Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity

Creating a better world through science and creativity is our purpose. At IFF we are pushing the boundaries of science to create breakthrough innovation that changes industries improves consumers’ lives and creates a better world. It’s inspiring work that requires capital investment world-renowned scientist and customer collaboration on a global scale.

Our work generates significant breakthrough ideas that are novel and new-to-the-world. Intellectual Property (IP) rights are essential to protecting the investment in and commercial value of the ideas. Our global science and technology team is dedicated to discoveries that lead to better more sustainable products. In their pursuits many have contributed to IFF’s enviable intellectual property portfolio.

World Intellectual Property Day is an opportune time to reflect on some of the contributions of our scientific team to IP mainly in the form of patents. Fittingly the theme for World Intellectual Property Day this year is ‘Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity’. The theme is fitting because we are fortunate to have many scientists who are shaping the world through their imagination ingenuity and hard work. They are role models and leaders in their respective fields. They run the gamut in terms of their scientific focus – from biotechnology to pharmaceuticals to cosmetics and home and personal care applications but are united by their drive and passion for a better world.

For most of them the sheer number of patents secured pales in comparison to the impact their inventions have produced. Their stories are compelling and instructive. In recognition of Intellectual Property Day we’d like to feature four scientists who have made significant contributions to our IP estate through patent application filings patents granted or patent strategy.

While our scientists are fueling the intellectual property at IFF the IP team is working collaboratively to secure IP rights. We have nearly 3000 scientists engineers and applications specialists at IFF. The IP team is small by comparison. They may be outnumbered but their educational background more than 75% have biotech and chemistry PhDs and their close partnership with R&D allow them to develop creative IP strategies to secure intellectual property rights for IFF.

Intellectual Property protection is critical to fostering innovation. Without the protection of ideas businesses like IFF would not reap the full benefits of their inventions. Lack of IP protection would significantly diminish the investment in and payback from R&D. Thus Intellectual Property protection fuels innovation.