Givaudan signs deal for conservation & social project in Venezuelan

06 Feb '08

2 min read

Givaudan signed an agreement for a conservation and social project in the Venezuelan Guayana Shield region to ensure the sustainable sourcing of tonka beans.

Tonka is a precious, wild grown natural raw material used in various luxury fine fragrances due to its surprising profound warm and sweet note, reminiscent of caramel, almond and tobacco.

The aim of the project, part of Givaudan's Innovative Naturals programme, is to ensure forest conservation while supporting local livelihoods in the lower Caura river basin of Venezuela. The country is one of the two main producers of tonka beans globally. The tonka bean partnership and the Innovative Naturals programme were outlined at a press conference in Paris, France.

In partnership with Conservation International, a non-profit organisation, agreements are developed with the Criollo people of the Caura basin. Through these agreements, local communities receive technical and productivity assistance in exchange for their commitment to preserve the forests and the flora and fauna. This also leads to a better drying process and storage, which will improve the quality of the beans. In addition, new and faster harvest routes will increase the amount of beans collected.

As one of the biggest buyers of tonka beans in the world, Givaudan is pleased to be associated with Conservation International's work in the 4.5 million hectare region of the Caura basin, where a biodiverse area of 88.000 hectare has been defined for effective conservation.

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