Standards & Scope
A charity‑run vegan certification standard with product‑certification rigour, spanning food, cosmetics, household goods, textiles, retail/catering and plant‑only farming.
Regulatory basis & references
We operate a management system designed to meet ISO/IEC 17065 for product certification bodies. For food, our definitions align with ISO 23662 for vegan/vegetarian terminology; for non‑food, we apply equivalent principles adapted to sector law and guidance. Claims must be substantiated, clear and not misleading under UK consumer‑protection law.
Claim options
- Vegan — no ingredients, processing aids or additives of animal origin (including insects/invertebrates).
- Vegan & Cruelty‑Free — vegan plus a fixed cut‑off date for animal testing across ingredients and finished goods, evidenced via supplier declarations.
- Plant‑only farming — primary production module prohibiting animal‑derived inputs and requiring plant‑based fertility strategies.
“Vegan” does not mean “allergen‑free”. We audit controls and labelling for cross‑contact; allergen‑free claims require separate validation.
Key requirements (public summary)
- Ingredients & processing aids: prohibited animal‑derived substances and controls for ambiguous materials (e.g., glycerine, stearates, mono‑/diglycerides, activated carbon, enzymes/cultures of animal origin, vitamin D3 of lanolin origin, animal‑origin L‑cysteine).
- Supplier approval: declarations/specifications and change control for origin of sensitive inputs; batch‑level traceability.
- Manufacturing controls: intake checks, line clearance, validated cleaning, segregation and release controls on shared equipment.
- Retail & catering: approved recipes/products, staff training, menu/PLU control, and display/online claim governance.
- Animal testing: fixed cut‑off date policy; supplier evidence; handling of regulatory exceptions in specific markets.
- Plant‑only farming: prohibition of manures and animal by‑products; rotations, cover/green manures, plant composts and permitted minerals; storage/field contamination controls.
- Surveillance: annual audits plus risk‑based unannounced visits, label reviews and targeted analytical testing.