“Kimberly’s experience in growing companies that blend beauty products, data science, and expertise in working with complex chemical supply chains will provide unrivaled benefit to our work to build and curate a transparent, highest quality collection of safer chemical alternatives, clearing the way for safer products for everyone,” said Stacy Glass, executive director of ChemFORWARD.

ChemFORWARD worked with SEPHORA and other codesign partners to develop 11 portfolios of safer alternatives for preservatives, benzophenones, silicones, and ethanolamines. The collection represents the beginning of a comprehensive library of safer ingredients for beauty and personal care manufacturers.

The information produced from this trial has the power to help companies go beyond simply avoiding chemicals of known concern to identifying and using verified safer ingredients.

“ChemFORWARD is exactly the type of data-driven resource that is needed to scale safer product innovation,” said Boma Brown-West, senior manager of consumer health at EDF. “With its readily accessible information, we can get closer to a future where every product, on every store shelf, is made with demonstrably safer alternatives.”

ChemFORWARD has published a free demonstration portfolio to allow product designers, manufacturers, and chemical formulators to explore our approach to presenting chemical hazard information. Anyone can log in to test-drive ChemFORWARD’s unique tool for understanding safer alternatives at a glance as well as in rich detail.

Our principal focus for this year is to populate our repository and we have made very exciting progress with 61 chemical hazard assessments of safer alternatives in progress and 100 funded against our full-year goal of 200. It is extremely rewarding to see the infrastructure we built last year functioning well. We have also deepened our bench, enriched our offering and strengthened our tools and processes. And the lessons we take from the first quarter offer clear and encouraging guidance on honing our attention for the balance of the year.

Werner contributes rich experience with the technology industry, chemical hazard assessment and circular economy to ChemFORWARD’S mission of enabling a safe, circular and more equitable economy. Werner’s mission at Google is to eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products and drive higher environmental performance and sustainability of product design. Previously at Google, he led the product sustainability, biocompatibility, and environmental compliance team for Google’s consumer hardware division.

In this role, Heine will help guide the professional association dedicated to advancing the science, practice and policy of alternatives assessment and informed substitution. The Lowell, Massachusetts-based organization, known as A4, is an interdisciplinary community of researchers and practitioners from government agencies, academia, industry and non-profits working collaboratively to accelerate the transition to the use of safer chemicals, materials, processes and products.

ChemFORWARD and the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute are working together to embed the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard Material Health methodology into the ChemFORWARD repository.

ChemFORWARD, which is building the first globally harmonized repository of chemical hazard assessments and alternatives, will use the C2C Certified Material Health methodology to offer companies a uniquely powerful tool for optimizing the material health of their products.

ChemFORWARD is excited to participate in a webinar discussing safer product innovation with the Environmental Defense Fund on Dec. 17. Dr. Lauren Heine, ChemFORWARD’s director of safer materials & data integrity, and Stacy Glass, executive director, will join Alissa Sasso for a conversation about innovating safer ingredients and products, allowing companies to stay ahead of regulatory scrutiny, manage business risk and build consumer trust.

ChemFORWARD is pleased to announce that its first portfolio of data on alternatives to ortho-phthalate, which are often referred to simply as phthalate, plasticizers of concern has been posted and is available for subscription. The organization’s initial pilot project compiled hazard assessments for 10 safer plasticizers.

ChemFORWARD has selected its first pilot program, assessing alternatives for ortho-phthalates of concern. Phthalates are used as plasticisers in materials from vinyl flooring to food-service gloves. The pilot will assemble a portfolio of full hazard assessments viewable in multiple hazard formats including the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals and the Cradle to Cradle Material Health Methodology. The portfolio will offer manufacturers the first repository of comparable information to make decisions about their use. The pilot also features a secure platform to access the information and a fair, equitable structure for sharing the expense of comprehensive assessments to reduce overall cost.

Josh brings a wealth of experience in managing scalable software projects and a proven track record of guiding highly complex projects to success. From startups to the largest global enterprises, his key strength is cultivating user-centered design and engagement by being proactive with customers and end-users, foundations of success for ChemFORWARD.