Unilever has been developing alternatives to animal testing for assessing product safety for more than 30 years, and collaborating with leading scientists and policymakers to facilitate their adoption around the world. Last year, it became the first of the top 10 companies in the personal care sector to support calls for a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics, and to throw its support behind HSI’s global #BeCrueltyFree campaign, which is leading legislative reform in key beauty markets to prohibit animal testing of cosmetics.
The Head of Unilever’s Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Julia Fentem, said “Every day, Unilever’s pioneering and talented team of safety scientists are using non-animal approaches to ensure that our products are safe for people and our planet, and I am so proud to be accepting this award on their behalf.”
In 2018, Unilever and HSI entered into a multi-year, open collaboration to develop capability across company and regulatory scientists globally so safety decisions for cosmetics can all be based on non-animal approaches; and to build capability for the long-term by investing in the training of future safety scientists in non-animal ‘next generation’ risk assessment.
President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, Kitty Block said, “We are so pleased to be honoring Unilever. Through its corporate efforts to end animal testing, and a long history of collaboration with the Humane Society family of organizations, Unilever has shown itself to be a true leader on this issue that impacts millions of animals.”
About Humane Society of the United States
Founded in 1954, the Humane Society of the United States and its affiliates around the globe fight the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, the HSUS takes on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries, and together with its affiliates, rescues and provides direct care for over 100,000 animals every year. The HSUS works on reforming corporate policy, improving and enforcing laws and elevating public awareness on animal issues. More at humanesociety.org.
Humane Society International and its partner organizations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. For more than 25 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at hsi.org.