
Overview

We are pleased to announce the 2025 version will take place in Amsterdam again and be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, 30 September to 1 October 2025.
30 Sep - 1 Oct 2025
If your organisation is interested in sponsoring the 2025 conference please reach out to us at: conference@uebt.org
Amsterdam - Movenpick Hotel
UEBT Conference 2025 is supported by:
UEBT Conference 2024 - Summary report
Check out what was discussed at last year’s conference.
What your peers said about the 2024 Sourcing with Respect Conference
Questions?
Write to us at conference@uebt.org
Agenda

UEBT Sourcing with Respect Conference
“Driving impact in times of change”
It's an unprecedented time, with geopolitical and economic uncertainty, a reshaping of global trade, and sustainability commitments under threat. The UEBT conference will convene more than 200 leading companies to discuss how to strengthen responsible sourcing and ensure supply chain resilience in these shifting dynamics, with a focus on positive impact for people and biodiversity in botanicals sourcing regions.
Highlights of the 2025 agenda include:
Adaptive responsible sourcing strategies
Effective management of social and environmental risks in supply chains
How to integrate responsible sourcing of botanicals in biodiversity frameworks
Building supply chain resilience and partnerships
Examples of practical action on human rights and biodiversity issues in sourcing areas
Detailed Agenda
Day 1 – Tuesday, 30 September 2025 8:15-19:00 |
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Morning (08:15-12:00):
Afternoon (13:30-17:45): Opening of the 2025 Conference
Evening: Networking Drinks Reception
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Day 2 – Wednesday, 1 October 2025 8:30-18:30 |
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4 Information Sessions
Breakout Sessions (9:30-17:30):
Closing Plenary: Looking ahead roundtable: predictions on sourcing with respect
This interactive panel brings together conference speakers and participants to offer bold predictions, provocative insights, and actionable foresight on sourcing with respect for people and biodiversity. A dynamic way to bring together the patterns, voices, and relationships shared over two days of the conference.
Closing drinks
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Questions?
Write to us at conference@uebt.org
Speakers

Confirmed Speakers
Alexander Batran
Senior Director Group Strategic Sourcing, Weleda
Alexander brings over 20 years of experience in procurement, with a strong foundation in research and an early focus on sustainability in sourcing. He holds a doctorate in procurement and spent more than a decade in procurement consulting, advising multinational companies across various industries before transitioning to the corporate sector. For nearly three years, Alexander has been with Weleda, where he serves as Group Strategic Sourcing Officer, overseeing the Group Procurement and Agriculture Management departments. Additionally, he is a member of the Board of UEBT.
Ângela Pinhati
Chief Sustainability Officer, Natura
Ângela Pinhati took over as sustainability officer at Natura &Co América Latina in 2023, after serving as the company's production director in the region for 7 years. At Natura, she also served as Supply Chain leader for Hispanic countries, based in Argentina, in addition to leading the Supply Department for the entire company.
With 31 years of professional experience, the executive has worked for multinationals such as Rhodia and Unilever, and currently sits as the board president of the Union for Ethical Biotrade (UEBT) board of directors, representing Natura&Co.
She has a degree in Chemical Engineering from UFSCar, an MBA in Logistics from Fundação Vanzolini, and a master's degree in Environment from IMF Business School / Universidad Camilo José Cela, in Madrid .
Anirudh Ranga
CEO, Nesso
Anirudh Ranga is the CEO of NESSO, a leading Indian company specializing in plant-based actives for dietary supplements, food, and fine fragrances. Since 2011, he has played a pivotal role in transforming NESSO into a global supplier to the health and wellness industry. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its international footprint while embedding sustainability, ethical sourcing, and traceability at the core of its operations.
Anirudh brings over 20 years of experience in manufacturing and business leadership. He also serves on the boards of Rangsons Aerospace and N. Ranga Rao & Sons, contributing to long-term growth across diverse industries.
He holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Elisa Aragon
Co-founder & CEO, Nelixia
Elisa Aragon is the co-founder and CEO of Nelixia, a leading essential oil, extracts and spices producer in Latin America. Nelixia strives to reinvent the way of sourcing and producing natural ingredients. Convinced that sourcing has to go hand in hand with sustainability, NELIXIA puts social and environmental aspects at the heart of all its operations. The company now has three production sites and has deployed its sustainable approach in six Latin American countries.
Elisa is from Guatemala and driven by her passion for naturals she obtained an organic chemistry degree in Paris, then a Master in Perfumery at ISIPCA, finishing by a master degree in Entrepreneurship at ESCP in Paris.
Elitsa Likova
Bulgaria Representative, UEBT
With UEBT since 2024, Elitsa is the representative for Bulgaria. She has collaborated with UEBT since 2021 and has more than 20 years international experience in auditing for various ISO standards as well as for SA 8000, BSCI, SMETA/SEDEX and more. Elitsa is an active member of the Association of Professional Social Compliance Auditors, and is a Certified Social Compliance Auditor as well as a Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) verifier.
Hanna Kaethner
Advisor, GIZ
Hanna Kaethner is an Advisor at GIZ and has been working for the Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains Initiative (SASI) for three years. At SASI, she contributed to developing and implementing the Due Diligence Fund, a funding competition designed to support agri-food companies in the implementation of corporate human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD).
She holds a master’s degree in Local Development from UNIPD, Italy, and a bachelor’s in international relations and economics from the University of Erfurt, Germany. She spent two years in South America, gaining experience in the civil society sector in Bolivia and Ecuador and studying abroad in Brazil.
Lucie Dejouhanet
Sustainability Projects and Sectors Lead, Clarins
Dr. Lucie Dejouhanet joined Laboratoires Clarins following a distinguished academic career as a geographer, recognized for her research on the organization of herbal supply chains. She now serves as Sustainable Sourcing Project Manager, where she is responsible for ensuring that Clarins’ plant-based supply chains comply with the company’s Responsible Ingredient Sourcing Charter, biodiversity regulations, and Clarins’ dual commitment to Caring for People and Caring for the Planet.
Maria Julia Oliva
Director of Policy and Sector Transformation, UEBT
Julia is responsible for Policy and Sector Transformation as of May 2023. She previously worked with UEBT from 2009 until 2021 and last served as Deputy Director and Senior Coordinator for ABS and Policy. Her last position was Head of Policy at UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) where she oversaw a team focused on accounting for the value for biodiversity in policy and providing support to incorporate biodiversity management into policy across many sectors. She is a trained lawyer with internationally recognized expertise on legal and policy issues linked to biodiversity. Julia grew up in Mendoza, Argentina and has an LLM degree from Lewis & Clark Law School in the US.
Manu Caddie
Managing Director, Hikurangi Bioactives
Manu Caddie is a biotechnology entrepreneur, researcher, and advocate for Indigenous rights and ethical bioprospecting. Based in Aotearoa New Zealand, he has co-founded ventures including Rua Bioscience and Hikurangi Bioactives, developing pharmaceuticals, functional food ingredients and natural health products derived from botanicals. Manu’s work focuses on ethical sourcing frameworks that embed Indigenous governance, benefit-sharing, and environmental protection into product development and licensing arrangements. Manu also advises on regulatory frameworks for controlled substances and biodiscovery systems. He has contributed to international biodiversity negotiations, including the recent World Intellectual Property Organization treaty addressing biopiracy and in April was appointed to the inaugural Steering Committee of the UN CBD Cali Fund. His current projects involve clinical research on natural therapeutics, AI-driven biodiscovery, and commercialisation pathways for bioactive compounds from indigenous plants and fungi. With a background in environmental advocacy, local governance, and Indigenous-led innovation, Manu will be discussing commercial models that recognise ecosystems themselves as key partners and co-owners in sustainable industry development.
Matt Jones
Chief Impact Officer, UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre’s (UNEP-WCMC)
Matt Jones is Chief Impact Officer at the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge, UK. Matt’s role is to empower the team across UNEP-WCMC to generate maximum impact in everything they do. As Chief Impact Officer, Matt oversees quality and innovation in the technical development of projects so that UNEP-WCMC delivers on its strategy and vision. His expertise is in understanding nature-related risk, natural capital impacts and dependencies across the economy, corporate biodiversity impact assessment and management, and biodiversity metrics. Matt is one of three co-Chairs of the IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment. Building on 20 years of experience, Matt’s work seeks a shift towards a socially just future where nature and people thrive. Matt joined UNEP-WCMC in 2010, and was previously Head of Business and Biodiversity and Head of Nature Economy for the organisation. He holds a Master of Philosophy and a Bachelors degree in Land Economy from the University of Cambridge. Prior to joining UNEP-WCMC, Matt worked in Tanzania on projects to align the goals of poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation and as a consultant on environmental, social and governance issues.
Mehmet Cetin
Technical Agriculture Director, Isik Tarim
He graduated from the Plant Protection Department of the Faculty of Agriculture at Ege University in 1995 and completed his master's degree in Plant Protection (Entomology) at the same university. His first work experience began as a worker on farm for picking fruits and later continued as a labourer in a dried fruit factory in the late 1980s. He began his professional career in 1997 as a Research Assistant in the Plant Protection Department at Ege University. After 3 years he joined Isik Tarim and has been responsible for organic and other certifications as an agricultural consultant, project’s manager and technical agriculture director for more than 25 years. He has participated in numerous workshops on the establishment and development of the Turkish Organic Regulations. He is a member of the ETO Association and a founding member of the Demeter Turkiye Association and has been a delegate on the WAB of Naturland e.V. since June, 2022.
Rik Kutsch Lojenga
Executive Director, UEBT
Rik has been the Executive Director of UEBT since its creation in 2008. He is an expert on ethical sourcing of ingredients from biodiversity in support of the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity. He spent more than a decade with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), where he was involved in the creation of the BioTrade Initiative and helped to conceptualise the idea of UEBT. He has also served as the Board Chair of ISEAL, the umbrella group for sustainability standards. Rik grew up in the Netherlands, where he earned a master’s degree in business and environmental economics.
Rodrigo de Próspero
Director, Sustainability at Source, dsm-firmenich
Rodrigo leads the Sustainability at Source strategy at dsm-firmenich, weaving responsible sourcing into the company’s global procurement practices. His work supports the Nature and People pillars of the company’s ESG goals, with a strong focus on supplier engagement, traceability, and creating real, positive impact. With over 18 years of experience in sustainable sourcing, Rodrigo has worked across a wide range of supply chains and geographies worldwide. He’s deeply involved in driving due diligence, building collaborative relationships with stakeholders, and promoting transparency—especially in biodiversity-sensitive regions. Before stepping into his current role, Rodrigo held positions in procurement and sustainability across the public, private, and third sectors.
Sebastian Sieben
CEO, Martin Bauer
Sebastian Sieben is the CEO of Martin Bauer GmbH & Co. KG, a position he assumed after joining the company in 2002 and holding various product and sales roles before becoming part of the management team. He studied Business Administration in Germany and the UK from 1995 to 1999, and began his career with strategy consultancy Roland Berger, where he collected his first professional experiences and “management tool kit”. Since 2006, he has worked on responsible and sustainable issues from a strategic perspective within Martin Bauer.
Taylor Mackey
VP Global Strategic Sourcing, doTERRA
Taylor MacKay is the Vice President of Strategic Sourcing at doTERRA where he oversees the global sourcing portfolio of natural ingredients. Taylor has had the privilege of living and working in many different parts of the world including the US, Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia, working with small-scale producers, social impact organizations, and agrobusiness value chains. He is passionate about social impact strategy and building business as a force for good in the world.
Tsvetelina Tsekova
Sustainability Specialist, Galen-N Ltd.
Tsvetelina Tsekova is a Sustainability Specialist at Galen-N Ltd. since March 2024, focusing on sustainable sourcing and compliance with ethical standards in the essential oils sector. She holds a master’s degree in Microbiology and a bachelor’s in Plant protection, providing a strong scientific foundation in agricultural practices and biodiversity conservation. Her previous professional experience includes experimental and scientific work, consultancy as an agronomist, and teaching. Tsvetelina is also a long-standing volunteer, having worked extensively with children from vulnerable and sensitive groups. This diverse background enables her to address sustainability challenges with a multidisciplinary perspective, combining scientific expertise, practical agricultural knowledge, and a strong social commitment. She is currently engaged in sustainability assessments, risk evaluation, and capacity building with local producers within the UEBT framework.
Valentin Grabet
Sustainable Agriculture Project Manager, Pernod Ricard
Valentin is a Sustainable Agriculture Project Manager at Pernod Ricard, where he oversees and supports initiatives in regenerative agriculture and sustainable sourcing across various "terroirs." A terroir represents the combination of a raw material and its geographical location. His work encompasses a wide range of raw materials, from botanicals to large-scale crops, primarily within European regions. Valentin collaborates with Pernod Ricard’s affiliates, procurement teams, and suppliers, leveraging his agronomist background to offer his technical insights into the projects.
Before joining Pernod Ricard, Valentin worked in the cooperative InVivo, focusing on CSR topics internally and developing a digital platform aiming to valorize environmental data in wheat and vine supply chains. Then, he accompanied customers for a few years as a Sustainable Sourcing consultant. There, he specialized in responsible sourcing and regenerative agriculture practices, applying both strategic and field-based approaches to various supply chains, across different sourcing regions worldwide.
Virginie Bartholin
Global Category Manager Raw Materials, Pernod Ricard
Virginie joined Pernod Ricard in 2015 and now leads the Global Raw Materials procurement category. Raw materials represent 30% of Pernod Ricard’s global spend and 40% of its carbon footprint.
Her missions include sustainable sourcing (for eg. through UEBT-verified supply chains for botanicals), supplier performance and compliance management, decarbonation roadmap implementation (driving Regenerative Agriculture programs for large commodities). Procurement and Nature & Climate teams work together to best achieve the Company’s objectives.
Virginie is a Food Engineer, with extended Sustainable sourcing & Procurement experience, working in both small & large agri-food industries. Her previous experience, managing sustainable supply chains with smallholder farmers (in Africa, Asia, Latin America) has given her a deep understanding of environmental & social issues.
Tickets

Registration
Early bird rates are available until 11 July.
Pricing
Organisation type | Conference - Day 1+2 | Livestream - Day 1 + 2 |
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UEBT members | One free ticket per member organisation. Additional tickets: - Early-bird: 350€ - Regular: 450€ |
- Unlimited free tickets |
Non-members | - Early-bird: 895€ - Regular: 995€ |
- Regular: 150€ |
Prices are excluding VAT (Dutch VAT rate 21% applies)
How to register
General guidance:
Fill out the registration form for each person from your organisation who will attend. Each participant requires a separate registration with an individual email address.
Tickets are non-transferable: the conference may only be attended by the person whose name appears on the ticket.
Select the ticket type based on member status and the desired payment method (credit card/free tickets OR bank transfer).
For early-bird tickets, please enter your promo code in order to benefit from the reduced rate. If you do not have a promo code, please request one by contacting conference@uebt.org.
Confirmation will be sent upon receipt of the registration form. However, registration will be guaranteed only upon receipt of the conference fees and confirmation from UEBT that the correct ticket type, promo code, and seat allotment was used (e.g. member, non-member, free or discounted, etc.).
UEBT members:
UEBT member organisations are entitled to one (1) free ticket plus unlimited additional seats at the special members-only price. Please contact us at conference@uebt.org for your promo code for the free seat. Additional seats at the members-only price can be purchased through the registration form.
UEBT members are those organisations which have achieved full or provisional UEBT membership and whose membership is active.
'Members' do not include UEBT partners and other stakeholders, such as certification bodies, NGOs, project partners or client companies that do not hold UEBT membership.
Conference sponsors and UEBT partners:
UEBT conference sponsors have additional free seats and should contact us for their promo codes.
NGOs, partners and non-member SMEs from non-OECD countries may be eligible for discounts. Contact us at conference@uebt.org for more information.
Fees and VAT information:
Admission fees for the conference are taxed according to Dutch VAT (21%).
When you select payment by credit card, an additional credit card processing fee applies.
When you select payment by bank transfer, we will send you an invoice with instructions for payment to the email provided in the registration form. No additional payment processing fees are applied when this option is selected; however, your bank may charge additional fees for international transfers to our account.
Participants from companies registered within the EU can apply electronically in their own country for the refund of the Dutch VAT by liaising with the tax authority in which their company is based.
Participants from outside the EU should liaise with the Tax Administration of the Netherlands.
Questions?
Please contact us at conference@uebt.org if you need any assistance in registering for the event and we will be delighted to help you.
Practical Information

30 September and 01 October 2025
Amsterdam
Movenpick Hotel - Amsterdam City Center
Piet Heinkade 11, 1019 BR, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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In order to reduce the carbon footprint of our event, we encourage you to come by public transport and travel by train rather than plane wherever possible.
By train:
The nearest station is Amsterdam Central.
The conference venue (Movenpick Hotel) is a short walk (approximately 15 minutes) or tram ride (1 stop) along the water from Amsterdam Central Station.
Tram line 26, stop "Muziekgeb Bimhuis". You can pay by card on board the tram (tap and pay).
By plane:
The closest airport is Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (code AMS).
From the airport, you can take a taxi (30 minutes) or a 20 minute train directly from the airport to Amsterdam Central.
By car:
The closest car park is Piet Heingarage, just outside the Mövenpick Hotel. See rates.
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Autumn is a busy period for conferences and Amsterdam can be expensive, so be sure to book far in advance, possibly using ‘free cancellation’ options for room rates in case plans change or you find a better deal later.
Many options are available within walking distance of the conference venue or by public transport.
Consider outside the Amsterdam city centre, such as around the airport, the Sloterdijk district, or Amsterdam City West or North.
Some options we can recommend are:
Mövenpick hotel where the conference will take place
Room Mate Aitana hotel - 2.5km away from the conference venue
Volkshotel Amsterdam Oost - short tram or metro ride, several room types available at different price levels
Social Hub Amsterdam City - short tram or metro ride, several room types available at different price levels
IBIS Amsterdam Centre - directly next to the central train station, walking distance to venue and other Ibis hotels in Amsterdam that often have a better value for travelers (Ibis or ‘Ibis Styles’ brands are standard)
Library Hotel Amsterdam - close to the central train station, walking distance to venue
XO Hotels Park West - accessible by train and foot
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We have chosen to host the 2025 UEBT conference at the Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre, which is certified Green Globe Gold since 2015.
It has a social, environment, and employer sustainability programme and has implemented actions in line with this, such as:
· 90% of products used are produced by Dutch suppliers and purchased directly by the hotel
· Use of Fairtrade and organic products like coffee, wine and linen where possible
· The hotel has its own water saving plan and all sinks, showers and toilets use the minimum amount of water needed
· Tap water is filtered in order to reduce the use of bottled water
· Use of LED lighting
Moreover, UEBT strives to reduce the environmental footprint of the conference:
· The event minimises the use of paper by making all information available online.
· We encourage participants to travel by public transport and to share taxis whenever possible.
· The conference is made available online by live stream.
· Catering is vegetarian and includes organic and Fairtrade ingredients.
Questions?
Write to us at conference@uebt.org
Who attends

82% companies, from a variety of sectors including food and beverage, herbs and spices, flavours and fragrances, natural pharmaceuticals and beauty.
18% from international organisations, NGOs, government agencies or individual consultants.
305 persons total – 250 participants in Amsterdam and an additional 55 via livestream.
Most of the private sector representatives who attended work in sourcing or in sustainability, with some from the executive teams, marketing, communications, or regulatory affairs.
- 98% of survey respondents said they would like to attend another conference.
- 99% found the conference “good or very good.”
- 98% of respondents said it gave them knowledge they could use in their daily work.
- 98% of respondents said it gave them ideas or opportunities for collaboration.
Questions? Write to us at conference@uebt.org