Cosmetopoeia: a cooperation agreement between CIRAD and Cosmetic Valley

CIRAD and Cosmetic Valley have been working for several years on cosmetopoeia, particularly in the French overseas regions. The rollout of the Réseau Cosmétopée ultramarine : Biodiversité, arbres et autres plantes (overseas cosmetopoeia network: biodiversity, trees and other plants network), a real platform for, exchanges between players from the socioeconomic, institutional and academic worlds and those of research and innovation, bears witness to this. The partnership has also resulted in the organization of a range of events and the creation of a collaborative serious game: the Fresque de la Cosmétopée (cosmetopoeia fresco).

A shared wish for a stronger partnership

To give their partnership a new dimension, the two structures decided to formalize their commitment by signing a framework scientific cooperation agreement. The agreement covers the joint development of an emerging field of scientific study—cosmetopoeia—in tropical and Mediterranean zones. the aim is to foster the establishment of joint or complementary research projects, joint organization of events, and operations to raise awareness of the topic.

Formalization of this strategic partnership

The collaboration agreement was officially signed on Thursday 16 October, at the Cosmetic 360 trade show at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris. The French Ministry of Overseas Territories Direction Générale des Outre-mer, which has supported CIRAD's work on overseas cosmetopoeia since 2022, took part in the ceremony, which recognized past work and looked to the future. The concrete prospects include: the pursuance of the Réseau Cosmétopée ultramarine roadmap and the creation of a cosmetopoeia garden at the Maison de la Cosmétique in Chartres, led by Cosmetic Valley, an emblematic site that brings together science, nature and beauty.

About CIRAD  

CIRAD is the French agricultural research and international cooperation organization working for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions. It works with its partners to build knowledge and solutions for resilient farming systems in a more sustainable, inclusive world. It mobilizes science, innovation and training in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Its expertise supports the entire range of stakeholders, from producers to public policymakers, to foster biodiversity protection, agroecological transitions, food system sustainability, health (of plants, animals and ecosystems), sustainable development of rural territories, and their resilience to climate change. CIRAD works in some fifty countries on every continent, thanks to the expertise of its 1750 staff members, including 1200 scientists, backed by a global network of some 200 partners. It also supports French science diplomacy operations.

About Cosmetic Valley, the "beating heart of the global cosmetics industry"

Cosmetic Valley is the world's leading perfume-cosmetics network, and coordinates the industry in France. It brings together every type of expertise, from plant cultivation to end product. Its aim is to promote the Made in France through innovation, export, business, jobs and training, make French research laboratories, firms and territories more visible and more attractive, and share the issues surrounding and opportunities offered by the sector in order to foster its economic development. Cosmetic Valley is a competitiveness hub at the forefront of innovation, leading public/private research and development partnerships within the perfume-cosmetics industry. This flagship of the French economy carries the voice of more than 6300 establishments of all sizes (85% VSE/SME/ISE, and all world leaders), representing nearly 226,000 jobs for a turnover of €71 billion and over a thousand patents registered each year. It is the world's leading perfume and cosmetics exporter, with €22.5 billion of exports in 2024.
Cosmetic Valley's signature, "FRANCE CARES FOR YOUR SKIN", sets out the values of a sector that embodies emotion, intimacy and universality, with high ambitions for scientific progress and environmental responsibility within the sector. Cosmetics is an industry with a long past and a bright future.
www.cosmetic-valley.com