Cruelty Free International

What Cruelty Free International does

Cruelty Free International is a London-headquartered non-profit organisation founded in 1898 (originally as The British Union, later the BUAV, rebranded to its current name on 1 June 2015) that campaigns to end animal testing worldwide. Operating with 11–50 employees across London, Brussels, and the United States, the organisation pursues three interlocking workstreams: advocacy and policy engagement with governments and regulators, scientific and regulatory affairs to promote non-animal testing methods, and the Cruelty Free International Approval Programme, a third-party certification scheme for brands covering cosmetics, personal care, household, and animal care products. The Approval Programme involves independent audits and supply chain checks and currently lists 414 certified brands spanning major retailers and multinational consumer companies alongside smaller brands.

The organisation funds its mission through individual donations, community fundraising events, gifts in wills (which it states make up around a third of income), and licensing fees from approved brands. Distribution and engagement are driven through its website, multi-platform social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, LinkedIn), email campaigns, and partnerships with paid will-writing services (Farewill, National Free Wills Network) and donation platforms (JustGiving, Change.org). Strategic alliances with the OECD on the Chemicals Test Guidelines Explorer (announced 2026-07-03), with Bloomberg on the Emmy Award-winning 'Monkey Laundering' documentary (2025), and with sister organisation Cruelty Free Europe extend its regulatory and public reach. The CEO is Michelle Thew, supported by a leadership team with explicit scientific, public affairs, legal, and sustainable business expertise.

Name

Cruelty Free International

Legal name

Cruelty Free International

Website

https://crueltyfreeinternational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cruelty Free International is a London-headquartered non-profit, founded 1898, campaigning to end animal testing worldwide through policy advocacy, scientific expertise, and its cruelty-free brand certification programme serving 414 approved brands globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Advocacy and Cruelty-Free Certification

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Cruelty Prevention, Investigation & Humane Law Enforcement (BPAGAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC), Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN), Animal Welfare Certification Services (AFALAMAE)

Keywords

• Cruelty-free certification
• Animal welfare advocacy
• Non-animal testing methods
• Brand approval programme
• Animal protection charity

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization relies heavily on donations from supporters. The website features donation options with suggested amounts (£10, £20, £50) for different campaign purposes. Donations can be made as one-off contributions or recurring monthly/quarterly/annual payments.
2. Legacies and Gifts in Wills: Gifts in Wills are incredibly important to the organization, making up around a third of their income. Legacy giving is described as one of the most powerful ways to create lasting change for animals.
3. Brand Licensing and Approval Programme: The Cruelty Free International Approval Programme provides certification services to brands. Brands apply for approval covering cosmetics, personal care, household, cleaning, and animal care products, with independent audits and supply chain checks. Contact email: [email protected]

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Cruelty Free International is a non-profit organization that campaigns to end animal testing globally and runs the Cruelty Free International Approval Programme, a third-party certification scheme that audits brands across cosmetics, personal care, household, cleaning, and animal care products to verify cruelty-free standards through independent supply chain checks. The organization also generates impact through advocacy campaigns, scientific expertise on non-animal testing methods, and partnerships with regulators and governments.

Product overview

Cruelty Free International operates as a single unified non-profit organization with multiple programmatic offerings rather than a platform architecture. The core offering is the Cruelty Free International Approval Programme, a certification scheme that verifies brands meet cruelty-free standards through independent audits and supply chain monitoring. The organization also maintains the Replace Animal Tests (RAT) List campaign identifying replaceable animal tests, runs an Approved Brands Directory with over 414 certified brands, and conducts various advocacy campaigns focused on cosmetics, chemicals, and laboratory investigations. Supporting services include a Resource Centre with downloadable policy documents, media advisory services, fundraising programmes, and a legacy giving initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cruelty Free International Approval Programme
• Approved Brands Directory
• Gifts in Wills / Legacy Giving Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• 414 approved brands globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026Cruelty Free International collaborated with OECD to develop the OECD Chemicals Test Guidelines Explorer, a new tool to help scientists, regulators and policymakers search for and locate international testing guidelines. The Cruelty Free International Trust made a donation to the OECD for this project through ICAPO membership. This partnership helps increase the use of non-animal testing methods globally.
• FarewillcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Farewill, the UK's leading will-writing service, allows supporters to write their Will for free online or over the phone. Cruelty Free International receives legacy gifts through this partnership.
• National Free Wills NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through which Cruelty Free International refers supporters to local participating solicitors who will prepare a simple Will for free. The organization covers the legal fee.
• Much LovedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline tribute page platform partner for creating Much-Loved Tribute Pages in memory of loved ones or companion animals. Friends and family can share memories while raising funds.
• BloombergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBloomberg produced the Emmy Award-winning 'Monkey Laundering' documentary featuring Cruelty Free International's investigative work on the macaque trade.
• Meta (Facebook)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerData sharing arrangement where Cruelty Free International data (such as page visits) is shared with Meta via Meta Pixels. Meta uses this to display ads and create lookalike audiences. Joint controllers of personal information.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSimilar data sharing arrangement via tracking tools where Cruelty Free International data is used by Google to display targeted advertisements.
• Cruelty Free EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organisation and partner. Cruelty Free International shares personal information with Cruelty Free Europe in some cases. Joint engagement on European policy issues including EU legislation and regulatory matters.
• Cruelty Free International TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeparate charity entity (registered number 1081183) that is a joint controller of personal information with Cruelty Free International. Works closely together on shared mission. Made donation to OECD for test guidelines explorer.
• JustGivingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party donation platform through which supporters can make donations to Cruelty Free International.
• Change.orgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPetition hosting platform used by Cruelty Free International for campaigns, including the UN petition for global ban on animal testing for cosmetics (8 million signatures).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Animal Equality: International animal protection organisation running corporate engagement and investigative campaigns on animal testing and farming. Comparable as a peer advocacy NGO with corporate-facing programmes.

Broad incumbents

• RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals): Large UK animal welfare charity with policy, advocacy and assurance work including the RSPCA Assured scheme. Comparable as a broad incumbent in animal welfare with regulatory influence and brand-facing programmes.
• Humane Society International: Large international animal protection and welfare organisation. Comparable as a broad incumbent in animal advocacy, with significant corporate and policy engagement on animal testing and cosmetics, though with a wider remit beyond cruelty-free certification.
• Eurogroup for Animals: European animal welfare umbrella organisation lobbying the EU institutions. Comparable as a peer policy-focused NGO with corporate engagement on animal testing and welfare standards.

Direct peers

• Cruelty Free Europe: Sister organisation to Cruelty Free International, focused on EU policy and the EU ban on animal-tested cosmetics. Directly comparable as a cruelty-free advocacy and policy NGO with shared brand-side work.
• Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (Leaping Bunny): Operates the Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certification programme across North America. Most direct competitor to Cruelty Free International's Approval Programme, serving cosmetics and personal care brands seeking a cruelty-free mark.
• National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS): UK-based charity opposing animal experimentation, founded in 1875. Directly comparable as a long-running UK animal protection advocacy organisation with overlapping mission on ending vivisection.
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) - Beauty Without Bunnies: Runs the 'Beauty Without Bunnies' cruelty-free certification and directory. Directly comparable as a global NGO providing cruelty-free certification alongside advocacy and corporate engagement.
• Animal Free Research UK (formerly Dr Hadwen Trust): UK charity funding and promoting non-animal research methods. Directly comparable as a peer NGO focused on replacing animal use in science, with scientific grant-making and policy engagement.

Regional players

• Choose Cruelty Free (Australia): Australian cruelty-free certification scheme for cosmetics and household products. Comparable as a regional peer offering a third-party cruelty-free logo to brands, focused on Australia/NZ.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crueltyfreeintl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CrueltyFreeInternational
• Facebookfacebook.com/CrueltyFreeInternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cruelty-free-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/crueltyfreeintl
• TikToktiktok.com/@crueltyfreeintl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cruelty Free International