Criteria for accreditation

Unlike other lists of cruelty-free companies, CCF also has a strict policy on animal-derived ingredients.

CCF will not accredit a manufacturer if any of its products contain any ingredients:

• Derived from an animal killed specifically for the extraction of that ingredient;
  
• Forcibly extracted from a live animal in a manner that occasioned pain or discomfort;
  
• Derived from any wildlife;
  
• That are by-products of the fur industry; or
  
• That are slaughterhouse by-products of a commercially significant value.

CCF also will not accredit companies unless all parent and subsidiaries (example The Body Shop being owned by L'Oreal) are also accredited. This is one of the reasons that lists produced by other organisations may include companies that CCF would not accredit. Companies applying for accreditation by CCF must sign a legally-binding contract to the effect that what they have said in their application is the truth about their practices. CCF has never accepted 'Statements of assurances' - the company must fill in the detailed Questionnaire and sign the contract.

The manufacturer of products and all related corporations (if any) must satisfy one of the following criteria:

• The never tested rule
  None of its products and none of its product ingredients have ever been tested on animals by it, by anyone on its behalf, by its suppliers or anyone on their behalf;

• The five year (or +) rolling rule
  None of its products and none of its product ingredients have been tested on animals by it, by anyone on its behalf, by its suppliers or anyone on their behalf at any time within a period of five years immediately preceding the date of application for accreditation.

See the List here.

Apply for accreditation here.