Unilever and various other companies visited Rhodes University on Tuesday to recruit potential employees. Rhodes Organisation for Animal Rights (Roar) took the opportunity to distribute flyers and exhibit posters of animal cruelty.
This silent protest was to raise awareness about the companies that test their products on animals and those that don’t.
Unilever and various other companies visited Rhodes University on Tuesday to recruit potential employees. Rhodes Organisation for Animal Rights (Roar) took the opportunity to distribute flyers and exhibit posters of animal cruelty.
This silent protest was to raise awareness about the companies that test their products on animals and those that don’t.
“You make the ethical decision about your floor cleaner, but then you buy your tea and support the same bastards,” said Roar activist Robyn Shield. According to Unilever’s mission statement, none of their products are tested on animals.
On face value this appears to be true, but what they do not deny is that some of the ingredients used in their products are.
According to SPCA volunteer Kirstin Botha, some companies are concerned that customers might have a reaction to a product so in order to protect themselves from lawsuits, they test the product on animals.
Unilever’s policy states that animal testing is only carried out when no other alternatives are available. They believe in investing in the development and application of alternative methods to testing product safety, and are at the forefront of research into using non-animal approaches.
Starting in 2004 Unilever have made an additional €3 million a year (R28 772 100) investment in an innovative research programme on non-animal approaches to assure consumer safety.
“As noble as this is, they continue to test their products on animals indefinitely,” said Botha. "It is not enough to promise alternative scientific approaches, people need to see a change.” Unilever do state that using non-animal testing is the norm and animal testing is the exception.
Before any animal testing is carried out, Unilever’s internal control procedures require senior management to certify that there is no other way of proceeding.
When asked for comments, Unilever said that their position on animal testing was not relevant to careers day, and refrained from making a statement.
“Regardless, people have a right to know that in many cases animals are being treated like commodities, especially concerning big corporations,” said Botha.
When a company turns over €920 million (R8 823 450 000) in one year, it is appropriate for the public to question whether enough attention is being given to a cause Unilever seem to care strongly about.
From eating to taking a shower, millions of citizens throughout the world buy Unilever products on a daily basis.
The majority of their products include home and household goods such as Surf and Skip washing powder, Domestos and Sunlight, the popular Mrs Balls chutney and Flora margarine as well as Vaseline, Dove and Lux, to mention a few.
