Stephenson announced the creation of a new position dedicated to tackling sustainability challenges; in relation, the company appointed Marie Maisonnette as its first sustainability manager. Maisonnette will lead Stephenson's efforts over the next 18 months in sustainably sourcing raw materials and packaging and working toward net zero carbon.
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The role will be predominantly based at Stephenson’s manufacturing plant in Leeds. Maisonnette will work closely with other specialists and department heads across packaging, containment and distribution, and health and safety.
Previously, Maisonnette was a business development specialist for Stephenson offshoot CO2Sustain and a raw material buyer for Stephenson, sourcing eco-friendly ingredients from across the world to build knowledge of product and technological innovations. She also worked directly with plantation managers and refiners on responsibly sourced palm oil for formulations.
Stephenson partnered with Anthesis to manage its sustainability strategy and CSR projects, with a goal of switching 85% of its palm derivatives volume to physically RSPO certified mass balanced, segregated or identity-preserved supply chain models by the end of 2022.
Maisonnette said, “I am looking forward to implementing what I’ve learned over the years in a positive and productive way that will benefit the business overall, its customers and ultimately the planet. The primary focus is threefold - raw materials, packaging and net-zero targets. As a responsible manufacturing business, we have a duty to act in the most eco-friendly way possible in order to affect change. Stephenson has always been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability but it’s important to recognize that more can always be done and that we are in a strong position of authority to work closely with our customers and partners to inform and educate as well as lead by example.
Maisonnette continued, “Two of the main concerns that personal care product consumers have are deforestation and packaging, and these are important issues that we are helping many of our customers and partners to address in the way they source and formulate their products, what they add to them and how they package and present them to the market. This is a huge undertaking but one that we are fully committed to on an ongoing basis. This cannot just be a short-term fix in response to the latest market trends.”
James Clews, commercial director at Stephenson, said, “Marie’s appointment as dedicated sustainability manager is another clear demonstration of our commitment to environmental issues. It’s also a clear signal of our sustainability intentions as an innovative and progressive manufacturing business. It’s not difficult to see that consumers are calling the shots in terms of what ingredients they want to see in their cosmetic and personal care products and also how they are presented and what they are contained in.
Clews continued, “Our range of personal care products has been constantly evolving in line with the explosion of eco demands and changing consumer trends. Sustainability is a key driver at Stephenson as this is a primary concern of many of the global formulators we partner with. Following the recent COP26 global summit which has helped to refocus on environmental issues, Marie’s appointment combined with industry-leading innovations such as the launch of our first-ever solid conditioning bar is in direct response to how the world needs to change. As a business, we will continue to pave the way for a future range of products that are not just good news for individual health and well-being but also completely sustainable too.”
