Case Study: Privi Speciality Chemicals Limited

Privi Speciality Chemicals Limited, one of India’s leading aroma ingredient producers, was awarded 1st Prize in the Large Company category of the IFEAT 2025 Sustainability Awards for its pioneering work in bio-based chemistry.

The company has developed a process to convert bio-based sources into high-value aroma ingredients such as alpha- and beta-pinene or paracymene. Those bio-based sources are Crude Sulphated Turpentine (CST), an upcycled by-product of the pulp and paper industry that is often wasted or used in low-value applications, and Gum Turpentine Oil (GTO), a renewable feedstock from sustainably managed pine plantations.

This shift reduces reliance on petrochemicals while supporting FSC and RSPO certified forestry practices with impacts verified through ISO-compliant LCAs for major revenue-generating products.

The project also reinforces socio-economic responsibility through certified sourcing, supplier audits, and a strict code of conduct. Thanks to its significant processing capacity and robust business model, it demonstrates strong scalability and proves that bio-based chemistry can compete in a fossil-dominated sector without being tied to its price volatility. Finally, its strength in collaboration lies in partnerships across communities, suppliers, FMCGs, and researchers, embedding the initiative in a wider ecosystem of sustainable innovation.

As the company notes in its sustainability report, “sustainability is not a choice, it is a commitment… industrial innovation and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand — delivering products that are smarter, safer, and more sustainable”.