In an industry-first move for South Korea, Amorepacific has successfully become a member of the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS)—and is helping work to end animal testing for cosmetics. ICCS is an organization helping to establish a global initiative for an animal-free safety assessment for beauty products.

The ICCS operates as a comprehensive global initiative, connecting cosmetics manufacturers, industry associations, and animal protection groups from every corner of the globe. Headquartered in New York, the ICCS embarked on its mission last February.

Together, ICCS members are helping to expedite the global shift towards animal-free safety evaluations for cosmetics, personal care items, and their ingredients. The organization leverages the latest science and works with regulatory bodies across nations to recognize the outcomes of non-animal safety assessments—and integrate them into their existing regulations and policies.

This work aims to eliminate unnecessary animal testing, while ensuring product safety to safeguard human health and the environment.

“Amorepacific joining our organization adds to the level and breadth of our expertise and experience globally,” said Erin Hill, President and CEO of the ICCS. “This global initiative is something very unique in the field of animal-free safety testing and will fuel serious true change for cosmetics and their ingredients,” she said.

ICCS currently boasts the participation of an array of approximately 40 notable international corporations and organizations including global beauty companies such as L’Oréal, Unilever, Estee Lauder, and Procter & Gamble, cosmetics associations from various countries, and animal protection groups such as Humane Society International, Cruelty Free International, and PETA. Now, making its debut from Korea, Amorepacific proudly joins this prestigious cohort.

Byung-Fhy Suh, Head of Amorepacific R&I Center, expressed his sentiment, saying, “As a company deeply committed to the preservation of life, Amorepacific firmly believes in refraining from animal testing to uphold animal welfare and bioethics.” He reaffirmed, “We see immense value in Amorepacific’s ability to contribute to the meaningful discussions that the ICCS fosters among scientists and experts from eminent organizations and businesses worldwide regarding research on the cosmetics safety assessment without animal testing and related regulations.”

The company ceased all in-house animal testing related to cosmetic ingredients and products since 2008. As of 2013, under its ‘Declaration to Prohibit Unnecessary Animal Testing,’ Amorepacific and its business partners have forbidden any form of animal testing in relation to cosmetics except when unavoidably demanded by foreign laws or regulations. 

For cosmetics, Amorepacific has been leading the way in the implementation of research alternative methodologies to animal testing. With the initiation of a joint study on the manufacture of reconstructed 3D human skin model in 1994, it has since published 59 papers in domestic and international academic journals and has applied for and holds 15 related patents.

Amorepacific also participated in the initial development and validation studies of animal alternative test methods developed in Korea, contributing to the listing of these test methods as the OECD guidelines.