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Certified Vegan
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| LABEL REPORT CARD |
| How meaningful is the label? |
Is the label verified? |
Is the meaning of the label consistent? |
Are the label standards publicly available? |
Is information about the organization publicly available? |
Is the organization free from conflict of interest? |
Was the label developed with broad public and industry input? |
| Somewhat Meaningful1 |
Yes2 |
Yes3 |
Yes4 |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
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1. The meaning depends on the honesty and accuracy of signed written statements by the manufacturer, since no testing/monitoring is performed. Also, the source of an ingredient could be changed to a non-vegan source after certification and before annual re-certification without Vegan Action being notified.
2. Signed written statements from the company are used; no testing or monitoring is performed.
3. Assuming statements by companies are accurate.
4. However, Vegan Action does not provide a publicly available list of which ingredients are vegan; generally the book "A Consumers Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients" by Ruth Winter is used, although other publicly available sources may be used as well.
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LABEL CATEGORY:
Animal Welfare |
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WHERE YOU'LL FIND THIS LABEL:
 CLEANING PRODUCTS
FLOOR, FURNITURE & WOOD CLEANERS
KITCHEN & BATHROOM CLEANERS
LAUNDRY CLEANERS
OTHER
: pet care products
 FOOD
BEVERAGES
CAKES
CANDY
: cookies
CONDIMENTS
FROZEN FOODS
GRAINS
NUTS
PROCESSED FOOD
: veggie burgers
SNACKS
SOUPS
SOY PRODUCTS
 PERSONAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS
BABY PRODUCTS
EYE CARE PRODUCTS
HAIR CARE PRODUCTS
MISCELLANEOUS
: clothing
NATURAL PRODUCTS
: Natural All Purpose Remedy, Natural Birthing Tools, Natural Candida Answer, Natural First-Aid for Cuts, Natural Lice Remedy, Natural Pain Relief, Natural Wart Removal
SHAVING PRODUCTS
SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
SUN PRODUCTS
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WHAT THIS LABEL MEANS:
The Certified Vegan logo is a registered trademark signifying that products are vegan, defined here as containing no animal ingredients or by-products, using no animal ingredients or by-products in the manufacturing process, and not tested on animals by any company or independent contractor. The logo is administered by the Vegan Awareness Foundation, also known as Vegan Action, a nonprofit organization promoting veganism. The program relies on written statements by companies and suppliers that the product is vegan. Companies using the logo renew their agreement annually, and must notify Vegan Action if any of the ingredients in the product change (if so the product must be certified again.)
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WHO VERIFIES THIS LABEL?
http://www.vegan.org/campaigns/certification/index.html contains information about Vegan Action and their certified Vegan label.
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/info/info30.html and http://www.peta.org/mc/facts/fsm16.html contain information on animal-derived substances, where they are used, and alternatives.
http://www.vegan.com/faq.php contains frequently asked questions about veganism.
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CONSUMERS UNION EVALUATION:
How meaningful is the label?
Somewhat meaningful. Vegan Action is relying on a signed written statement by the manufacturer to verify that the product is indeed vegan; there is no testing or monitoring. A product labeled “Certified Vegan” is defined as containing no animal ingredients or by-products, using no animal ingredients or by-products in the manufacturing process, and not tested on animals by any company or independent contractor. (Vegan Action considers animal ingredients to be part of an animal, and animal by-products to be substances produced by animals (e.g., honey, milk, whey).
However, product ingredients (as opposed to the product itself) may be being tested on animals; or, the company may have tested the product (or have knowledge of the product being tested) prior to its seeking certification. Also, for ingredients that can be derived from multiple sources, including animals, companies could interpret the written agreement in such a way as to allow them to switch sources to non-vegan sources following certification and prior to recertification. Finally, it is unclear how Vegan Action addresses the possibility of carry-over contamination of vegan products from non-vegan products processed using the same equipment as vegan products.
While there is a requirement for a company that has been certified to notify Vegan Action should the ingredients in their product change, there is no explicit notification requirement if the source of an ingredient changes. For example, the ingredients in a cookie might include lecithin, which can come from soy or from animal sources. Prior to certifying a product with lecithin, Vegan Action would ask the company for information as to the source of the lecithin. Vegan Action requires that companies be recertified annually, so the source of the ingredient would be confirmed at that time.
Also, it is unclear how closely Vegan Action confirms whether products could become contaminated by non-vegan products processed on the same machinery (e.g., vegan chocolate bars made on the same machine as milk chocolate bars). We received conflicting information from Vegan Action about this issue.
Foods, drugs, and cosmetics are required to list their ingredients (with a few exceptions, such as fragrances in cosmetics), but household cleaning products are not required to disclose their ingredients (except for disinfectants or other ingredients considered to be antimicrobial pesticides).
Does an organization verify that the label standards are met?
Yes; although the organization (Vegan Action) does not test or otherwise monitor the product itself, it relies on a signed written statement from the company and its suppliers.
Is the meaning of the label consistent?
Yes, assuming written statements supplied by companies are truthful and accurate.
Are the label standards publicly available?
Yes, to some extent. The standard defining vegan is publicly available, but Vegan Action does not make a list of vegan and/or non-vegan ingredients publicly available. Vegan Action relies heavily on public sources such as A Consumers Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients by Ruth Winter, as well Animal Ingredients from A to Z by E.G. Smith Collective and other sources. If information from these sources is conflicting, Vegan Action will do additional research and then apply their best judgment, coupled with information from the company and its suppliers, as to whether an ingredient is derived from an animal or not.
Is information about the standard organization publicly available?
Yes, for example on their website.
Is the organization behind the label free from conflict of interest?
Yes.
Was the label developed with broad public and industry input?
No, although for certain ingredients (e.g., refined sugar) Vegan Action polls vegans to determine their views, and contacts companies about processing practices. For example, after polling vegans and contacting companies, the decision was made not to permit refined sugar, since it may be processed using bone char.
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PROGRAM NAME:
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ORGANIZATION NAME AND CONTACT INFO:
Vegan Action/Vegan Awareness Foundation
P.O. Box 4288
Richmond, VA
23220
Phone: 804-254-8346
Fax: 703-832-1050
URL: www.vegan.org
Email Contact: information@vegan.org
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ORGANIZATION SUMMARY:
HISTORY
The organization formed in 1995 in Berkley by students who wanted vegan alternatives at the campus cafeteria. The certification program began in 1998, although the symbol was only recently licensed (trademarked).
FUNDING
Vegan Action receives donations from interested individuals, and grants from larger animal welfare groups and foundations. It does not received grants from companies, although it recently began posting advertisements on its website for payment. There is a $120 annual fee for certification that pays for the certification program.
STRUCTURE
The Executive Director makes most decisions regarding certification, and consults with the Board of Directors in more complex/controversial cases.
ACCREDITOR
(not an accreditor)
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LABEL STANDARDS AND CRITERIA DETAIL:
click here for label standard - criteria test and analysis
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
David Blatte, JD, practices animal rights law privately as well as with In Defense of Animals
Roy Webb, retired Public Relations Consultant and Board Advisor to Earthsave Foundation
Ori Brafman, MBA Stanford University and founder of Vegan Action
Gaverick Matheny, co-founder of the Public Education Network (a national nonprofit
research service)
Advisory Board:
Howard Lyman, President, Earthsave International
Jennifer Raymond, author of The Peaceful Palate
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