A HORSFORTH-BASED global manufacturing business is demonstrating its commitment to the environment by appointing its first ever sustainability manager.

Natural ingredients manufacturer, Stephenson, has appointed Marie Maisonnette in the specially created role. She joins from the company's successful offshoot business CO2Sustain, where she was previously a business development specialist. Prior to this, Ms Maisonnette was a raw materials buyer for Stephenson, sourcing eco-friendly ingredients from across the world.

She 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 effect change. Stephenson has always been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability but it’s important to recognise 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.

“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 added: “Marie’s appointment as dedicated sustainability manager is another clear demonstration of our commitment to environmental issues. It’s also a 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.

“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 wellbeing but also completely sustainable too.”