5 Questions for Peter Röthlisberger, Managing Director of Lipoid Kosmetik AG

Awareness of environmental protection and the sustainable use of the earth's natural resources has increased significantly in recent years. The pandemic seems to be accelerating this development.

A study* highlights increased environmental awareness as a result of the Corona pandemic. People are questioning the impact of their actions on the environment, want to reduce their ecological footprint and make more environmentally conscious consumption decisions. Action days such as Earth Day, which is celebrated annually on April 22, ensure that concrete suggestions on how we can rethink our consumption behavior reach the wider public.

Whether organic food or natural cosmetics: this choice not only has an impact on the individual, but also on the environment. More and more consumers are consciously opting for natural cosmetics products because they are based on natural raw materials and do not contain potentially harmful ingredients.

One of the Swiss companies that manufactures products for the ever-growing natural cosmetics market is the Lipoid Cosmetics Inc. in Steinhausen in the canton of Zug. The leading manufacturer of natural raw materials for the cosmetics industry has been producing high-quality botanical active ingredients and extracts for customers in over 60 countries around the world for more than 45 years. With its expertise and certified quality, the company enables its customers to develop innovative, effective and natural cosmetic products for the highest demands.

In our interview of the month, we introduce you to the Managing Director of the Lipoid Cosmetics Inc. before. Peter Röthlisberger has more than 20 years of experience in international companies in various management positions, seven of them now as Managing Director of the Lipoid Cosmetics Inc.. With a PhD from ETH Zurich in biotechnology and an Executive MBA from the University of St. Gallen, he knows the cosmetics and medical products industry from the inside. We talked to the experienced manager about his professional and personal views and practices.

Mr. Röthlisberger, if you had taken a different path when you were younger, what would you have become?

"I definitely didn't have a career plan or any defining passion. But it was clear to me early on that interdisciplinarity, doing something together with people and taking responsibility had to be part of it.

When I was very young, I simply wanted to become a chief physician at the Inselspital... But today I'm very happy that I chose the natural sciences - medicine would be far too hierarchically organized for me today. However, I am still impressed by the ability of doctors to make decisions quickly and to have to deliver an answer under time pressure. As a scientist, you know that it is often not so easy not to see life in black and white and that there is always the danger of getting stuck in the 'yes, but...'. Only one thing helps: see the last question!"

What is your favorite way to start your day?

"Regardless of whether it's a work day or a day off, I get up about the same early. You could almost jokingly call it a senile bedtime escape. During the week, I like to read the most important news of the day over a good coffee. On weekends and during the vacations, I'm especially happy if we have anything planned. Activities like skiing, biking, or just preparing an invitation from friends for the evening. During the Corona period, I also learned to appreciate starting the day without a plan."

What does success mean to you personally?

"It's very multi-layered. Doing what you love to do and then also seeing results - results that are at least partly also due to my involvement. Personal success is also when you can transfer that positive attitude to others, inspire enthusiasm, and then you can achieve and celebrate successes together."

What would you work for free for a week?

"There are indeed many things we could do! Helping young people to get a foothold in the world of work, helping the unemployed to apply for jobs, any projects that contribute to giving disadvantaged people a better chance, whether here or in foreign countries. The goal would not simply be gratitude, but impact and meaning. Since we at Lipoid Cosmetics are very strongly connected with the topic of sustainability, there are certainly many projects in this area that could motivate me to do volunteer work."

What was the best professional advice you ever received?

"''Do it!' Short, to the point and with exclamation marks. This does not mean blind actionism. But it is often of no use to weigh up all the possibilities, to question them etc.. You don't have enough information anyway. It is better to do something too much and too early and to allow mistakes than to fixate on the perfect solution and to wait until something is decided. In addition, one has much more than some think, the possibility to influence and shape his job, his environment. Often it helps to imagine the optimal end result and then define the stages. But in the end it remains: Do it!"

We would like to thank Mr. Röthlisberger for his contribution to this article. This interview was conducted by telephone.

*quoted Study commissioned by Mastercard: The market research company YouGov Plc. surveyed 2,132 adults in a representative study from January 25 to 27, 2021. Further information in the listed link.

Editor: Neslihan Steiner