LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 1996 the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics ("CCIC") has operated the Leaping Bunny Program in the United States and Canada, certifying cosmetics and personal care products to be free of animal testing. The Leaping Bunny Logo has become the gold-standard, internationally recognized symbol for no animal testing. Hain Celestial's roster of organic and wholesome, better-for-you brands–including, Alba Botanica®, Avalon Organics® and JĀSÖN®, alongside Queen Helene®–have been proud supporters of the program since 1996. To this day, Hain Celestial's personal care brands pride themselves on continuing to add new animal friendly, cruelty-free brands to the Leaping Bunny portfolio of brands.

The trend in shopping for non-animal tested products started in the early 1990s; however, there was no reliable animal-friendly certification for the beauty category that allowed consumers to select products that were not tested on animals. In response, eight national animal protection groups–including the American Anti-Vivisection Society, Animal Alliance of Canada, Beauty Without Cruelty USA, Doris Day Animal League, Humane Society of Canada, Humane Society of the United States, New England Anti-Vivisection Society and National Anti-Vivisection Society–banded together to form CCIC. The goal of CCIC was to make cruelty-free shopping as easy as possible for compassionate consumers by connecting them to companies that pledged to not test on animals.

The CCIC runs the Leaping Bunny program on its "Standard," short for the Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals, which is a voluntary pledge that cosmetic, personal care and/or household product companies make to avoid animal testing across a product's supply chain from ingredients to finished goods. The entity then becomes certified and may license the Leaping Bunny Logo to use on its labels and marketing materials. The logo is the only international logo of its kind as it's recognized and trusted in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union.

"We want to congratulate Leaping Bunny on the CCIC's 20^th anniversary, and say thank you for providing consumers with a simplified way of finding cruelty-free products. We're honored to have been a part of the journey and will continue to support the program by certifying new brands under the logo" said Julie Marchant-Houle, General Manager of Hain Celestial Personal Care.

Committed to delivering animal friendly products, Hain Celestial is proud to celebrate Leaping Bunny's past 20 years and feature several brands that never test products on animals:

• 1996: JĀSÖN–Wellness is the brand's second nature and it has been since 1959. Pioneers of safer, wholesome personal care JĀSÖN believes in the power of nature's ingredients to improve everyday wellness.
• 1997: Queen Helene® brand–Body care products that are still passed on from generation to generation.
• 1999: Alba Botanica® brand–Personal care products for skin and hair made with 100% vegetarian ingredients and no parabens, phthalates or harsh sulfates.
• 1999: Avalon Organics® brand–Certified organic skincare, bath and body and haircare products that are guided by the infinite wisdom of nature and the knowledge that all beauty begins with the earth.

As the Hain Celestial portfolio has expanded so has its support for Leaping Bunny. Live Clean® brand, a unique eco-friendly beauty care line that uses natural, plant-based ingredients, is in the process of becoming certified for use of the logo.

1996 was the start of a monumental beginning for animal-friendly products, and 2016 marks a milestone in a partnership between a company, its brands and a program that aim to deliver an industry standard for cruelty-free products.

About The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

The Hain Celestial Group (NASDAQ: HAIN), headquartered in Lake Success, NY, is a leading organic and natural products company with operations in North America, Europe and India.  Hain Celestial participates in many natural categories with well-known brands that include Celestial Seasonings®, Earth's Best®, Ella's Kitchen®, Terra®, Garden of Eatin'®, Sensible Portions®, Health Valley®, Arrowhead Mills®, MaraNatha®, SunSpire®, DeBoles®, Casbah®, Rudi's Organic Bakery®, Hain Pure Foods®, Spectrum®, Spectrum Essentials®, Imagine®, Almond Dream®, Rice Dream®, Soy Dream®, WestSoy®, The Greek Gods®, BluePrint®, FreeBird®, Plainville Farms®, Empire®, Kosher Valley®, Yves Veggie Cuisine®, Europe's Best®, Cully & Sully®, New Covent Garden Soup Co.®, Johnson's Juice Co.®, Farmhouse Fare®, Hartley's®, Sun-Pat®, Gale's®, Robertson's®, Frank Cooper's®, Linda McCartney®, Lima®, Danival®, Joya®, Natumi®, GG UniqueFiber®, Tilda®, JASON®, Avalon Organics®, Alba Botanica®, Live Clean® and Queen Helene®.  Hain Celestial has been providing A Healthier Way of Life™ since 1993.  For more information, visit visit www.hain.com.

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SOURCE The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.