We often get messages from friends suggesting that we include in our e-shop products with various cruelty free certifications. This is the reason why we feel that we need to explain our decision to promote only products that carry Leaping Bunny certification.
The requirements of Leaping Bunny certification
Leaping Bunny certification is granted to companies that fulfill certain criteria including:
- Allow independent audit to evidence compliance with Leaping Bunny criteria
- Establish procedures for verifying the strict implementation of your fixed cut-off date with product manufacturers and raw ingredients suppliers to monitor your supply chains
These are the two main criteria that make Leaping Bunny certification stand out from the rest. Especially the allowance of independent audit ensures that the company really does what it declares. The other organisations provide certifications only with documents of the company stating that it does not test on animals. In our opinion, this does not differ from the statements of companies in their websites. Unfortunately, we have seen that there are companies that state inaccurate information regarding animal testing. Some have even used the Leaping Bunny logo although they were not certified by Cruelty Free International. Actually there would be no reason for certification organisations to exist if we could trust the statements of companies.
Furthermore, even if the company has no intention of misleading consumers, there is the possibility that it may use ingredients tested on animals without knowing. This is where the requirement of Cruelty Free International for the implementation of procedures to monitor the supply chains comes into use. A lot of ingredients used in cosmetics are also used in a number of other products. This means that they may have been tested on animals for another use, which is allowed by European Legislation. This is why it is necessary to apply an effective procedure for monitoring of the supply chain as the ingredient may have bee produced and tested on animals in another country and for different use.
About Cruelty Free International
Cruelty Free International is an organisation exclusively working against animal testing. It has the expertise and experience needed in order to confirm that manufacturers comply with cruelty free standards. This is the reason why Leaping Bunny certification is the only one we trust. We will keep trusting only Leaping Bunny until the other organisations apply more strict policies for the certification of companies.
https://www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/what-we-do/corporate-partnerships/eu-ban-cosmetics-testing
