Strengthening human rights in the ylang ylang supply chain, Comoros islands
In 2025 we launched an initiative in our ylang ylang, Comoros islands, supply chain to strengthen human rights, as part of our ongoing due diligence.
The Comoros islands produce over 80% of the world’s ylang ylang essential oil, an ingredient in fine fragrances and a source of income for smallholder farmers and distillers. Most plots are small and family-owned, and the harvesting and distillation work is largely seasonal.
Workers, especially women, face many challenges in the supply chain, including limited economic opportunities, low literacy rates and limited formal employment. Environmental pressures such as soil erosion, deforestation, and the changing climate on Mohéli, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, place further strain on agricultural productivity, putting household incomes and access to basic rights like education, health, and decent work at risk.
Partnerships at work
In 2025, we partnered with our long‑standing supplier Biolandes and the independent Fair Labor Association (FLA) to conduct a Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) of the ylang ylang supply chain. The assessment involved extensive interviews with 66 participants including company personnel, harvesters, ylang ylang farmers, teachers, children, and community leaders, as well as site visits to both farms and processing facilities.
The review reaffirmed Biolandes’ commitment to fair and respectful working conditions, broadly aligned with internationally recognised labour principles, while also offering constructive insights and highlighting areas for improvement. Guided by the FLA and in close cooperation with Givaudan, Biolandes has begun implementing a comprehensive improvement plan.
Key actions include enhancing employment arrangements, providing health and safety training, strengthening the application of fair pricing, and developing more structured approaches to raising awareness of and monitoring child labour risks.
Broader community investment
The Givaudan Foundation continues to complement these measures with broader community investments into women’s literacy and entrepreneurship with programmes that aim to strengthen economic inclusion and empower female producers. School rehabilitation projects help create safe, consistent access to education, a critical factor in preventing child labour. Environmental initiatives such as biodiversity preservation in partnership with Mohéli National Park, reinforce the long‑term sustainability of both local livelihoods and the ecosystems essential to ylang ylang production.
By combining structured labour rights protections with capacity-building and community development, we not only safeguard the integrity of the ylang ylang supply chain but also help ensure that the fragrance’s beauty is mirrored in the dignity, safety, and prosperity of the people who produce it.