Market research firm Organic Monitor will gather some of the main leaders in the North American natural personal care industry to debate key challenges of the market, on the occasion of the fourth edition of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, taking place in New York on May 12-14th at the Marriott Downtown hotel.

Heads of Aubrey Organics, Weleda North America, Juice Beauty, Dr. Hauschka Skincare, Burt’s Bees and Yes To Inc. will participate in a session dedicated to current critical issues in the natural cosmetics business. Among the topics on the CEO roundtable agenda are: rising consumer expectations, natural and organic standards and certification, ethical partnerships and implementing sustainability programs.

Burt’s Bees products

A major discussion point on the roundtable agenda is natural and organic certification schemes. With the number of standards proliferating in North America, the CEOs will share their views on schemes, such as USDA Organic, NSF 305, NPA and OASIS. The adoption issues and merits of these standards will be debated, as well as potential dangers of ‘green seal washing’,” said the organisers.

The CEOs participating in the roundtable will also discuss green marketing issues and the growing importance of ethical partnerships.

With many cosmetic and ingredient firms still grappling with green formulations, the summit will also devote a conference session and workshop to discuss technical issues. Key papers will cover natural and organic cosmetic formulations, including paraben-free preservative systems, replacing synthetic chemicals, natural actives, and growing use of sustainable raw materials.

Dr. Hauschka’s suncare line

The detailed conference program is available at: www.sustainablecosmeticssummit.com