Eurofins

News (6)

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• Recruitment

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  Meeting

  Eurofins Connect 2023 - Virtual Career Fair

  Get ready for a brand-new global Eurofins virtual career event series! We are coming to you with five exciting virtual career fair events on three different continents. You may not know our name but we can guarantee you know our work – all we do has a positive impact on life, health and the environment. Eurofins is by your side every day, working to make sure the food you eat to the medicines you rely on are safe. We work with the biggest companies in the world, making sure the products they supply are safe, their ingredients are authentic and labelling is accurate. Save the date and don’t miss out on the chance to learn more about one of the leading life science companies in the world. We are looking forward to meeting potential candidates as we recruit for a large variety of positions, not just scientists! Join our virtual events and participate in a unique networking experience for students all across the world:  Eurofins Connect Europe 2 November, 2023 Eurofins Connect Asia 8 November, 2023 Eurofins Connect USA 7, 8 and 9 November, 2023 Our virtual career fair is designed to provide ambitious and motivated students with the opportunity to learn more about Eurofins’ impactful work, through insights from our industry experts, connecting with our recruiters and interns/graduates, and networking with students across Europe.  Register by 25th October via this link. We are a leading science company, but we are not just looking for scientists! We are looking for students from all fields of study, from finance and business, to engineer and IT to kickstart their career at Eurofins. Registration is free and only takes a few minutes. We look forward to seeing you!

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  Other

  How can you tell if a clothing item is actually sustainable?

  What makes clothing “sustainable”? Amid heightened interest in eco-friendly fashion, clothing companies and footwear brands are increasingly marketing their products as sustainable. The legal qualifications for using the term “sustainable” are still quite vague, which causes confusion among consumers as well as people in the textile and footwear industry. In this article, Andrew Hudson, Managing Director at Eurofins | BLC Leather Technology Centre Ltd, discusses how companies can assess the life cycle and environmental impact of clothing and footwear, and validate certain sustainability claims. While there is existing and proposed legislation in certain jurisdictions aimed at clarifying product labelling and marketing when it comes to sustainability claims, there is a lack of shared understanding within the textile and footwear industry regarding what makes a product “sustainable”. Some companies tout their materials, which might be organic, recycled, or bio-based (originating from plants), as sustainable. Or, companies might support initiatives related to sustainability, such as regenerative farming and tree planting programmes to offset their carbon footprint. Beyond legal action, there are major risks associated with overstating “green” features of products or falsely claiming that products are sustainable, including falling foul of ‘greenwashing’ and receiving negative media coverage and losing brand loyalty. So, what does true sustainability look like when it comes to fashion? We asked Andrew Hudson, Managing Director at Eurofins | BLC Leather Technology Centre Ltd. “Sustainable fashion is an ethical approach towards designing, sourcing, manufacturing, testing, selling, and delivering clothing and footwear in a way that minimises negative impacts on people and the planet along the entire value chain.” “It’s not just about the materials used in products but about the entire supply chain from raw material extraction through manufacturing and consumer use, all the way to final disposal. It also refers to fair labour practices, the chemicals used in production processes, if the product is recyclable or biodegradable, and so much more”, Andrew adds. Some fashion brands that wish to validate sustainability claims for certain products conduct in-depth life cycle assessments to determine the impact of the products on people and the planet. However, it can take months to accurately conduct life cycle assessments, and they are usually very expensive to carry out. For instance, when it comes to shoes, large footwear companies might launch hundreds or even thousands of new shoe designs each year, so it can be costly and time-consuming to carry out traditional life cycle assessments for all of these products. That’s why Eurofins | BLC Leather Technology Centre created the online Footwear Impact Calculator that assesses the environmental impact of shoes, or an entire footwear collection, within minutes! We asked Andrew about this new online tool: “The software was created in partnership with Netherlands-based company PRé Sustainability, and it is based on the EU’s Product Environmental Footprint guidelines.” “Powered by SimaPro®, this software is built specifically for footwear brands,” Andrew explains. “It can help shoe designers and manufacturers to quickly see where they can become more sustainable by making improvements in their shoe designs, manufacturing processes, and logistics systems.” Eurofins | BLC’s offerings are not limited to helping footwear brands assess the impact of their shoe designs. In fact, Eurofins | BLC offers a huge variety of sustainability and risk-mapping supply chain services. Risk-Mapped Supply Chain Eurofins | BLC’s industry-leading traceability product, Risk-Mapped Supply Chain, helps apparel, footwear, furniture, and jewellery companies to understand the Environmental, Social and Governance performance of their supply chain, ensure compliance with relevant legislation, identify supply chain risks, and implement solutions to improve supply chain sustainability and efficiency. Vegan Verification of Materials Eurofins | BLC can establish whether any animal products or by-products have been used in textile products, so that brands and retailers can validate their ‘animal-free’ and ‘vegan friendly’ claims. Disintegration and Biodegradability Testing Unfortunately, the majority of fashion waste ends up in landfills. Apparel and footwear can remain there for more than 200 years before decomposing, and chemicals or dyes in the products can leach to the ground and cause environmental damage. Eurofins | BLC conducts disintegration and biodegradability testing to determine how long textiles take to decompose and validates biodegradability claims for clothing. Microplastics Testing and Consulting Many garments and synthetic materials have the potential to shed microplastics when washed or rinsed in water. With global microplastic contamination becoming one of the most important environmental discussions of our time, Eurofins | BLC and its partner laboratories offer industry-leading microplastic testing solutions, and are accredited by The Microfibre Consortium to perform Quantification of fibre release from fabrics during domestic laundering Chem-MAP® Manufacturing Restricted Substance List Assessment System Eurofins | BLC works with chemical companies, manufacturers, and retailers across the textile, leather, synthetic, and coatings industries to prevent harmful chemicals from entering the supply chain. The ultimate goal is to protect workers, consumers, and the environment from toxic chemicals. Learn more about Eurofins BLC’s sustainability and risk management solutions: https://www.blcleathertech.com/

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  Other

  A social mobility success story

  The circumstances into which individuals are born tend to have a strong influence on their opportunities in life. Businesses can play an important role in ensuring equal access to opportunities and supporting social mobility. In this article, we discuss how companies can balance commercial interests while making a positive impact, and hear from Mark Carnaghan to learn how Eurofins Food & Water Testing UK is supporting upward social mobility through the company’s collaboration with The Social Mobility Foundation.   What is social mobility? Social mobility is a concept that considers people’s socioeconomic circumstances and the degree to which they can change over a lifetime. Multiple studies have shown that, despite their talent and determination, people who are born into low-income families are not as likely to benefit from the same opportunities as people from more privileged backgrounds. In a society with high social mobility, someone could be born to economically disadvantaged parents but still have the same likelihood of opportunities as someone from a more prosperous home. In an ideal world, a person’s future would be influenced by their potential regardless of their socioeconomic status, but unfortunately this isn’t always the case. Companies can play a major role in supporting organisations breaking this barrier to improve equality in employment. Is promoting social mobility good for business? Research by McKinsey & Company indicates that there is a positive correlation between a diverse workforce and strong financial performance. Having team members from varied backgrounds ensures more robust decision-making. If these team members take up management or leadership positions, they serve as role models and can better understand the lived experiences and thought-processes of other staff from disadvantaged backgrounds, which leads to higher employee satisfaction and morale. How can businesses boost upward social mobility? Facilitating upward social mobility is a complex task, but companies can be part of the solution. For instance, employers can monitor their recruitment funnel to identify areas where they may be at risk of unintentionally excluding candidates based on their socioeconomic background. They can also consider offering remote-based screenings and interviews to reduce commuting time and costs for candidates. Recruit with a view to upskilling candidates with great potential who may not fulfil 100% of the job requirements. Within the Eurofins network of companies, we support the professional development of our team members. In this way, we improve employee satisfaction and retention, and facilitate internal mobility by expanding the talent pool for management or leadership roles. Last but not least, it’s essential to widen your recruitment net and consider ways in which you can attract people from all backgrounds to join your company. For example, Eurofins Food & Water Testing UK has been collaborating with The Social Mobility Foundation to provide mentorship, guidance, and work opportunities to young people in the UK from disadvantaged backgrounds. We asked Mark Carnaghan, Managing Director at Eurofins Food & Water Testing UK and Eurofins Foundation Steering Committee member, to tell us more about how this partnership came about. Q: How did this partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation come about? “In 2020, the UK Social Mobility Foundation was granted financial support from the Eurofins Foundation, which invests in various social entrepreneurship projects, as well as initiatives to improve health and nutrition, protect the environment, promote diversity and inclusion, and support students in STEM and local communities,” Mark describes. “In 2022/2023, the Eurofins Foundation is supporting 93 projects worldwide, 13 of which involve social entrepreneurship.” “Between 2020 and 2022, funds from the Eurofins Foundation directly enabled the UK Social Mobility Foundation to deliver its Aspiring Professionals Programme to almost 1,000 students from low-income backgrounds interested in STEM fields to help them reach their full potential.” “The programme aims to improve the participants’ understanding of STEM careers, and boost their access to top UK universities, commercial awareness, and confidence,” Mark adds. “Students join the Aspiring Professionals Programme during their twelfth year of education, aged between 16 to 18, and stay on the programme for at least five years throughout university. Many programme participants are the first in their family to go to university,” Mark reveals. “After financially supporting this programme for three years through the Eurofins Foundation, our team at Eurofins Food & Water Testing UK set up a call with the Social Mobility Foundation to see if there were other ways in which we could get involved and assist low-income students with an interest in pursuing a career in STEM,” Mark recounts. Q: So how is Eurofins Food & Water Testing UK supporting the UK Social Mobility Foundation’s efforts? “Eurofins Food & Water Testing UK offers three pillars of support to STEM students on the Aspiring Professionals Programme,” Mark explains. 1.    Mentoring “Six seasoned employees from Eurofins Food & Water Testing UK voluntarily signed up to be paired with students interested in following the same career path as them, and act as a mentor.” 2.    Paid work placements and internships “We created opportunities for students to undertake paid work placements/internships at our company in the summer of 2023 to enable them to gain first-hand, practical experience in their area of interest.” 3.    Career insight events “Last month (June 2023), we hosted a virtual ‘Future Days’ event to explain the various career options for students in a multitude of STEM sectors, and what a long-term role at Eurofins Food & Water Testing UK could offer them.” Q: What is the most important thing you have learned through this partnership?  “Talking social mobility is easy; addressing it requires more effort,” Mark expresses. “Through our partnership with the UK Social Mobility Foundation, I’ve learned that it’s essential to match the needs of the charity and the STEM students it supports with practical solutions we can offer with the resources we have available, whether that’s one-on-one time with experienced STEM professionals or on-the-job learning at the laboratory." "The most important thing is that there is mutual benefit to the company, the charity and the people they support so that everyone wins,” Mark emphasises. “After all, advancing social mobility isn’t just the right thing to do,” Mark concludes. “It opens up a whole new world of potential future candidates and leaders for the company. It’s simply good business!”

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  Other

  Would you acquire a business you hadn’t seen?

  In 2021, in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, a ‘blind’ opportunity presented itself to the Eurofins team in Australia. They heard that a competing food and water microbiology laboratory in Queensland was due for closure, with its employees set to face redundancy. In this article, Sarah Thévenet, former Managing Director of Eurofins Australia New Zealand Holding Pty Ltd, recalls the story of how the company formerly known as Biotech Laboratories joined the Eurofins network at a time when Eurofins teams outside of Queensland could not travel across Australian state borders. It all started when a Eurofins Business Unit Manager received a phone call from Biotech Laboratories, a competing food and water microbiology laboratory in Queensland, Australia. The company was closing down. Faced with potential redundancy, the employees at Biotech Laboratories were keen to salvage the business they were passionate about. Demonstrating entrepreneurial prowess, they started investigating potential buyers and proposed the idea of joining the Eurofins network. “We had limited presence in the food and water testing market in Australia at the time,” says Sarah Thévenet. Fortunately, the Eurofins team in Australia had 500m² of laboratory space to spare in Brisbane, Queensland. Showing exceptional entrepreneurial spirit, they saw a golden chance to establish a regional presence in Food and Feed Testing and extend their Water Testing capabilities. “Our team reached out to the owners of Biotech Laboratories, who agreed to change their plans to close the company and instead join the Eurofins network,” Sarah recalls. There was only one catch: the Biotech laboratory was still due for closure, so the empty laboratory space in Brisbane had to be fitted out within six weeks. Seems impossible, right? “What complicated things further was the closure of state borders within Australia due to the COVID-19 pandemic… meaning Eurofins teams outside of Queensland couldn’t travel to the new premises.” “Several other companies were initially interested in acquiring the company, but gave up due to the timeframe and risk of failure, as all the Biotech staff and clients had already been informed of the closure," Sarah explains. “We were the only ones who reacted quickly enough and were ready to take the risk!” Together with employees from the newly acquired company, Eurofins team members based in Queensland began fitting out the empty space. “Even once the laboratory fit-out was complete, we only had one weekend to relocate everything and everyone,” Sarah reflects. Sarah adds that “the laboratory had to be fully operational the following Monday, without compromising on quality and due process.” The final result, achieved in just six weeks, was a brand-new microbiology facility with an efficient logistics system, giving Biotech and its employees a new home as part of the Eurofins network. “Thanks to the proactiveness of the employees at Biotech, no one had to face redundancy and the Eurofins network gained a new cohort of dedicated, talented team members,” Sarah concludes. Well done to everyone who made the move happen!

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  Other

  Could your favourite swimming spot make you sick?

  Sun, sand, sea… what could be better during the summer? The last thing on most peoples’ minds while swimming outdoors is potential bacterial contamination. In this article, Marc Hamilton, President of Eurofins EnvironeX, describes how the water in oceans, rivers, lakes, and ponds can become contaminated, posing risks to the health of outdoor bathers. Q: What’s in the water we might swim in this summer? “It’s not just sharks and other dangerous aquatic animals that can pose a risk to swimmers, it’s also hidden dangers such as bacteria,” says Marc. “Just because you can’t see E. coli drifting near you, doesn’t mean it can’t cause you trouble.” Q: Should swimmers be worried about water contamination? “Bathing waters may contain microorganisms such as blue-green algae, bacteria, viruses, parasites, or other pollutants,” Marc warns. “Exposure to contaminated water can cause numerous adverse health effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, stomach aches, eye, ear or throat infections, and even fevers.”   Q: How does water become contaminated? “Contamination in oceans, rivers, lakes, and ponds can be caused by animals, sewage spills, runoff from rainstorms, or even other swimmers through sweat, sunscreen, skin cells, hair, saliva, and trace amounts of feces.” “For instance, during and after rainstorms, materials are transported to the oceans, which generally increases bacteria levels in the water for two or three days.” “While chlorine or bromine kills most of the germs in pools, treating large bodies of contaminated water such as oceans, rivers, or lakes is more difficult,” Marc explains. Q: So how can outdoor swimmers stay safe? “The most important thing to do is to gather information about the quality of the water. Many countries and authorities work with laboratories to regularly test the quality of bathing water at popular swimming spots, and the results are usually published publicly,” Marc describes. “Before you jump in, whether it’s the sea or a lake, take a close look at your surroundings and watch out for any signs or notices for swimmers.” “Whenever possible, keep your mouth closed and avoid gulping down water while swimming. Swallowing the water can increase the risk of adverse health effects, as the water may contain high levels of bacteria and other pathogens,” Marc explains. “If you’re at the beach, swim during low tide. The sea can quickly become deeper during high tide, so you may have better luck in not taking a wave to the face if you time your dip right!” “Don’t go swimming if you have an open cut or other broken skin,” Marc advises. “And finally, don’t forget to rinse off after swimming, because bacteria can cling to your skin for hours. Change out of your bathing suit as soon as you’re out of the water.” In conjunction with government authorities, team members at Eurofins Environment Testing companies regularly sample and analyse bathing water at popular swimming spots around the world to help keep swimmers safe. Learn more here.

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  Other

  Developing new testing methods for food and beverages

  You might think that with over 200,000 verified analytical methods in the Eurofins network’s portfolio, there would be little demand for new methods. However, Eurofins companies are constantly innovating to develop new analytical methods to meet clients’ needs. In this interview, Valeria Merlo, Business Unit Manager of Eurofins Chemical Control (Cuneo), a Eurofins Food and Feed Testing company based in Italy, describes how her team develops new analytical methods for food and beverages from scratch. Q: How long does it usually take to develop new analytical methods for food and beverages? “When off-the-menu testing requests arise, we can take new ideas to the drawing board or adapt existing methodology quickly. At Eurofins Chemical Control (Cuneo), when we develop a new testing method for food and beverages from scratch for a customer, the process typically takes just two or three months, from start to finish,” says Valeria proudly. Q: Could you tell us about a time when your team needed to develop a new analytical method to solve a complex problem? “A local coffee producer in Italy approached us some time ago,” Valeria describes. “They were wary of potential ethylene oxide contamination in the coffee beans they were using. They contacted many laboratories that could not verify whether this was the case or not, as the laboratories didn’t have access to any analytical methods to identify ethylene oxide in coffee beans.” “Ethylene oxide is banned in the EU, due to its carcinogenic properties, but it is sometimes used elsewhere as an antimicrobial pesticide to treat food products intended for import. Coffee beans had not previously been an identified victim of this contamination,” Valeria explains. “The coffee producer needed a method that could return a result in a very short space of time, so the Eurofins Chemical Control (Cuneo) team developed a fast, reliable method that fit the brief.”   Q: Were there other times when your team had to develop analytical methods to identify harmful contaminants in food or beverages? “Pesticides are one of the most concerning contaminants,” explains Valeria. “Most of our clients use ingredients from farms, so pesticides are usually a big worry. This is the case for tea companies.” “We developed a method that could test for pesticide residue in tea leaves, which presented a unique analytical challenge, as some aroma molecules in tea are more difficult to distinguish and separate from certain pesticide molecules,” Valeria adds. Q: What is the most unique analytical method that your team has developed? “A renowned Italian food company needed a way to specifically test the freshness of the eggs used in their fresh pasta,” Valeria reflects. “It was a niche and unexpected request!” “We set about researching several methods that could meet the client’s requirements and then selected the most promising avenue: a method that did not rely exclusively on organic acids as the classical marker of non-freshness, but rather on multiple indicators of freshness, such as asparagine, glutamine and uracil,” Valeria describes. “Our scientific experts successfully developed and carefully validated a method to accurately test the freshness of the eggs, before making it available to the Italian food company.”