French organic certification organization Ecocert presents some insights into raw material certification challenges and benefits for cosmetic products

In the fast-evolving cosmetics industry, the concept of sustainability is redefining priorities for both brands and consumers. With increased awareness of environmental issues and the demand for ethical practices, the industry is undergoing a green revolution.

Central to this transformation is the shift towards green ingredients —terms that encompass more than just marketing jargon. Certification plays a key role, as it represents a true commitment of manufacturers to sustainable practices, ensuring traceability from the origin of ingredients to the finished product, controlling quality throughout the production chain, and guaranteeing transparency in order to strengthen the bond of trust with suppliers, manufacturers and consumers.

Ecocert, a leading certification body for organic and natural products since 1991, assists stakeholders in the implementation and promotion of sustainable practices through certification, consulting and training services. In this article, we will give some insights regarding raw material certification challenges and benefits for your products

Fast-growing natural and organic market

Consumer concern about chemicals in cosmetics and toiletries is the main driver of market growth, increasingly aware of the possible harmful effects on their health and on the environment, they are buying more natural and organic personal care products.

The market is therefore evolving in a positive direction, with many brands paying attention to their formulation and their processes in order to manufacture more environmentally friendly products. To value their commitment, product certification was introduced mainly in the 2000s.

In 2023, Europe leads with the highest certification adoption rates, where approximately 55% of natural personal care products are certified. While North America represents the largest market, only about 8% of products are certified. In Asia, the certification share is higher, reaching around 20%.

There are many different standards, but COSMOS and NATRUE are the most demanding and recognised on an international scale.1 Natural and organic products are also more available than ever before. Their distribution has increased in various sales channels making them accessible for all.

The multifaceted definition of green ingredients

Green ingredients are at the core of sustainable cosmetics. They represent an evolution from conventional raw materials to substances that are safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible. Green does not merely imply natural origins; it integrates several dimensions: sustainability in sourcing, ecological safety, and lifecycle environmental impact.

However, not all natural ingredients qualify as green. In Ecocert’s certification framework, green emphasizes replacing petrochemical products with natural-origin ingredients that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Biodiversity considerations are critical, ingredients that threaten endangered species or rely on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) must be handled cautiously. Sustainable agriculture, such as certified organic farming, and responsible mining practices are integral to green ingredient sourcing. Certified palm oil, for example, mitigates deforestation and supports local communities, illustrating how agriculture can align with ethical and environmental values.

Sourcing trends in green ingredients

The sourcing of green ingredients reflects global trends towards environmental awareness and sustainability. Increasingly, consumers demand products that are natural, environmentally friendly, and ethically sourced. This shift has encouraged cosmetic manufacturers to embrace greener alternatives, despite the challenges.

1: The challenges of reformulation with green ingredients

While green ingredients align with environmental values, integrating them into cosmetic formulations is not without obstacles. Cost is a major challenge, as green ingredients are often more expensive than their synthetic counterparts. Therefore, effective communication of their added value to consumers is required, to be willing to pay a premium price for sustainable products.

Performance parity is another hurdle. Synthetic ingredients, developed through decades of industrial innovation, often outperform natural alternatives in terms of stability and efficacy. Reformulating products to meet green certification standards while maintaining consumer expectations requires significant research and development investments.

Despite these challenges, green chemistry and innovation are making strides in overcoming these limitations. Responsible companies investing in R&D are discovering novel ways to enhance the performance of green ingredients, lead the way for a more sustainable cosmetics market.

2: The manufacturing process

The manufacturing process further defines green ingredients. For physically extracted substances, preservation of natural active compounds is crucial, and the use of non-toxic additives or solvents is mandatory. In the case of chemically processed natural-origin ingredients, green chemistry principles — emphasizing atom economy, energy efficiency, and waste minimization — ensure sustainability and safety across the supply chain.

Finally, the ecological and safety properties of these ingredients must consider their lifecycle. Ingredients with low biodegradability or significant aquatic toxicity can disrupt ecosystems. Green innovation seeks to replace such compounds with alternatives that minimize long-term environmental impacts.

3: Driving sustainability in complex supply chains

Transitions, part of Ecocert’s Advisory & Training division, is a consulting agency specializing in the socio-ecological transitions of organizations.

Drawing on the expertise of a diverse technical team, Transitions supports the implementation of operational risk reduction strategies, adaptation and regeneration roadmaps, and circular models at the level of products, supply chains, territories or key ecosystems.

Transitions operates across sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and mining, supporting public and private organizations in implementing sustainable practices.

Convinced that dialogue between stakeholders is a powerful lever for progress, Transitions facilitates discussions in France and internationally to overcome the challenges of complex supply chains and promote more sustainable models for the use of natural resources.

Currently, Transitions is leading several projects for the cosmetics sector, addressing a range of topics related to due diligence strategies: traceability, supply chain risk assessment, supplier and stakeholder engagement, grievance mechanisms, field projects in supply basins, impact measurement, and more.

One flagship example of its work is the ASD (Action for Sustainable Derivatives) initiative. This pioneering project focuses on the personal care sector and aims to ensure the sustainable sourcing of palm, coconut and soy derivatives. Through ASD, Transitions collaborates with supply chain actors to guarantee traceability, mitigate deforestation risks, and foster responsible production. The initiative not only reduces environmental impacts but also supports local communities reliant on cultivation, illustrating how sustainable sourcing can balance ecological and social priorities.

Raw material certification and approval: behind the scenes at Ecocert

Ecocert group ambition is to act for a sustainable world. Pioneer in organic certification since 1991, our daily actions nowadays aim at the development of environmentally and socially responsible practices. We strive to enable production processes that respect the environment, better management of available energy, and of natural resources (water, air, soil fertility), socially responsible sectors and better product quality and safety.

Ecocert is an internationally recognized brand with operations in 130 countries. The role of a certification body like Ecocert is to evaluate whether a product, service, or process complies with established standards.

For ingredients, Ecocert’s mission involves rigorous raw material certification, ensuring compliance with high sustainability schemes such as COSMOS or NATRUE. Engaging a certification body enables the acquisition of a certified label, which carries greater credibility compared to self-declared private labels. In the case of private labels, the responsibility for the claim rests solely with the entity applying the label to the product.

The importance of raw material certification and approval

Consumers are always looking for reassurance about the safety of the products they are going to use on a daily basis, and are turning to products with a high natural content, more respectful of their skin and of the planet.

Certified raw materials ensure that every stage of the ingredient lifecycle—sourcing, harvesting, processing, and distribution—adheres to environmental, ethical, or quality standards. This guarantees that the products consumers use are not only effective but also aligned with their values regarding sustainability and social responsibility.

Certification helps counteract greenwashing by providing transparent, verified claims that build consumer trust. Leading organizations like Ecocert offer internationally recognized certification schemes such as COSMOS and NATRUE, a new certification by our subsidiary Certisys ensuring that certified raw materials adhere to sustainability, environmental, and ethical standards.

Additionally, certain raw materials, while not certified, can still be approved under specific standards. Ecocert, for instance, provides verification for ingredients that comply with its requirements through a documentary validation process. This ensures that even non-certified ingredients can meet strict environmental and ethical criteria, allowing manufacturers to integrate them into formulations while maintaining high sustainability standards. This flexibility supports innovation in the cosmetics industry while ensuring compliance with recognized guidelines.

Focus on COSMOS and NATRUE certifications

Since 2002, we have been contributing to the development of more responsible cosmetics. 
In partnership with pioneering players in the industry, Ecocert developed the first standard for organic and natural cosmetics, followed by the international COSMOS standard.

Today, more than 2700 partner companies trust Ecocert for their certifications, representing more than 20,000 COSMOS certified products and 15,000 COSMOS certified or approved raw materials

COSMOS and NATRUE certifications guarantee compliance with standards that promote naturalness, organic products and respect for the environment. For example, COSMOS classifies materials as certified or approved by COSMOS, depending on their organic content and processing methods. NATRUE similarly validates the naturalness and ecological impact of ingredients, ensuring that certified materials comply with sustainable development objectives.

• The COSMOS certification guarantees a lot of criteria: environmentally friendly production and processing processes respecting also human health, development of the concept of green chemicals, responsible use of natural resources, respect of biodiversity, absence of petrochemical ingredient, absence of GMO, recyclable packaging.
• The NATRUE certification guarantees consumers high-quality natural and organic cosmetic products, supporting sustainable innovation and responsible consumption, protecting the environment and promoting waste reduction, defending animal welfare, NATRUE’s certified products are made up only of 100% natural, derived natural and nature-identical substances, no substances from GMO”s, silicones, parabens, microplastics, synthetic fragrances or mineral oils are permitted in the formulation of products carrying the NATRUE label, and transparency.

All players in the sector must be committed to improving their production practices and communicating their transparency to their customers. Joint efforts can foster a fair market environment where genuine sustainability is rewarded, and deceptive practices are discouraged.

Challenges arising in the certification process

The journey to certification often requires overcoming challenges such as securing reliable data on ingredients, for example concerning non-GMO compliance. Manufacturers must collaborate with Ecocert to provide transparent information, ensuring that every step of a product’s supply chain meets certification standards. Ecocert’s new client portal has streamlined this process, improving efficiency and communication.

The certification process is meticulous and thorough, ensuring that only products or ingredients meeting the highest standards receive certification. Here follows an overview of the steps involved.

The first step is the request: Our team advises you on the labels best suited to your needs: Depending on your commitment and your manufacturing – production – traceability process, you can choose to certify your products according to a specific standard

The second step is the contract: A key step to your engagement with Ecocert. The third, and the most essential step: the audit. Companies submit detailed documentation about their products, ingredients, sourcing methods, and manufacturing processes, and our team reviews all ingredients, formulas, labels, and packaging on paper, verifying their compliance with the standards.

Our auditors visit annually manufacturing facilities and also brands to assess compliance, from raw material sourcing to the finished product, the traceability, and the environmental management plan of committed clients, using an audit methodology based on sampling and risk analysis.

The fourth step consists of examining the certification file. The certification decision officer reviews the entire dossier and the audit report to decide whether a positive certification decision can be awarded to the company for their cosmetics products or ingredients; if a product meets all criteria, it is listed on the certificate, which needs to be renewed every year, as the certification is not permanent and requires regular re-evaluation.

The fifth, and final, step is the certification itself; our team issues a certificate. At this point, the client can display the logo associated with the standard on the labels (for example COSMOS by Ecocert) with a transparent communication.

Certified companies are subject to annual audits and continuous monitoring to ensure compliance with the standards.

The auditor’s perspective: certifying raw material manufacturers for sustainability

Ecocert auditors play a critical role in ensuring that raw material manufacturers comply with the rigorous requirements of sustainability standards. Their work involves thoroughly evaluating production processes, from agricultural sourcing to chemical transformations, to verify adherence to strict sustainability and certification frameworks. While auditors maintain impartiality, they provide clarity by explaining the rules and standards that manufacturers must follow.

Certifying raw materials often involves unique challenges depending on the type of material and the scale of the manufacturer. For agricultural raw materials, which are transformed for use in cosmetics, certification requirements go beyond those of organic agriculture. For example, the extraction processes used in cosmetics must meet stricter criteria.

Approved methods are designed to preserve the natural properties of ingredients while avoiding the use of harmful solvents or additives. Auditors assess whether these processes comply with the certification standards, ensuring transparency and accountability at every step.

A significant part of an auditor’s role is verifying formulations. Manufacturers frequently encounter difficulties in aligning their production practices with certification standards, particularly for chemically processed ingredients.

The diversity of manufacturers presents additional complexity. Small, local operations specializing in agricultural transformations often focus on direct plant extraction, while large multinational companies, may involve more intricate chemical processes and global supply chains. Each of these scenarios requires a tailored approach to auditing, with particular attention to the specific risks and compliance challenges inherent to the manufacturer’s scale and operations.

Chemical transformations of agricultural raw materials pose specific challenges for both manufacturers and auditors.

The auditor’s role focuses on verifying that manufacturers understand and apply the standards correctly. By clearly communicating the rules and maintaining transparency throughout the audit process, they help manufacturers align their practices with certification requirements.

Ultimately, raw material certification is about more than meeting technical standards; it is about building trust and fostering transparency.

Benefits of the certification

From the first audit to the issuing of the certificate, Ecocert teams evaluate and ensure that your activities comply with the specifications of the labels you have chosen.

For all your stakeholders, certification enables you to communicate your commitments transparently.

It improves the efficiency and reliability of your organisation. A committed company means committed employees. The whole organisation, from the smallest to the largest, is committed to a common goal: producing in a more sustainable and responsible way.

A shared investment commits all stakeholders to working better and more transparently.

Obtaining certification is more than just a recognition of your commitment to sustainability — it is a powerful tool for building trust across your entire value chain. From suppliers and partners to end consumers, this certification serves as a visible guarantee of your adherence to strict environmental and social standards.

By aligning with Ecocert’s globally recognized criteria, you reassure stakeholders of your dedication to ethical practices, transparency, and quality. Ultimately, this trust strengthens your brand’s reputation and fosters loyalty among consumers who increasingly value responsible and sustainable choices.

At last, certification allows you to access new national or export markets: In a context where consumers and regulators are placing increasing importance on quality, sustainability, and transparency, this certification becomes an essential passport to expand your reach. It positions you as a reliable and committed player, ready to enter demanding markets while strengthening your competitiveness.

A vision for the future: certified and sustainable cosmetics

The cosmetics industry is poised for further advancements in sustainability. Certification will remain a central driver of innovation, with an increasing number of manufacturers seeking certifications. Advances in green chemistry will enhance the efficacy and affordability of natural ingredients, making sustainable cosmetics even more accessible.

Data transparency is also expected to play a larger role. New services like Ecocert’s Sustainability Data Check will provide brands with detailed insights into the environmental and social impacts of their raw materials. Such tools will become standard practice, enabling companies to showcase their commitment to sustainability in measurable terms.

This transformation is not just a response to market trends; it reflects a fundamental shift in values. The green revolution in cosmetics represents a commitment to environmental stewardship, ethical responsibility, and long-term consumer trust.

Sustainability is no longer just a marketing advantage; it has become a critical factor for survival. Brands must move beyond conventional approaches centred on zero-sum sustainability efforts and embrace ongoing innovation and practical solutions that challenge and redefine what is both possible and essential. From green ingredients to sustainable packaging, cosmetics manufacturers are expected by consumers to justify their commitments, from start to finish.

Certification remains the most committed, reliable and comprehensive approach, providing consumers with a guarantee of compliance with demanding criteria and the sincerity of brands’ commitment to sustainable practices.

By partnering with certification bodies like Ecocert and leveraging innovative solutions, brands and manufacturers can lead the way in creating a cosmetics industry that respects both people and the planet.

The challenges of sustainable development know no borders, which is why Ecocert works closely with you in more than 130 countries and supports more than 81,000 customers worldwide.