sustainability with vanilla partnership

In a move which confirms its intent to improve sustainability, Unilever’s supplier Symrise has announced a partnership which aims to improve the livelihoods of its vanilla producers with German development corporation, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The programme is partly financed by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It includes a three-year programme of support for 32 communities, and aims to impact upon 4000 vanilla farmers in Madagascar, looking to secure Madagascar’s vanilla production.

“The partnership aims to secure this vanilla supply for Unilever in the future and to support the farming communities with improved access to secondary education and training in agricultural best practices,” the bodies announced in a joint statement.

Symrise supplies vanilla for use both as an ingredient in food products, and as a fragrance in cosmetic brands.

“Our goal is to source 100 percent of our vanilla from sustainable sources by 2017 - regardless of its final application,” the company confirmed.

“What has started as the sustainability approach of Symrise's Flavor & Nutrition business, has become an example of cross-divisional synergies.”