future of halal lifestyle products
TRANSCRIPT
Copyright 2010 Saaf International. All rights reserved
World Halal Research 2010 Summit
23rd June – 25th June 2010 - Malaysia
Future of Halal Lifestyle Products
Dr Mah Hussain-Gambles, MBE
Founder & CEO of Saaf Pure Skincare – a brand of Saaf International Ltd
United Kingdom
W: www.saafpureskincare.com
Copyright 2010 Saaf International. All rights reserved
Overview
• Personal Background
• Quest to manufacture the ‘world’s purest skincare’
• Challenges in obtaining Halal certification in Europe
• Branding Halal as Eco-Ethical to attract non-Muslim consumer base
• Defining Eco-Ethical in Islamic context
• Halal – Beyond Pork and Alcohol
• The future of Halal Lifestyle Products
• Future of Halal Certification
• Summary
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Personal Background
• Pharmacologist, specialising in Clinical Trials and Evidence Based
Medicine
• Formulation Chemist for Sanofi Pharma in the UK
• Diploma in Homeopathic Medicine
• Lifestyle change to Organic Food and Skincare
• Confused by eco-ethical claims and ‘green-washing’ by cosmetics and
toiletries industry
Where is the evidence?
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Personal Quest
To create the world’s purest skincare range backed by
sound evidence
• Evidence = Accreditations by independent and credible organisations
• Cruelty Free – Naturewatch, BUAV (internationally recognised
leaping bunny logo)
• Organic – Soil Association
• Animal Free – Vegetarian Society and Vegan Register• GMO Free (Genetically Modified Organisms)??
• Irradiation Free??
• Alcohol Free??
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Eureka!
HALAL = GMO Free, Alcohol Free
Irradiation Free
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Challenges in obtaining Halal certification in Europe
Challenge 1
• No Halal Cosmetic Standards in the Europe (in 2004)
Challenge 2
• Breaking down negative stereotypes about Halal in the West, which made up over 75% of our customers
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Challenge 1
Dubious Halal Certification System
• Contacted most independent UK based Halal certification bodies in the
UK in 2004
• No existing system for certifying Cosmetics/Toiletries as Halal
• Could be done on a batch by batch basis – cost prohibitive if there is
more than one product in the range
• No experience or technical knowledge of chemistry and non-food
industry
• Could buy Halal certificates over the internet for £1000, by a 'Muslim
certifier'
• No formal audit of the factory and manufacturing process, only
ingredients checked for possible animal sources
CHICKENS = not a Problem
COSMETICS = a lot of money & not a clue!
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Solution = Set up UK’s first non-food
Halal accreditation system, similar to the
Organic Soil Association certification model
• Halal Food and Cosmetics Consultancy set up in 2006 as a not for profit
organisation based in the North of England
• Consisting of a group of independent unpaid directors (specialising in Medicine,
Chemistry, the Pharmaceutical Industry) and the Imam
• Annual fee charged for the certification process to cover cost of independent
audit to check that the manufacturing site/processes is Halal compliant, Halal
training for the manufacturing staff, as well as ingredient check by a qualified
chemist
• Monies from certification fees go to the upkeep of the mosque and providing
educational classes for Ummah
• Mission is to provide an objective and non-political consultancy and Halal
certification service to food related chemicals and cosmetic/toiletries industry
• The 'consultancy' has now grown to provide certification to a number of
European companies and now works under the banner of European Halal
Authority
www.europeanhalalauthority.org
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Challenge 2
Breaking down negative stereotypes
Many misconceptions about Halal in the West - Halal appears to be
synonymous with meat and poultry not lifestyle products
• Cruelty to animals
• “For them, not for us” mentality
• Non-Muslim company trying to capitalise on a growing trend – not to be
trusted – perception of some Muslims
• Product must contain meat
“I am confused, you say your products are vegetarian and vegan
certified, as well as cruelty free but you have the Halal logo on
your packaging?” quote from a Saaf European customer
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Solution...
Gain non-Muslim consumer confidence by marketing Halal as synonymous with Purityand Ethics
Back up your claims by getting accreditations by credible third party organisations such as Vegetarian Society, Vegan Register, Cruelty Free approval by Naturewatch and British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
Support organisations in promoting Halal as 'ethical lifestyle' rather than just meat and poultry
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Branding Halal as Eco-ethical
• Halal (Islam) = Kosher (Judaism)
• Arabic for Permissible or Allowed
• Opposite is Haram = Not allowed (drinking alcohol, eating pork etc)
• Applies not only to foodstuff but also to lifestyle such as gambling, usury, not
harming the body, pre-marital sex...
HOWEVER
• Principles of Halal are not restricted to alcohol, pork free and gambling, but to a pure and ethical lifestyle
• Caring for the body, the environment and the animal kingdom is the modern take on Halal, so is an ethical business model
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What is Eco-Ethical?
Eco-ethical lifestyle is the fastest growing market in the West
Defining Eco-ethical?
- Cruelty Free (no testing of raw materials or finished products on animals, no exploitation of animals to obtain raw materials)
- Caring for the Environment (recycling, reducing carbon footprint)
- Not Harming the Body (natural formulations, organically grown and products which are free from harmful ingredients and pesticides)
- Corporate Social Responsibility (fair trade, no exploitation of people)
I will now explore these principles in an Islamic context…
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Cruelty Free
Numerous verses in the Holy Quran and Hadith refer to the sanctity of animal life
and the rights of an animal to have a peaceful life.
"There is not an animal on earth, nor a bird that flies on its wings, but they are communities like you…". (Quran 6:38)
“All creatures are like a family (Ayal) of Allah: and He loves the most those
who are the most beneficent to His family.”(Prophet Mohammed, Hadith)
"There is no man who kills [even] a sparrow or anything smaller...but Allah
will question him about it [on the judgement day]" (Prophet Mohammed, Hadith)
"Whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind to himself"(Prophet Mohammed, Hadith)
Reference: www.ifees.org.uk
(Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences)
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Caring for the Environment
• Islam teaches man to not only respect his neighbour but also mother nature
Seest thou not that unto Allah payeth adoration all things that are in the heavens and on earth... the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the animals,…(Quran 22:18)
• More than 6,000 Quranic verses refer to nature and the relationship between living organisms and their environment
• The earth's natural resources are available for our use, but these gifts come from God with certain ethical restraints imposed on them
Eat and drink, but not to excess (Quran 20:81)
Reference: www.ifees.org.uk
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Not Harmful to the Body
A number of references in Islam on 'harmful' foodstuff, which we are now finding to
be scientifically true, for example:
- Shellfish (lowest in the marine food chain, contains large amounts of toxic
chemicals such as mercury, lead, arsenic)
- Blood (may contain bio-toxins and ‘distress’ hormones)
- Alcohol (causes skin dehydration, toxic to living tissue and harmful to the foetus)
Scientific studies show that a large proportion of what we put on our skins, gets
absorbed into the blood stream
Synthetic and Petrochemical based cosmetics are harmful, not only to the
environment but also to the human body and increasingly linked to allergies birth
deformities, feminisation of male embryos and even cancer
Halal accreditation should ensure that the product does not contain
any ingredients deemed harmful to the body
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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• A large number of Quranic references to economic, social and environmental
impact of running a business
• Eco-ethical interpretation could be:
- sharing wealth by donating a % of the profits to charities (or Zakat)
- creating local jobs, local community initiatives
- equal opportunities and not exploiting workers and children
- fair pay and wages
- minimising carbon foot print when doing logistic planning
A business claiming to sell 'Halal products or services' should have
CSR policies in its philosophy
Reference: www.ifees.org.uk - www.csr.gov.uk
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Beyond Pork and Alcohol...
Muslim consumers are beginning to see beyond Alcohol and Pork Free
One day I was looking at baby shampoo for my baby and noticed that it was certified halal (made in ...) but at the same time had a lot of these chemicals that cause harm to our bodies. My question is whether you believe these types of products should be allowed to be certified Halal as I always believed things that harm our bodies were also Haram? (Quote from an Australian Muslim Woman)
Harm = Haram
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Future of Halal Lifestyle Products is ...
Tayyib Meaning = Wholesome, Pure and Clean
“0 (you) Messengers! Eat of at-Tayyibat (all things good and pure), and do righteous deeds. I most certainly know what
you do.” ( Quran 23:51)
...Tayyib
How does Tayyib work in practice?
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Saaf Pure Skincare
Incorporated as a Limited Company in the UK in Jan 2004
A Head to Toe, 11 Product range, certified
Halal, Organic, Vegetarian, Vegan and Cruelty Free
• UK Manufactured under ISO conditions
• Europe's first Organic and Halal certified Skincare Range
• Eco-lux, recycled packaging, vegetable ink
• Saaf is Persian for PURE
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Business is run on 'Halal' Principles
• International promotion of Saaf Pure Skincare as an ethical
business which not only delivers results fast, but also respects the
environment, animal kingdom and the human body
• Regular commitment to giving free products to charitable causes
• Pledge to give 10% of profits to charity (zakat)
• Employing green principles in business practice (paperless office,
electronic POS, recycling, using vegetable based ink in packaging,
recycled paper etc)
• Ethical business model is based on 'Wealth Sharing' - virtually every
aspect of the business, from PR/marketing to logistics, packaging,
accounting, order fulfilment and warehousing is outsourced to local
businesses
Consumers are not stupid, don't 'Green-wash' your brand,
prove what you mean
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Award Winning European 'Halal' Business
Winning National and International Awards
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Future of Halal Cosmetics Certification
Independent Halal certifiers being set up all over the world
No global standards
Some certifiers allow small amount of alcohol
Others take a Zero Tolerance Policy towards alcohol
Similar situation to Organic Certification - differing standards
Europe is trying to harmonise Organic standards
The COSMOS initiative (www.cosmos-standard.org)
Long way to go to get all Organic certifiers to agree
I anticipate a similar situation with Halal standardisation
But Rome wasn't built in a day...
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The Global Halal consumer
• The global Muslim consumer base is estimated to be 1.8 billion spreadover 100 countries
• Demand for Halal personal care products and pharmaceuticals is drivenby increased consumer knowledge of the ingredients used in theformulation of such products and the way they are produced
• Muslim consumers prefer Halal endorsed products and choosing tospend money on lifestyle products to fit in with their religious andcultural requirements
• Educated and conscientious Muslim consumers are specificallyreaching out for environmentally friendly and organic lifestyle products
• Women are the main decision makers for purchasing lifestyle products
• Typical Halal consumer is an educated middle class female
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What are Halal consumers looking for?
Research findings
E-mails received at Saaf Customer Service (past 6 years)
- Hair care products - Hair dyes, hair sprays, fixing products...
- 'Dr Brands' – acne, scarring, anti wrinkle treatments...
- Colour Cosmetics – Lipstick, foundations, mascaras....
- Household Cleaning Products
- Perfumes and Home/car refreshers
- Washing powder and fabric conditioners
- Personal hygiene products – deodorants, toothpaste...
- Health supplements, Vitamins, cough medicines....
- Baby products
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Summary
• Halal industry is one of the fastest growing segments in the world
• Halal certification can complement other accreditations to bring your product in line with the global trend of eco-ethical lifestyle products
• Modern Muslim consumers are looking for Halal lifestyle products
• Open up new global markets for existing products
• However, Halal certification system is not globally standardised
• Non-Muslim companies may be open to exploitation by bogus ‘Halal Certifiers’ leading to mistrust by Muslim consumers
• Lack of availability of Halal certified raw materials for personal care industry
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Words for thought ...
"Be like a bee; anything he eats is clean,anything he drops is sweet and
any branch he sits upon does not break"
Taken from Maxims of Ali; translated by Al-Halal from Nahj-ul-Balagha (in Arabic); Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, Lahore, Pakistan; p. 436.
Copyright 2010 Saaf International. All rights reserved
Questions?
Dr Mah Hussain-Gambles, MBE
Founder & CEO - Saaf International Ltd
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 (0) 113 2265849
W: www.drmah.co.uk