Leaping Bunny certification: what it means and how to check a brand

How does the Leaping Bunny certification work?

The Leaping Bunny certification works through a written pledge, the Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals, which a company signs and then backs with records from every supplier. The Standard covers the company’s own-label cosmetics and household products, their formulations and each ingredient. A company that meets it appears on the Leaping Bunny list, and it may license the logo for its packaging.

What are the 4 Leaping Bunny criteria?

The 4 Leaping Bunny criteria are a fixed cut-off date, a supplier monitoring system, openness to independent audits and an annual recommitment. Each criterion goes beyond the animal testing bans in force in the European Union and several US states.

1. Fixed cut-off date. The company names a date after which neither it nor any supplier or manufacturer may conduct, commission or be party to animal tests for its products.
2. Supplier monitoring system. The company collects signed declarations of compliance from each manufacturer and ingredient supplier, down to the original maker of each ingredient.
3. Independent audits. The company agrees that an accredited firm may audit its supplier monitoring system. CCIC commissions the audit for companies under $10 million in gross annual sales, and larger companies commission it themselves.
4. Annual recommitment. The company renews its certification every year and reports changes such as mergers, acquisitions or new logos.

Who runs the Leaping Bunny program?

The Leaping Bunny program is run by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), which eight national animal protection groups formed in 1996 to replace the confusing bunny logos that brands were designing for themselves. The American Anti-Vivisection Society has chaired CCIC and managed the program since 2007. CCIC certifies companies based in the US and Canada.

Cruelty Free International certifies companies outside the US and Canada under the same criteria. Cruelty Free International has renamed its scheme the Cruelty Free International Approval Programme and is replacing the Leaping Bunny logo with a new one, while stating that the approval criteria remain unchanged.

How much does Leaping Bunny certification cost?

Leaping Bunny certification costs nothing to apply for and nothing to hold. The only optional cost is the logo: a company that wants the Leaping Bunny on its packaging pays a one-time fee of $500 to $4,500, set by its gross annual sales.

How is Leaping Bunny different from PETA’s list?

Leaping Bunny is different from PETA’s list in proof. Leaping Bunny requires supplier declarations, openness to independent audits and a yearly renewal, while PETA lists companies that sign a statement of assurance and supplier agreements.

• PETA's cruelty-free list is the other major certification, and it relies on a signed statement of assurance instead of audits.

How do you check if a brand is Leaping Bunny certified?

You check if a brand is Leaping Bunny certified by searching its name in the Compassionate Shopping Guide on leapingbunny.org. Search the brand, not the parent company, because Leaping Bunny certifies brands owned by non-certified parents when they run as stand-alone subsidiaries with their own supply chains. A brand outside the US and Canada appears on the Cruelty Free International list instead.

Which cruelty-free makeup has the Leaping Bunny certification?

The cruelty-free makeup with the Leaping Bunny certification on this site includes e.l.f., CoverGirl and Benefit, the last two through Cruelty Free International.

• Leaping Bunny brands appear among our cruelty-free mascara, with price, store and date for each pick.
• Leaping Bunny brands appear among our cruelty-free concealer, with price, store and date for each pick.
• Leaping Bunny brands appear among our cruelty-free foundation, with price, store and date for each pick.
• Leaping Bunny brands appear among our cruelty-free lipstick, with price, store and date for each pick.
• Leaping Bunny brands appear among our cruelty-free eyeliner, with price, store and date for each pick.
• Leaping Bunny brands appear among our cruelty-free nail polish, with price, store and date for each pick.
• Leaping Bunny brands appear among our cruelty-free drugstore makeup, with price, store and date for each pick.

Is Leaping Bunny the same as cruelty-free?

No, Leaping Bunny is not the same as cruelty-free, because Leaping Bunny is a certification and “cruelty-free” alone is an unregulated claim. In the US and Canada a company can call its products cruelty-free without proof, and Leaping Bunny certifies the claim against its Standard.

Does Leaping Bunny certify vegan products?

No, Leaping Bunny does not certify vegan products, because the certification covers animal testing only. A certified brand may sell products with beeswax, carmine or other animal-derived ingredients, and Leaping Bunny states that its list does not provide information about the composition of ingredients.