Today, the Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) joined the Humane Society International #BeCrueltyFree campaign in effort to ban cosmetic animal testing in key global beauty markets by 2023.
Launched in 2012, the #BeCrueltyFree campaign initially aimed to extend the European Union’s legal precedent—banning cosmetics animal testing and the sale of newly animal tested cosmetics—to countries where this practice is permitted or even mandated by law. P&G’s marked support will include joint education and capacity-building programs for non-animal alternatives, continued development of new animal-free methods to assess safety and supporting legislative measures to end cosmetic animal testing in important global beauty markets.
“This partnership represents an important milestone in our efforts to end animal testing for cosmetics worldwide through our #BeCrueltyFree campaign. By working together with forward-looking companies like Procter & Gamble, we can make this ambitious goal a reality," said Kitty Block, president of both the Humane Society International (HSI) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
Kathy Fish, chief research, development and innovation officer at Procter & Gamble added, “We are pleased to partner with the Humane Society International in the quest to end cosmetic animal testing. I’m proud of the passion and expertise our researchers have contributed already to this goal. I know they will continue to be a force for good, providing leadership and advocacy to help achieve our shared vision.”
P&G, HSI, the HSUS and Humane Society Legislative Fund have collaborated on the development and regulatory uptake of animal-free test methods for more than 20 years. All three organizations hope that by bringing their strengths together, their goal of ending cosmetic animal testing will be reached more quickly. Or course, gaining acceptance of new methods by regulators and enrolling many companies and governments globally to adopt cruelty-free public policies and practices are top priorities.
“We’ve invested more than $420 million over forty years in developing non-animal test methods. Our researchers have led or co-designed at least twenty-five cruelty-free methods that have replaced animal testing of cosmetic products. HSI and the HSUS have been powerful partners in advancing these methods globally," reported Dr. Harald Schlatter of P&G corporate communications and animal welfare advocacy.
Troy Seidle, the vice president for research & toxicology at HSI, made a powerful point: “Animal testing of cosmetics not only causes unnecessary animal suffering, but it also represents outdated science. For more than 20 years, we have collaborated with Procter & Gamble to advance the development and regulatory acceptance of non-animal testing approaches, but in order to finally move proposed cosmetic animal testing bans into law in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Chile, South Africa and other influential markets, we need the active support of major industry leaders such as P&G. With the power of P&G’s household brands, I’m confident we can achieve a legislative end to cosmetic animal testing globally within five years.”