Press release: 5th August 2009
Cosmetic giants battle it out to be named the UK's most animal-friendly cosmetics company
The RSPCA announces the finalists for the 2009 Good Business Awards
The Body Shop, L'Oreal, Lush and M&S are in contention to be named the UK's most animal-friendly cosmetics company at this year's RSPCA Good Business Awards, which recognise ethical business approaches to animal welfare.
Finalists in The RSPCA Good Business Awards cosmetics category - in association with SPC – are household brands The Body Shop, L'Oreal, Lush and M&S in the large company category, joined by male grooming firm Bulldog, Scottish goats milk soap company The Gamrie Goat and natural beauty site Faith in Nature in the small company category.
Gerard Duvé, awards judge and consultant to Frame (Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments) said: "This year we were encouraged by the number of entries from companies - both large and small - who are going above and beyond the regulations set out by the recent EU Cosmetics directive, which banned the testing of virtually all cosmetics ingredients on animals. Many companies are also actively publicising and promoting policies and some are even lobbying and/or urging their suppliers and manufacturers to do their bit so that alternatives to animal testing are continuously being developed."
Cosmetics finalists for the 2009 Good Business Awards (in alphabetical order) are:
Small company
- Bulldog: This male grooming company is a small business doing well in a growing market. It has strict policies around the inclusion of ingredients from animal sources. It is a company actively raising awareness of REACH regulations and the implications involving animals. Their website is both informative and fun.
- Faith in Nature: A long-established company with a real commitment to animal welfare. The website doesn't shy away from selling products containing animal ingredients where the animal is a bi-product and hasn’t come to any harm.
- The Gamrie Goat: A small company based in Aberdeenshire who make natural soaps using the goats milk from their own small herd. The company has a genuine passion and commitment to animal welfare and innovation in farming. All products are tested on willing volunteers.
Large company
- The Body Shop: Continued support for groups campaigning for and researching into alternative testing methods. They also make use of human patch testing or in-vitro testing, such as the Episkin Skin irritation test are used to supplement the toxicological information already available. The company continues to understand the benefits of labelling products and providing consumers with clear information both at the point of sale and also on their website.
- Lush: For an ongoing commitment to change. Lush have implemented an array of schemes designed to help animal welfare, environmental and conservation projects, notably their palm oil initiative, helping to save endangered orang-utans in Indonesia and Malaysia. They also use their shop fronts and in store papers to keep customers informed.
- L'Oreal: For extensive support in researching alternatives to animal testing. In particular the company’s research and development of Episkin clearly shows that they are actively looking at alternatives to animal testing.
- M&S: For a continued commitment to replacing testing by participating in a Defra project which aims to develop non-animal toxicity testing methodologies for the risk assessment of chemicals. No cosmetic product that are sold in their stores has been tested on animals at any point. Staff understanding and knowledge of products was also cited as impressive.
David Bowles, Head of External Affairs for the RSPCA says: "The economic downturn doesn’t seem to have affected ethical consumerism and there is still a real demand for cruelty-free produce. It is great to see restaurants, regardless of their size, striving to implement exceptional welfare standards. Companies, such as those on this year’s shortlist, deserve our recognition as they set the standard for others to work towards."
The RSPCA Good Business Awards gala ceremony will be held at One Marylebone, London on Wednesday 7 October 2009. Tickets for the awards ceremony are available by contacting the RSPCA Good Business Awards team on 0300 123 0488 or awards@rspca.org.uk or online: www.rspcagoodbusinessawards.com
For media enquiries, please contact Vaneetha Balasubramaniam or Nicki Akers at 77PR on 0207 492 0977. Email vaneetha.b@77pr.co.uk or nicki.akers@77pr.co.uk or the RSPCA press office on 0300 123 0244 or press@rspca.org.uk.
Find out more about this year's winners.
Find out how your company can be part of the RSPCA Good Business Awards 20010
Notes to editors:
1. The other categories in the RSPCA Good Business Awards are food retail, Supermarket of the year People’s Choice award, restaurants and pubs and fashion
2. Entrants this year were judged on the basis of their practices in the following areas:
- Ensure that no ingredients used in cosmetics products were tested on animals after a fixed cut off date, which is no later than 11 March 2009.
- Demonstrate a set of robust systems to check that suppliers operate to the same standard.
- Demonstrate a proactive approach to achieving a reduction in animal use, including funding into alternatives.
- Show transparent policies and demonstrate a willingness to share data and raise the profile of animal welfare.
- Demonstrate a commitment to the '3R's concept' - replacement, reduction and refinement of animal use.
The judging panel for the cosmetics category is: Gerard Duvé, consultant to Frame (Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments), and former Head of Technical Services at Superdrug; and Clare Henderson, editor of Soap, Perfumery and Cosmetics magazine.
About the Good Business Awards
The RSPCA Good Business Awards were set up in recognition of the achievements of companies in the cosmetics, fashion and food industries to attain higher standards of animal welfare by implementing sustainable policies and practices.
The RSPCA is pleased to announce SPC as the official media partner for the cosmetics category of the 2009 Good Business Awards.
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