Experienced SaaS Industry Executive to Drive Growth and Operational Excellence 

 
RALEIGH, NC, July 11, 2024 Ithos Global (Ithos), a business unit of Cordance Operations LLC, and leading provider of regulatory compliance and formulation management solutions for the cosmetics industry, proudly introduces John Bender as its new President. Bender joins Ithos with a distinguished career as a SaaS technology executive, with fortes in go-to-market strategy, operational excellence, and crafting best-in-class customer experiences. He is set to take Ithos into its next level of growth, deepening the value Ithos provides to users, partners, and stakeholders. 

Prior to joining Ithos Global, Bender served as President of SPOL and eRezLife, both Cordance business units in the education technology sector. His strategic vision for revenue generation and market expansion led to sustained growth at both companies, setting a strong foundation for his role at Ithos.  

“John is the right leader for Ithos Global,” said Jeff Lininger, General Manager of the Compliance Division at Cordance. “His extensive SaaS background and operational expertise will help Ithos strengthen its position in the market, develop new customer alliances and expand its global presence. John is an expert at creating exceptional experiences for customers and prospects alike, which will be fundamental for Ithos Global’s next chapter of success.” 

“I am very excited to join the Ithos team,” said Bender. “Ithos has achieved considerable success with the leading cosmetics industry brands, and I’m committed to working alongside this team to grow the value of our regulatory compliance platform and the strategic advantages we bring to our cosmetics clients.” 

Ithos Global looks forward to the significant impact Bender will have as he leads the company in advancing its products, services, and overall client experience. 

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About Ithos Global 

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Ithos Global is a leading provider of compliance and regulatory management solutions, empowering companies in the cosmetics, personal care, and dietary supplement industries to accelerate product development while ensuring global regulatory compliance. The integrated platform leverages content from over 60 countries, powerful new product development software, and personalized regulatory services from skilled experts. Through its software and expert services, Ithos Global streamlines the complex process of managing regulatory requirements across the entire product lifecycle, enabling businesses to bring products to market faster and with greater confidence.In January 2022, Ithos was acquired by Cordance, expanding its capabilities to better serve the cosmetic industry’s leading brands. Learn more at ithosglobal.com. 

We‘re heading back to the Big Apple May 1-2 for the New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists Suppliers’ Day 2024

If you’ll be at New York City’s Jacob J. Javits Center for the event, we have three good reasons to stop by our booth (#757): 

#1 MoCRA: With a July 1st federal deadline looming, more companies are coming to Ithos for guidance on the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA). Bring your questions. We’ll share what we’ve learned and how our team can help.

DOWNLOAD OUR MoCRA CHECKLIST

#2 New Design: We listened. Using valuable feedback from our customers, we recently launched a new user interface for our Ithos Information Network. We can walk through the new design and show you all the new features. 

#3 Free gift: We’ve got goodies! Come say hello, meet the team and take home your free gift.

Discover why Ulta, Unilever, Pacifica, Harry’s, Rare Beauty and Laura Mercier trust Ithos for their global cosmetic regulatory compliance needs. 

We work with brands, manufacturers, retailers and raw material suppliers to help avoid fines, speed up approvals and stay ahead of new regulations – all while keeping documentation and product history organized and up to date.

Register for NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2024. 

Watch this video to learn more about the event.

Not coming to New York? Still want to learn how Ithos can help your team save time and keep product launches on schedule? Contact us to set up a free demo!

DATE  | Wednesday, January 24th 2024
TIME | 11:00 Eastern | 1600 GMT
LENGTH | Approximately 45 minutes

2024 promises to be a busy year for global cosmetic brands and manufacturers. You will need strategic insights, information, and support to plan for compliance with significant new and updated regulations that become effective in 2024 and beyond.

Join this illuminating webinar presented by regulatory experts Bridget Salter and Adrienne Gabriel of the Ithos Global Regulatory Team. They will share timely guidance on key compliance issues that can seriously impact your operation, including:

  • A substantial increase in the number of reportable fragrance allergens in the EU, affecting documentation and label content
  • Multiple California updates that include an expanded list of chemicals considered toxins that will be banned in California in 2025 and 2027, a Prop 65 update, and changes to the Safe Cosmetics Program
  • New MoCRA enforcement deadlines and evolving requirements
  • Highlights of significant changes to packaging requirements in multiple US states and other countries

Don’t miss this opportunity to minimize risks by understanding how these and other impending changes may affect your business. In just one hour, you will acquire practical and concise guidance on maintaining compliance. And you will learn how proper documentation, enhanced information gathering, and comprehensive software tools can simplify compliance.

Our Speakers

Bridget Salter | VP Global Regulatory Affairs, Ithos Global

Bridget has extensive experience in product development and international regulatory compliance in the cosmetic and personal care industries. At Ithos, she manages the Regulatory Team and delivers personalized compliance solutions that help diverse clients tackle their toughest regulatory challenges and questions. Bridget also supports the sales, marketing, and customer success teams as well as product software initiatives. She has a BS in Biological Sciences from The Ohio State University, and an MS in Environmental Health and Safety from University of Findlay.

Adrienne Gabriel | Regulatory Affairs Manager, Ithos Global

Adrienne provides Ithos clients with regulatory support by advising on global registration requirements, liaising with EU-UK Responsible Persons, ensuring end-to-end product development compliance, and more. Prior experience includes product development and international regulatory compliance at L Brands and serving as a pharmaceutical Quality Control Scientist and food lab Microbiology Technician. Adrienne has a BS in Biology with a Minor in Psychology from Heidelberg University, and an MS in Pharmacy from the University of Florida.

In-cosmetics Global is an industry event that we eagerly look forward to every year. This year was no exception, as we were thrilled to showcase our innovative PLM solutions at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via from March 28-30. Our team was excited to connect with industry peers, clients, and prospects to share insights, demonstrate our software and services, and build relationships that will last long after the event has concluded.

At Stand AA29, our expert team was on-site to discuss how our solutions can help businesses manage their compliance processes and launch compliant products in international markets.

Senior Product Manager, Ben Alston and President of Ithos Global, Mark Schmidt at Stand AA29.

During our time at in-cosmetics Global 2023, we also had the opportunity to participate in an exciting sponsored opportunity. On the first day of the event, Tristan Hurley from Cosmetics Business stopped by our booth to talk with team about emerging U.S. cosmetics regulations and new product development to the Ithos Information Network (IIN). 

Tristan Hurley from Cosmetics Business interviews Nicole Steinruck, Director of Sales and Ben Alston, Senior Product Manager at Stand AA29.

On the second day of the event, we hosted an intimate cocktail hour at Aguelo Taberna in the historic Gothic District of Barcelona. While there, our team hosted our friends and partners from Cosmetics Business and clients from Rare Beauty. We were also joined by the co-founders of Validated Claim Support and a representative from Maelys Cosmetics.

It was wonderful to see some familiar faces and make new connections, and simply enjoy our time together in Barcelona!

Our team and guests enjoyed a variety of shared plates and Spanish Cava.

We are grateful for the opportunity to connect with industry peers, clients, and prospects, and we look forward to continuing these relationships and building new ones in the years to come. Thank you to everyone who visited our booth, attended our cocktail hour, and contributed to the success of this fantastic event. We can’t wait to see you again next year!

Picture this: You’ve developed an amazing cosmetic or personal care product that you’re excited to share with the world. But before you can do so, you’re faced with the daunting task of ensuring it meets all necessary regulations and standards. 

Ensuring regulatory compliance is a vital step in new product development; but it’s also one of the most complex and error-prone. Companies that delay addressing compliance requirements until later in the product development process often encounter more work, risks, and complications.

That’s where owning your documentation and compliance processes comes in. 

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of owning your documentation and compliance processes for your cosmetics or personal care company.

Improved Quality Control

Owning your documentation and compliance processes means you have greater control over the quality of your products. You can confidently ensure that your products meet the required standards and are safe for consumers.

Steps you can take:

  • Exception Reports in Document Manager
    • Review on-hand documentation to understand where you have gaps in information.
  • Ithos Global’s Supplier Scorecard and RMCL
    • Learn which Suppliers are cooperating with your company and establish protocols for selecting new and alternative suppliers. 
  • Post-market surveillance (“Cosmetovigilance”)
    • Stay up-to-date with regulatory changes and get notified immediately if any of your products are impacted by changing regulations.

Greater Efficiency

Staying compliant can be a challenging task for companies that don’t have adequate resources or tools. In these scenarios, it may seem like prioritizing compliance requires sacrificing product development speed and efficiency, which can ultimately affect employee morale. But prioritizing compliance doesn’t have to mean slowing down. 

With a centralized portal, teams can avoid missing changes made to marketing briefs and keep all relevant departments on the same page.

Steps you can take:

  • Formula Versioning in Formul8
    • Track the reasons for changing a formula and manage the formula testing to eliminate recurring issues. Estimate batch costs with Formul8 for better purchasing and forecasting. Keep a complete history of your formulas, so that you can always refer back to the original version and resolve issues quickly and easily. 
  • Document Manager
    • Instead of relying on email, instant messaging, or other communication channels, employees with access to Document Manager can share information, collaborate on projects, and keep track of deadlines and deliverables. Consolidating your information into a compliant PLM system will save your team time spent searching, collecting, managing and updating documentation.

Mitigation of Risks

Taking responsibility for your documentation and compliance processes enables you to guarantee that your organization conforms to all relevant rules and guidelines. Involving regulatory support and solutions early-on during new product development (NPD) can minimize the potential for expensive penalties and legal consequences that may arise from non-compliance. 

Steps you can take:

  • PIFs, Safety Assessments, Claims substantiations
    • Refer to Ithos Global’s leading regulatory professionals in the cosmetics industry to help maximize your company’s data organization. Compile dossiers for PIFs, author SDSs and ILs whenever you need them.

Increased Customer Trust

Bolster consumer confidence by demonstrating your commitment to producing safe and high-quality products.

Steps you can take:

  • Ithos Supplier Scorecard – coming soon!
    • One way to ensure quality is to use a Supplier Scorecard to measure and rate a facility’s or raw material suppliers’ compliance and sourcing methods. Earning a high score from a third party evaluator – such as Ithos – proves your commitment to compliance. 

Manufacturer Scorecard: Four Factors to Consider

Competitive Advantage

Sharpen your competitive edge in the marketplace and promote your company’s commitment to compliance. 

Steps you can take:

  • Ithos Supplier Scorecard – coming soon!
    • Earn certification from a third party evaluator and position yourself competitively in the cosmetic and personal care industry as a reliable partner for providing accurate, quality compliance documentation. 

In conclusion, owning your documentation and compliance processes is a strategic move that can bring many benefits to your cosmetics or personal care company. With the help of solutions like Ithos, your company can streamline compliance processes and ensure that your products meet the required standards, giving you peace of mind and a stronger position in the industry.

As 2022 draws to a close, many brands are evaluating their relationships and contracts with manufacturers. Increasingly, Ithos is seeing brands employ a “scorecard” system to rate factors such as responsiveness and quality.

5 Things to Consider Before Contracting a Cosmetic Manufacturer

 At the same time, more manufacturers are turning to the Ithos Information Network to improve their scores. Our software solution organizes regulatory documents for instant availability for any brand or product. It also flags problem ingredients, whether a brand is developing a new product or trying to meet ingredient and packaging regulations as they expand to new retailers or markets.

 Below is a checklist of four key factors when evaluating a manufacturer:

  • Responsiveness: How quickly are issues communicated? Are you included in decision making on how to move forward? Your manufacturer should be another set of eyes, always looking out for you. If they use the IIN, it is constantly updated to identify compliance issues in every jurisdiction.   
  • Quality: While mistakes can happen, are systems in place to prevent problems, and quickly catch them? From applying the wrong label to filling the wrong bottle, if there was an issue, how well was it corrected? Some manufacturers send a sample of each batch to verify consistent smell, appearance, packaging and labeling. If issues arise, the IIN makes it easy to access key information for a quicker fix.
  •  Fulfillment: How well are quality and aesthetic specifications being met? Are products being shipped on time, sticking to an agreed upon schedule? Does the manufacturer have the capacity to grow with you? Be like Goldilocks in the famous fairy tale – you need a manufacturer that isn’t too small or too big, but just right.
  • Regulatory documents: Keeping documents up to date and organized is time-consuming. Many manufacturers are turning to Ithos to help, knowing we’ll also keep them up to date on changing regulations while instantly producing a PIF or SDS. Unlike some crowd-sourced data, at Ithos our database covers 60 countries and is monitored by compliance experts who explain changes that affect your products.

The four factors above are a good place to start a conversation with your manufacturer about how they can best meet your needs in the year ahead.

Given the increased scrutiny of ingredients by both retailers and governments, brand expansion of product portfolios into accessories and other lines, as well as new international opportunities selling online, both brands and manufacturers use the Ithos Information Network to organize and access compliance information as they grow.

 If you have a question about your contract with a manufacturer or are looking for help to automate your regulatory functions, contact us to learn which solution is right for you.

Don’t miss our Pre-Event Workshop at Beauty Connect LA on November 1st

Is your beauty or personal care brand using compliance data to drive commercialization?

You should be.

On November 1st at Beauty Connect LA, Ithos experts will explain the digital transformation taking place in cosmetic compliance and commercialization – and why you can’t afford to get left behind.

At Ithos, we work with brands like Ulta, Target, Harry’s, Half Magic and Rare Beauty. Our own Bridget Salter, VP Regulatory Affairs and Ben Alston, Senior Product Manager will be in-person at the Millenium Biltmore Hotel to share insights and answer your questions about:   

  • Social media product claims and consumer influence on development
  • Industry best practices when preparing for market expansion
  • Preparing product and raw material dossiers for potential acquisitions
  • Important regulatory changes and emerging trends

This pre-event workshop is designed for retailers, brand incubators, manufacturers and mid-to-large size brands seeking entry to major retailers and seeking to expand globally.

Attending Beauty Connect LA on November 2-3? Let’s talk! Find us in the “Gold Partner” area, or contact us today to set up a time to stop by our booth and see our Ithos Information Network in action.

New Feature Launched to Handle Growing Complexity of Labeling, Packaging and other Regulatory Requirements

The Ithos Information Network now includes an Artwork Review Workflow to handle the growing complexity of regulatory requirements. Our team developed this valuable new feature to guide brands through required regulatory elements of both labeling and packaging. Designed to save time and money, the workflow ensures claims are substantiated across multiple jurisdictions. 

Central American Countries Update Technical Regulations

The Artwork Review Workflow walks you through your design, step by step, to ensure compliance across the whole label, including:

  • Ingredient list:  In descending order, there are specific requirements for font size and placement on cosmetic and personal care labeling.
  • Product identity: This is a basic regulatory labeling requirement that informs consumers about the type of product as well as where and how to use it. For example, indicating whether a product is body lotion or shower gel is required on the front of the label.
  • Net contents: The total amount of product contained in packaging must be included on the label’s principal panel.This required element must be accurate to what is in the package and must be expressed in the correct units of measure.
  • Batch code: This indicates when and where a product was produced, to help with tracing, should there be a recall or any issues. While not required on the front panel, it can be located anywhere, but must be consistently tracked by brand and manufacturer.
  • Directions for use/warnings: While not required for all products, certain types, such as sunscreen, toothpaste, and acne products, require specific warnings. Certain ingredients can also trigger a warning.  In general, it is the responsibility of the company putting a product on the market to include a warning statement whenever necessary or appropriate to prevent any health hazard that may be associated with the product. 
  • Manufacturer: The name and address of manufacturer must be listed on all products, so a customer knows who to contact with a question or issue.

Read the FDA’s Cosmetic Labeling Guide 

As a result of more claims being made about products’ formulation and packaging, there is far more to substantiate and document today, creating a more complex process for brands to manage. 

Ithos to the rescue! 

By creating the Artwork Review Workflow in the Ithos Information Network, brands can now verify claims across multiple jurisdictions and as well as compliance of the required regulatory labeling elements. Even if your brand isn’t ready to enter a new market, your product will be. By verifying artwork from the beginning, you’ll avoid costly delays and reprinting of labels down the road.

Contact us for a demo of how the Artwork Review Workflow can help guide your brand.

From hair brushes to fitness gear, Ithos is helping more cosmetic brands add accessories to their product portfolio. While creating up-sell opportunities, many brands are also expanding product lines through partnerships in other brand categories, by harnessing the power of influencers or adding CBD to products. For some, the goal is to position themselves as a lifestyle brand. 

Read more about the future of CBD in cosmetics 

As with any product category expansion, brands must contend with a new set of regulations. Like makeup, shampoo or body lotion, accessories are also subject to varying compliance around the world. Everything from brush bristle composition to the metal in a cosmetic bag zipper can be subject to an evolving list of safety rules. Because the Ithos Information Network (IIN), our regulatory compliance software solution, can also manage accessories, we make it faster and simpler for brands to expand into new categories. 

Most brands begin by storing all new accessory documentation in the IIN. When they create new products, the IIN keeps all testing data, labeling information and sourcing documents organized, updated and accessible to multiple users. It also makes it easy to share information with government agencies, contract manufacturers or retailers. And clients can also tap the Ithos team of regulatory experts for guidance or troubleshooting when they move into the accessories market. 

Whether you’re thinking about adding accessories to your product mix or have already begun the process, Ithos can help keep your new product launches on track and on budget. Contact us today to learn more. 

Heading to the Big Apple for the New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists Suppliers’ Day 2022 next week?

Ithos will be there – and we’d love to see you in person!

Our team is traveling to New York City’s Jacob J. Javits Center, May 3-4, 2022 to showcase how our cosmetic compliance solutions are helping major brands launch in new markets faster.

Visit our booth (#1378): Stop by for your special gift, get a coupon to save on an SDS and learn how the Ithos Information Network (IIN) can save you time and money, while streamlining your regulatory process.  

Set up a meeting: Tell us about your specific compliance challenges, from sourcing raw materials to the 1, 4 Dioxane ban. We’ll show how our software and team of experts create a customized, affordable solution.

Find out why companies like Harry’s, Ulta, Rules Beauty and ROC trust Ithos Global for cosmetic regulatory compliance needs. Whether you’re a brand, manufacturer, retailer, or raw materials supplier, Ithos helps avoid fines, speed up approvals and alert you to new regulations – all while organizing your documentation and product history.

Register here to attend NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2022. 

Watch the video.

Not traveling to New York? We’d still love to show you how Ithos can help your busy regulatory team save time and keep product launches on schedule. 

Location

Ithos Global Inc.
16 West Martin Street
Suite 10
Raleigh, NC 27601

Ithos Global is a business unit of Cordance Operations LLC