Beauty giant Estée Lauder Companies has taken a big step forward in the fight for cruelty-free cosmetics by partnering with the Humane Society International. The cosmetics conglomerate, whose brands include Estée Lauder, Too Faced, Tom Ford Beauty, Becca, MAC and Aveda, has officially backed the animal rights organization’s ‘BeCrueltyFree’ campaign.
The initiative, which is led by Humane Society International, the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund, aims to put an end to cosmetic animal testing globally by the year 2023, by negotiating and campaigning with federal legislators, regulators, cosmetic trade associations, beauty brands and corporate and other stakeholders all over the world.
"We are proud to partner with Humane Society International, an organization that has done such thoughtful work advocating for animals everywhere," said Anna Klein, senior vice president, Global Corporate Affairs for The Estée Lauder Companies, 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."
"I’m confident that by working together with beauty companies through our #BeCruelty campaign, we can help bring an end to cosmetics testing on animals by 2023," added Kitty Block, president of Humane Society International and president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States.
Estée Lauder Companies has been criticized by animal rights campaigners in the past for the fact that some of its brands retail in China, which requires cosmetics to be tested on animals by law.
Unlike the United States, the European Union has already prohibited any cosmetic products and their ingredients that have been tested on animals to be placed on its market. Several countries have adopted similar legislations but most countries around the world do not have specific legislation prohibiting cosmetics to be tested on animals. China is a specific case as its legislation still requires many cosmetics to be tested on animals before being retailed in its internal market.
Earlier this year, Avon, which stopped the practice of animal testing on finished products 30 years ago, also publicly backed #BeCrueltyFree, following in the footsteps of personal care conglomerate Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), and several companies including Lush and The Body Shop are campaigning regularly against the practice.
