future of halal lifestyle products

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

E: [email protected]

W: www.saafpureskincare.com


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


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?


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??


Eureka!

HALAL = GMO Free, Alcohol Free

Irradiation Free


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


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!


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


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


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


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


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…


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)

http://www.ifees.org.uk/

http://www.ifees.org.uk/


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


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


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


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


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?


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


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


Award Winning European 'Halal' Business

Winning National and International Awards


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...


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


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


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


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.


Questions?

Dr Mah Hussain-Gambles, MBE

Founder & CEO - Saaf International Ltd

United Kingdom

Tel: + 44 (0) 113 2265849

E: [email protected]

W: www.drmah.co.uk

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