Product Vulnerability and Business Risks of Consumer Product

OUR CHALLENGE

Our client needed to assess potential business risks and product vulnerabilities related to the manufacturing of certain disinfectant compounds and water-soluble polymers used in formulated consumer products. These technologies are used in revenue-generating priority products that were key to future strategic planning. The client’s concerns ranged from the state of the science regarding human health and ecological risks of the compounds to scientific questions, alternatives, and potential controversies.

OUR APPROACH

The Integral team conducted a holistic and robust review of the available literature and databases about the compounds in order to build a picture of the business landscape, regulatory landscape, and market environment. This research included:

• Identifying significant data gaps and scientific questions of potential concern.
• Assessing government activities regarding hazard or exposure characterization of the compounds as well as assessing the impact of upcoming regulations on those technologies.
• Studying the interest of academic research groups, nongovernmental organizations, or academic activists or active campaigns targeting these compounds or application in target products that might threaten brand reputation.
• Projecting the trajectory of retailer sustainability lists and potential impact on key technologies.

Integral prepared a report summarizing the assessment and provided recommendations to focus actions for the client that strengthen resilience of these compounds. We also provided a one-page summary for each chemistry to facilitate client-internal communications: completeness of the human and environmental safety database; potential for adverse action by regulators, retailer, and public opinion in the short- and medium-term.

OUR IMPACT

Working together, our client came to recognize the potential business risks and possible opportunities over the next decade for certain disinfectant compounds and soluble polymers used in formulated consumer products. Integral’s report enabled informed communications between business and product development teams and ultimately supported the client’s business decisions of how, when, and where to prioritize new innovation and reformulation programs.