At Olverum, sustainability is more than a buzzword; it's a guiding principle that shapes our ethos and operations. For us, sustainability means meeting our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. It involves a holistic approach to managing resources responsibly, ensuring that environmental, social, and economic systems remain healthy and viable over the long term.
Our Policy
Mental Wellbeing: Olverum is about feeling and functioning at our best, which is why we take mental health seriously. At Olverum, mental wellbeing is integral to our approach.
- We craft products to promote not only physical health but also mental clarity and relaxation, uplifting the spirit and providing a sanctuary from everyday stresses.
- We try to do what we can for causes that we are able to participate in. As such, we conduct workshops, seminars, and training sessions both internally and externally on mental health awareness and stress management. For example, we provide our key retail partners’ store staff with stress workshops free of charge.
- We have a qualified mental health first aider available, and we provide educational materials and resources about mental health issues, symptoms, and coping mechanisms.
Environmental Stewardship: We prioritise the use of natural, ethically sourced ingredients, ensuring our products are as kind to the planet as they are to our skin. We also believe that education is key to uniting efforts in saving our planet. As such, we are dedicated to informing both our customers and store staff through our blogs and in-store training respectively.
- We seek to reduce waste through purchasing recycled, upcycled or recyclable products. For example, the Papaya Enzyme in our Body Polish and the Cacay Nut Oil in our Facial Oil are made from upcycled food by-products. Furthermore, our minimalist approach focuses on producing high-quality, multi-functional concentrated products to maximise use from the same packaging.
- With the aim of reducing our carbon footprint, we prioritise environmentally conscious delivery services whenever possible. For instance, we partner with DPD for our trade orders, ensuring reliable delivery while minimising our environmental impact. Additionally, our office, conveniently located near tube and rail networks, is committed to achieving net zero emissions. We also support our employees with a cycle-to-work scheme.
- We include as many biodegradable ingredients as possible in our formulations, ensuring our naturally sourced products can return to nature without harming the planet.
- We ensure all our ingredients are traceable, to safeguard against unethical raw materials being used in our formulations. As such, we look for Mass Balance grade whenever possible and aim to minimise the use of palm-derived materials. When alternatives are not feasible, we ensure these are certified by Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
- We seek ISO14001 certification from our partners. If this is unavailable, we conduct further due diligence to ensure our expectations are met.
- We avoid end-of-life packaging where possible; as such, we have ceased production of single-use sachet samples. We also use certified paper packaging materials from forest management organisations.
Ethical Practice: At Olverum, we are deeply committed to social responsibility and ethical sourcing.
- We prioritise sourcing from partners who contribute to socio-economic development with local organisations, NGOs, and NPOs that work to preserve and protect regional ecosystems (information about our South African partner can be found in our blog).
- Our products are cruelty-free, and we never test on animals. We prioritise those who maintain ethical standards, certified by SEDEX or SA8000. If these certifications are unavailable, we conduct due diligence to ensure our expectations are met.
- In March this year, we proudly partnered with the Prince's Trust for "Change a Girl's Life", donating 10% of all online sales to this worthy cause. By the end of 2025, we will identify two NGO or charitable partners that relate to our business to work with either by donating labour, expertise, products or money.
By integrating these principles, Olverum not only enhances individual health and wellbeing but also contributes to a healthier planet and community.
Signed: Adam Fox, Commercial Director
29.07.24
