Poko Skincare officially 'Leaping Bunny' certified by Cruelty Free International
Irish-based skincare company, Poko is pleased to announce that the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny programme has now approved all of their cosmetic and personal care products. The Leaping Bunny logo gives customers the best assurance that Poko’s products meet the global gold standard for cruelty free approval.
“We are delighted to welcome Poko to the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny programme,” says Michelle Thew, Cruelty Free International CEO.
“For a boutique homegrown brand like Poko, meeting Leaping Bunny’s strict criteria is a great result.”
How exactly do beauty brands achieve Leaping Bunny approval?
The Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny approval is the best assurance that a company has made a genuine commitment to help end animal testing. To achieve it, brands must meet rigorous criteria which apply globally and extend over and above laws governing animal testing and include ongoing independent audits. Only then can they display the Leaping Bunny logo.
Brands must put in place a supplier monitoring system to be implemented by the company, 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 with all of these aspects.
Poko’s long-held ambition to be ‘officially declared’ cruelty free comes to pass
“Since we began, almost two years ago, we have been committed to being a cruelty free, vegan brand,” says Justine O’Hanlon, Co-founder of Poko.
“From day one, this has been who we are and part of our core values. So, Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny approval has always been part of our long-term strategy. Yet, as a newly established beauty brand, it takes time to establish your frameworks and produce enough data and records to achieve this.”
She continues, “This is a personal milestone for me. It means that now Poko is ‘officially’ recognised for something we have always been driven by.”
“It certainly wasn’t quick, Leaping Bunny requires an extensive insight into your products and supply chain. However I feel we had a lot of information ready for them, because we have always had to be completely transparent. With cannabidiol as one of our core ingredients, you have to ensure a rigorous, impartial testing setup.”
“We are so proud of our products and the extensive testing they have undergone. We don't bury our reports in the fine print of our terms and conditions; instead, they're prominently presented on every product page.”