H&M has jumped on board with the Humane Society International (HSI) in a bold campaign aiming to eradicate animal testing where it remains permitted for cosmetic products. The campaign also targets some practices of the fashion industry.
The retailer has teamed up with the animal welfare group on an ambitious new pledge to make the ethical treatment of animals a priority in the business. The partnership aims to pursue policy change in the concerned countries still allowing animal testing of cosmetics, as well as outlawing the practices deemed as cruel within wool and down production.
"Animal welfare is important to us at H&M and we want to contribute to improved animal welfare practices in our industry, which is why we are committing ourselves not only to further improve our own requirements, but also to work collaboratively with HSI to elevate standards throughout the industry and globally," said Madelene Ericsson, Sustainability Business Expert at H&M. "HSI is a globally recognized organization with long experience within this area we believe they will be a very good partner in pushing for change and we hope that other companies will be inspired to do likewise."
Together the two companies have promised to work to ensure the welfare of animals from which wool, hair or down is derived, by attempting to outlaw practices such as mulesing, live-plucking and force-feeding.
While testing cosmetics on animals is prohibited within the European Union and a handful of other countries, it remains legal in around 80 per cent of countries worldwide and even compulsory in many cases in China.
