The Estée Lauder Companies has recently announced its support for a global ban on animal testing in the beauty industry.
The company, which owns a large range of personal care brands in the fragrance, cosmetics, skin and hair care categories, is now supporting the #BeCrueltyFree campaign, which is led by Humane Society International and aims to end all global cosmetic animal testing.
"We are proud to partner with Humane Society International, an organisation that has done such thoughtful work advocating for animals everywhere," The Estée Lauder Companies senior vice president of global corporate affairs, Anna Klein, said in a statement. "They have been a wonderful partner and advisor as we work together towards our common goal to bring an end to cosmetics animal testing, worldwide."
Cosmetic animal testing was recently banned here in Australia, and it has been illegal in the European Union (EU) for years. Although almost no US cosmetics companies test their products on animals anymore, many countries such as China legally require animal testing on cosmetics or cosmetic ingredients.
"It is estimated [that] more than 500,000 animals worldwide suffer and die annually for cosmetics testing," Humane Society of the United States, president and CEO, Kitty Block, said, adding that it still occurs "despite the fact that modern non-animal [testing] methods have been shown to better predict human responses than the animal tests they replace.”
The new partnership is a committment to help eliminate animal testing worldwide, with the Estée Lauder Companies following through on its pledge by aligning itself with international legislation that is aimed at ending the existing regulations on animal testing, in addition to supporting research on animal testing alternatives.
