Our external auditing policies and practices

There are several areas of our business where external bodies exist that can check and verify our work. Expert eyes from outside the company can give reassurance and confirmation to customers that we are doing the things we say in our written policies and give guidance to us for future developments and improvements.  Here are some of the organisations that currently certify some areas of our work.

Ethical Consumer Research Organisation

Lush has had a non-animal testing policy in place since the company’s inception in 1995 and fighting animal testing is a core part of its philosophy and public messaging.

In July 2013, Lush Cosmetics first engaged Ethical Consumer Research Association (Ethical Consumer) to conduct annual audits of its supply chain in the UK for compliance with its non-animal testing policy. The audit has since widened to cover Lush’s manufacturing bases globally.

Ethical Consumer have full access to our list of ingredient and packaging suppliers and purchasing history. They follow up with our suppliers to verify our written records and to ensure that the supply chain fully understand the requirements of our Non-Animal Testing policy.

The latest Lush Cosmetics Non-Animal Testing Audit Assurance Statement March 2024 from Ethical Consumer can be found here.

Vegetarian Society 

All our products are free of animal slaughter ingredients and Lush runs as a vegetarian company.  It therefore makes perfect sense to us to register each of our products with the Vegetarian Society, to whom we submit our formulations for them to check and certify as animal free.  So if you are vegetarian, you can safely buy anything without having to give it a second thought.

Vegan Society

Fed up of scrutinising ingredients labels? As of 2016, 85% of Lush’s all year round range was certified vegan. As well as getting the Vegan Society to certify these products, you’ll find their logo online and on the product label itself – meaning vegans can shop with ease and their friends and family can pop safely buy them presents.

Fair Trade 

Calling products and ingredients ‘Fair Trade’ is a tricky issue. Shouldn’t all trade be ‘fair?’

The phrasing itself is confusing. The word ‘Fairtrade’ is owned by a business called the Fairtrade Foundation and can only be used on ingredients certified by them. Other Fair Trade businesses, therefore, such as Fair For Life and the Fair Trade Federation, which certify that ingredients meet ‘Fair Trade’ standards influenced by international criteria use the phrase ‘Fair Trade’ instead.

Because farmers must pay to gain Fair Trade or Fairtrade certification, we work with suppliers on the basis of their ingredient quality, traceability, working conditions and environmental and cultural impact. Consequently, while many Lush products contain certified Fair Trade ingredients, such as shea butter from Ghana and olive oil from Sindyana, we do not ask our suppliers to apply for Fair Trade status if they prefer not to.

Soil Association

Organic, regenerative farming methods help to care for communities and the planet. We buy many organic materials for use in our products, including fresh fruit and vegetables when seasonally available.  Our Therapy massage bar is certified by the Soil Association and we are audited annually to maintain this certification.

External financial auditors 

For the financial year end June 2023 our Group accounts will be audited by KPMG and for the financial year end June 2024 onwards they will be audited by BDO. These audits include the UK and Lush businesses around the world, although our non-UK entities may engage a different firm locally with UK agreement. The auditors check the statutory financial and non financial disclosures and the financial viability of the business 12 months from the date the Group accounts are signed.