Aveda, the high-performance, vegan hair care brand that has opposed animal testing since its founding in 1978, today announced that it has been approved under the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny Programme. 

To obtain Leaping Bunny approval, Cruelty Free International has verified that Aveda does not conduct or commission animal tests for its products, raw materials, and ingredients 1 . The brand underwent a rigorous, multi-year review process with Cruelty Free International to verify that its suppliers and manufacturers comply with all Leaping Bunny criteria for its products and ingredients. To maintain approval under the Leaping Bunny Programme, Aveda will be audited every 12 months by Cruelty Free International to ensure continued compliance.

Sustainability

“Aveda was founded on the principle to care for the world we live in, and this includes always being opposed to animal testing,” said Barbara De Laere, Aveda’s Global Brand President. “We have been a leader in sustainability for more than 40 years, and we are proud to underscore this commitment to our planet with our Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny approval, the internationally-recognizable gold standard.”

Approval

Obtaining approval under Cruelty Free International’s Leaping Bunny Programme is a key component to Aveda’s goal of providing more transparency to the Aveda guest through trusted external organisations. The Leaping Bunny status applies to the full range of Aveda’s prestige hair, skin, and body care products, which are carried in thousands of salons and stores around the world. This includes Aveda’s hair color products, which are available exclusively at Aveda partner salons.

Reputation

Michelle Thew, CEO of Cruelty Free International, said: “Aveda has a well-deserved reputation for its decades-long commitment to ethical business and sustainability. I am thrilled that this now includes Leaping Bunny approval for Aveda’s products.”

1 The approval requires (i) a supplier monitoring system to be implemented by the brand, (ii) checks for cosmetic animal testing down to and including manufacturer level of the supply chain, (iii) adherence to a fixed cut-off date (March 11, 2013) and (iv) regular independent supply chain audits to ensure compliance.

Creating A More Responsible Future

In accordance with Aveda’s founding mission to care for the world we live in, the brand has pioneered new benchmarks of environmental responsibility in beauty for decades, with priorities
in the following areas: safe beauty; sourcing responsibility; packaging responsibility; vegan
formulas; planet-conscious manufacturing; animal welfare; and helping to protect and provide clean water to people in need in Aveda’s sourcing communities and communities around the globe. 

Mission

Aveda lives its mission at its company headquarters, which are situated on a 58-acre, National Wildlife Federation Certified campus in Minnesota with honeybee colonies, an employee- curated vegetable garden, electric vehicle charging stations and miles of running trails. The main office building has an emphasis on sustainability: it is powered by solar and wind energy 2 , is carpeted with recycled fibers, has composting and recycling bins throughout the building and an organic cafe. 

To learn more about Aveda’s sustainability initiatives, visit Aveda here.