Leaping Bunny Programme
Leaping Bunny is the international gold standard for cruelty free consumer products
Introducing the Leaping Bunny
At Cruelty Free International, we are passionate about helping business demonstrate its commitment to ending animal testing for the products we all use on a daily basis. Internationally, over 1,000 brands are proud to be part of the Leaping Bunny family. Many display the Leaping Bunny logo on packaging to help consumers choose to shop cruelty free.
The Leaping Bunny is the regarded as the global gold standard for cruelty free cosmetics, personal care and household products. It is the only internationally recognisable programme that requires a supplier monitoring system to be implemented by the brand, supply chain checking for animal testing right down to ingredient manufacturer level, adherence to a fixed cut-off date policy and acceptance of ongoing independent audits to ensure compliance.
Background
Evolving over the years, the Leaping Bunny programme was originally established in the 1990s by our international coalition of animal protection organisations. The Leaping Bunny logo is issued for use by brands which produce cosmetic, personal care, household and cleaning products which comply with the Leaping Bunny criteria.
Today, Leaping Bunny applications around the world are managed by Cruelty Free International and our international partners who approve companies in specific countries and regions. In the US and Canada, the programme is managed by our partners the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC). Regardless of where a brand is located, Leaping Bunny applies internationally, giving shoppers around the world confidence that all approved companies meet the Leaping Bunny gold standard.
Why choose the Leaping Bunny for your business?
Leaping Bunny remains the most trusted gold standard programme for cruelty free products, and with good reason. Choosing to become Leaping Bunny approved can enable your business to:
- Help end animal testing globally;
- Access an increased ethical market share;
- Receive ongoing technical support from Cruelty Free International;
- Evidence independent assurance of your cruelty free claims;
- Achieve global recognition of your cruelty free commitment.
Leaping Bunny approval
Companies have the option of applying for either one or both Leaping Bunny licences:
- Cosmetic & Personal Care Products.
- Household & Cleaning Products.
Scope
When a company applies, all the products in their own brand must be included. Individual items/products cannot be approved alone. Leaping Bunny does not currently include medicines, human or animal food items or clothing. Animal grooming products are included within the cosmetics licence.
Eligibility
In order to apply for Leaping Bunny approval, please check that your business is eligible and ensure that:
- Your company sells consumer products that fall under the definition of either cosmetics or household & cleaning products.
- These products are your own label/ brand and not owned by another company.
- You are not an agent, distributor or manufacturer acting on behalf of a third party without their express written permission and direct contact details.
- If you are a manufacturer, you may apply for non-transferable approval of your own label certifiable consumer products. There are no Leaping Bunny ‘approved’ manufacturers, because a company may change manufacturers or source various items from differing manufacturers. For this reason, each company must apply for approval in its own right, even where a manufacturer has approval for their own brand products.
Application Process
In order to obtain Leaping Bunny certification, your business must complete and pass the rigorous application process. In order to remain certified, your company will need to demonstrate ongoing commitment to Leaping Bunny criteria.
Step 1: Complete the online form to express your interest in becoming a Leaping Bunny brand and to discuss your query further. Introduce us to your products and gain a more detailed understanding of our criteria
Step 2: Begin a personalised business relationship with us, receive an application pack and discuss any questions you may have about the application process
Step 3: Implement Leaping Bunny criteria within your business, set up your supplier monitoring systems and submit your completed application to us
Step 4: Your application will be approved or you will receive constructive feedback on how you can meet our criteria
Step 5: If your application is approved we will work towards finalisation of your application prior to public launch as a Leaping Bunny brand
Please note that we never encourage any company to make public statements about applying or intending to submit an application. In order to provide shoppers with an accurate list of certified companies, we request that companies keep pending applications confidential until their official public certification launch date.
Costs
We are a non-profit organisation and fees for Leaping Bunny do not represent a profit for us. Instead, they contribute a little towards our administration, the cost of licensing the Leaping Bunny logo, and the cost of auditing our approved brands. Fees are dependent on turnover and start at £65.00 plus VAT per year for the smallest brands.
Timeframes
The timeframes for implementing Leaping Bunny criteria and preparing an application is different for each applicant, as different companies complete the process in different timescales. Upon receipt of your application pack, there is no deadline within which you must submit your application, however you must ensure that any supplier declarations that you collect are less than one year old upon submission. Once you have submitted a complete application, please allow ten weeks for us to process and review.
