In a partnership with Botanical Liaisons, LLC, PLT Health Solutions undertook a sustainability audit of the Boswellia serrata gum resin supply chain, including harvesting and collection practices, to determine the impact of the ingredient’s use.
 
The audit measured sustainability through in-country interviews of field workers, resin consolidators, ingredient manufacturers, and government officials. The third-party audit was based on a broad range of environmental, cultural, and economic parameters and concluded based on the information collected from stakeholders that the operation was sustainable.
 
“It is clear from the information collected from the stakeholders that [sustainability] is supported,” the audit concluded. “Boswellia serrata has several sustainability advantages that prevents over-harvesting of PLT-sourced Boswellia compared to other sources and species of Boswellia.”
 
The formal evaluation of Boswellia serrata trees was motivated by the plant’s inclusion in multiple products within PLT’s portfolio, and a relationship with the region in which these trees are grown that has lasted decades, according to Seth Flowerman, president and CEO of PLT Health Solutions.
 
“My family and PLT have been working with partners collecting Boswellia serrata for nearly 40 years. Every year, we are finding new and exciting health promoting uses for Boswellia serrata that have the ability to help people live happier, healthier lives, and today, extracts of Boswellia serrata form the basis of some of the leading products at PLT. We have a responsibility to be good stewards of these resources and to support the communities whose livelihoods depend on it,” Flowerman said.
 
Trish Flaster, executive director of Botanical Liaisons, who led the review team, noted that there is confusion regarding the status of various species of Boswellia, and that there are differences when it comes to the potential for overharvesting. “Much of the reviewed literature focuses on other Boswellia species, from Africa and the Middle East, which are related to essential oil and fragrance supply, rather than the Indian sourced species with beneficial health benefits typically used for dietary supplements or foods.”
 
Factors which promote the sustainability of this species include “economic incentives, an inheritance system for trees and sense of ownership, the long lifespan of the trees, the tremendous environmental care taken by the collectors, the natural habitat in Madhya Pradesh that is largely underdeveloped and native, as well as the minimum pricing restrictions, inventories, and training programs supported by the industry and government,” Flaster said.
 
The third-party audit on the supply chain is in line with PLT’s PLT360 transparency and trust-building initiative, which the company introduced in 2015. “PLT360 is a business-wide commitment by PLT Health Solutions to developing transparent ingredient solutions that our customers can confidently stand behind, knowing that these ingredients are safe, of high quality, efficacious, and harvested and manufactured in a sustainable and ethical way. Going beyond traditional quality control programs, PLT360 examines every aspect of an ingredient that we supply to deliver a best-in-class solution in a program that tracks ingredient integrity, quality, sustainability, and efficacy,” Flowerman said.
 
More recently, the company launched its People+Planet Initiative, which, among other causes, supports the communities in India engaged in Boswellia serrata harvesting. It is in line with United Nations initiatives including the SDGs (sustainable development goals), including the UN Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-Being, Quality of Education, Climate Action, Life Below Water, and Life on Land SDGs through engaging with programs and organizations.  
 
The Indian government keeps tabs on this resource through its Forestry Service, with inventories conducted regularly to measure plant populations, training for field associates, and setting prices to prevent any threat to the Boswellia population in forests distributed across 16 states.
 
Often referred to as frankincense, Boswellia serrata resin is the only species of this plant produced in India. By contrast, other materials referred to as frankincense include the Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia sacra species, the latter of which is the source of most liturgical frankincense. These are native to the Arabian Peninsula and horn of Africa.